unit_id,article_title,article_content,source,date,location,labels,,,,
1914947530,Syria attack symptoms consistent with nerve agent use WHO,"Wed 05 Apr 2017 Syria attack symptoms consistent with nerve agent use WHO. Victims of a suspected chemical attack in Syria appeared to show symptoms consistent with reaction to a nerve agent the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. ""Some cases appear to show additional signs consistent with exposure to organophosphorus chemicals a category of chemicals that includes nerve agents"" WHO said in a statement putting the death toll at at least 70. The United States has said the deaths were caused by sarin nerve gas dropped by Syrian aircraft. Russia has said it believes poison gas had leaked from a rebel chemical weapons depot struck by Syrian bombs. Sarin is an organophosporus compound and a nerve agent. Chlorine and mustard gas which are also believed to have been used in the past in Syria are not. A Russian Defence Ministry spokesman did not say what agent was used in the attack but said the rebels had used the same chemical weapons in Aleppo last year. The WHO said it was likely that some kind of chemical was used in the attack because sufferers had no apparent external injuries and died from a rapid onset of similar symptoms including acute respiratory distress. It said its experts in Turkey were giving guidance to overwhelmed health workers in Idlib on the diagnosis and treatment of patients and medicines such as Atropine an antidote for some types of chemical exposure and steroids for symptomatic treatment had been sent. A U.N. Commission of Inquiry into human rights in Syria has previously said forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have used lethal chlorine gas on multiple occasions. Hundreds of civilians died in a sarin gas attack in Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus in August 2013. Assads government has always denied responsibility for that attack. Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under a deal brokered by Moscow and Washington. But Russia a Syrian ally and China have repeatedly vetoed any United Nations move to sanction Assad or refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court. ""These types of weapons are banned by international law because they represent an intolerable barbarism"" Peter Salama Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme said in the WHO statement. - REUTERS",nna,4/5/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1914947532,Homs governor says U.S. attack caused deaths but doesnt see big human losses,"Fri 07 Apr 2017 at 0914 Homs governor says U.S. attack caused deaths but doesnt see big human losses. A U.S. missile strike on an airbase near the Syrian city of Homs on Friday caused deaths but is not believed to have resulted in ""big human casualties"" Homs Governor Talal Barazi said. Barazi said the attack served the interests of ""armed terrorist groups"" including Islamic State adding that the targeted airbase had been providing air support for army operations against Islamic State east of Palmyra. Barazi was speaking in a series of phone interviews with media on Friday. He confirmed deaths at the airbase in a phone interview with Lebanese TV station al-Mayadeen. ""I believe - God willing - that the human casualties are not big but there is material damage. We hope there are not many victims and martyrs"" he told Reuters by telephone. Speaking at dawn he said rescue and fire-fighting operations had been going on for two hours at the base. He said the attack was a form of ""support for the armed terrorist groups and it is an attempt to weaken the capabilities of the Syrian Arab Army to combat terrorism"". Speaking to Syrian state TV Barazi said ""The Syrian leadership and Syrian policy will not change. ""This targeting was not the first and I dont believe it will be the last"" he added. In separate comments to al-Mayadeen he said ""The war against terrorism will continue."" U.S. President Donald Trump said he ordered missile strikes against an airfield from which a deadly chemical weapons attack was launched this week declaring he acted in Americas ""national security interest"" against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. U.S. officials said the military fired dozens of cruise missiles against the base in response to the suspected gas attack in a rebel-held area that Washington has blamed on Assads forces. The Syrian government has strongly denied responsibility. The U.S. strikes ""targeted military positions in Syria and in Homs specifically"" in order to publicly ""serve the goals of terrorism in Syria and the goals of Israel in the long run"" Barazi added in his interview with state TV.-REUTERS",nna,4/7/2017,homs,0,,,,
1914947533,Death toll from Aleppo bomb attack at least 112,Sun 16 Apr 2017 Death toll from Aleppo bomb attack at least 112. The death toll from a bomb blast on a crowded Syrian bus convoy outside Aleppo reached at least 112 people the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Sunday. Syrian rescue workers the Civil Defence said that they had carted away at least 100 bodies from the site of Saturdays blast which hit buses carrying Shiite residents as they waited to cross from rebel into government territory in an evacuation deal between warring sides. The British-based Observatory said the number was expected to rise. Those killed were mostly residents of the villages of al-Foua and Kefraya in Idlib province but included rebel fighters guarding the convoy the Observatory said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack which pro-Damascus media said was carried out by a suicide car bomber. The convoy was carrying at least 5000 people including civilians and several hundred pro-government fighters who were granted safe passage out of the two Shiite villages which are besieged by rebels. Under the evacuation deal more than 2000 people including rebel fighters were granted safe passage out of Madaya a town near Damascus besieged by government forces and their allies. That convoy was waiting at a bus garage in a government-held area on Aleppos outskirts a few miles from where the attack took place. Madaya evacuees said they heard the blast. --Reuters,nna,4/16/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1914947534,Aleppo bomb blast kills six Syrian state TV,Wed 19 Apr 2017 Aleppo bomb blast kills six Syrian state TV. A bomb blast killed six people and injured 32 in the Salah al-Din district of Aleppo Syrian state television reported on Wednesday without giving further details. Salah al-Din is located west of Aleppos Old City in a district that was part of the last rebel enclave there until it was taken over by the Syrian army in an advance in December. --Reuters,nna,4/19/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1914947535,29 Syria Rebels Dead in Fighting for Key Aleppo Road,Sun 10 Jul 2016 29 Syria Rebels Dead in Fighting for Key Aleppo Road. At least 29 Syrian rebels were killed in clashes with regime troops overnight during a failed bid to reopen the oppositions key supply route into Aleppo city a monitor said Sunday. The fighters from the Faylaq al-Sham Islamist faction and Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front were killed trying to reopen the Castello Road which regime forces effectively severed on Thursday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said.--AFP,nna,7/10/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1914947536,Suicide bombing kills at least 16 in northeast Syria,Tue 05 Jul 2016 Suicide bombing kills at least 16 in northeast Syria. A suicide bomb blast killed at least 16 people in the mostly Kurdish-controlled city of Hasaka in northeastern Syria on Tuesday the monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The attacker detonated his explosives at a bakery. The British-based observatory said several other people were wounded and the death toll was likely to rise because of the number of serious injuries. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing. Islamic State has targeted areas of Hasaka province in the past including another city Qamishli. But bomb attacks in Hasaka city itself have been rarer in recent months. The Kurdish YPG militia which controls most of Hasaka province captured large areas of territory from Islamic State in northeastern Syria last year and is involved in a U.S.-backed offensive against the jihadists further west near the Turkish border. --Reuters,nna,7/5/2016,hasakeh,0,,,,
1914947537,22 dead in heavy U.S. raids on IS Syria stronghold,"Sun 05 Jul 2015 22 dead in heavy U.S. raids on IS Syria stronghold. Six civilians including a child were among at least 22 people killed in U.S. air strikes on the Islamic State groups de facto Syrian capital on Saturday and Sunday a monitor said. The rest of the dead in the raids on the city of Raqa were IS fighters the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Dozens of people were also wounded. The U.S.-led coalition which launched an air war against IS in Syria last September said it had carried out ""significant"" air strikes against Raqa. ""The significant air strikes tonight were executed to deny Daesh (IS) the ability to move military capabilities throughout Syria and into Iraq"" spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gilleran said. ""This was one of the largest deliberate engagements we have conducted to date in Syria and it will have debilitating effects on Daeshs ability to move from Raqa."" Coalition forces ""successfully engaged multiple targets"" throughout Raqa the statement said destroying IS structures and transit routes. The strikes ""have severely constricted terrorist freedom of movement"" it added. Washington is leading a coalition fighting IS in Syria and Iraq where the extremist group has proclaimed an Islamic ""caliphate"" in territory under its control. The group emerged in Syria in 2013 and now controls around half the countrys territory though much of the land it holds is unpopulated desert. More than 230000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011.-AFP",nna,7/5/2015,raqqa,0,,,,Fake = 0
1914947538,Suicide bomber kills 4 in Assad clans hometown,"Sun 22 Feb 2015 Suicide bomber kills 4 in Assad clans hometown. A suicide bomber driving an ambulance killed four people on Sunday in an unprecedented attack on a hospital that took Syrias civil war to the ruling Assad clans hometown for the first time a monitoring group said. The attack came as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that troops had executed 48 people earlier this week in a northern village among them 10 children. ""A man drove an ambulance packed with explosives into the parking of the Qardaha hospital. Another man was in the vehicle with him but it was unclear whether he was an accomplice or a hostage. Four people were killed in the attack"" said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. Earlier state television had reported the blast but did not specify the nature of the attack. The attack the first explosion to hit the heart of the western town since the outbreak of Syrias civil war in 2011 killed a nurse a hospital employee and two soldiers said Observatory director Abdel Rahman. The outskirts of Qardaha have previously come under rocket fire while Latakia province - where the town is located - has seen several rounds of heavy fighting. A mausoleum containing the graves of President Bashar Assads father and predecessor Hafez and brother Bassil is located in Qardaha. The clan has ruled Syria with an iron fist for more than 40 years. Syrias war began in March 2011 as a pro-democracy revolt seeking Assads ouster. It morphed into a conflict after the regime unleashed a brutal crackdown on dissent. - Troops kill 10 children - Meanwhile the Observatory said 10 children and 13 rebels were among 48 people executed by government forces in the northern village of Rityan earlier this week. The killings took place after troops entered the town Tuesday during an offensive aimed at cutting rebel supply lines to the Turkish border. Abdel Rahman said all the dead were from six families. ""There was no resistance except in one house where a rebel opened fire at troops before being executed along with his family."" The brief seizure of Rityan was part of an abortive army offensive this week to encircle the rebel-held east of Aleppo and relieve two besieged Shiite villages to its north. By Friday all but one of the villages taken by government forces had been recaptured by the rebels who include fighters from Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. The heavy fighting claimed the lives of 129 loyalists and 116 rebels including an Al-Nusra commander according to an Observatory toll. - Air raids kill thousands - While the ground offensive failed warplanes kept pounding rebel areas of Aleppo city and other parts of the country. On Saturday two women and two children were among eight people killed when a barrel bomb hit a building in an opposition-held area of Aleppo city once Syrias commercial capital. Six people were also reported killed in rebel shelling of regime-held areas of the city. The air force also killed at least 10 people in rebel areas east of Damascus Saturday the Observatory said. According to the group they were the latest of more than 7000 people killed across Syria since the UN Security Council passed a resolution last year ordering an end to sieges and indiscriminate use of weapons in populated areas. The Observatory ""has documented the killing of 5812 civilians including 1733 children 969 women and 3110 men in barrel bombings and (other) air raids"" over the past year. Meanwhile rebel fire on regime-held areas killed 1102 people said the Observatory adding that 234 of them were children. And 313 people died in areas under army siege in the past year as a result of food and medical shortages despite the fact that the resolution also ordered the lifting of sieges.-AFP",nna,2/22/2015,lattakia,0,,,,True = 1
1914947539,Explosion rocks down town Damascus,Sun 01 Feb 2015 Explosion rocks down town Damascus . An explosion inside a bus killed six people and injured another ten in down town Damascus according to preliminary reports on Sunday. Syrias government run TV said the explosion took place in Al Kalassa region of the Syrian capital and that 19 people were injured and an unspecified number of others killed.,nna,2/1/2015,damascus,1,,,,
1914947540,Damascus explosion due to rocket bomb,Sat 24 Aug 2013 Damascus explosion due to rocket bomb . The blast heard Saturday evening in the area of Burj Rouss Qsaa in the Syrian Capital Damascus was due to a rocket bomb and not a car explosion NNA correspondent reported. The rocket bomb packed with heavy explosive material led to the killing of one person and the injury of 40 others; in addition to causing huge material damages within the area of explosion NNA correspondent added quoting the Syrian National Television.,nna,8/24/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1915433669,Syrian regime steps up aerial assault on Douma,"12 February 2015 Casualties mount in the Eastern Ghouta city as the regime continues its assault for the tenth day in a row. More than 120 people have been killed as troops allied to the Syrian regime stepped up attacks on Syrias Eastern Ghouta governorate focusing on the city of Douma around 10km northeast of Damascus. Regime aircraft have dropped more than 1000 bombs on the city in at least 150 airstrikes during the past ten days according to analysts. ""Rescue teams and volunteers continue to search for survivors and bodies under the rubble amid the mass destruction of neighbourhoods"" Osama Said a Douma-based media activist told al-Araby al-Jadeed. At least 400 people - mainly women and children - have been injured during this bombing campaign and 500 residential buildings have been destroyed according to the citys monitoring and documentation office. Retaliation The administration of President Bashar al-Assad said attacks had been ramped up after Zahran Alloush leader of the Army of Islam - a merged collection of rebel opposition groups - declared Damascus a military zone [Ar] and shot hundreds of missiles at the capital. 	 	Rescue teams and volunteers continue to search for survivors and bodies. - Osama Said media activist The latest escalation is also an attempt by regime forces to break into Eastern Ghouta which is controlled by the Army of Islam. Douma-based activists have drawn the worlds attention to their tragedy using the hashtag Doumaexterminated and its Arabic equivalent. Pictures and videos of the city posted using the hashtag have shown dozens of severely injured children receiving treatment at makeshift hospitals as well as injured civilians and dead bodies being pulled from the rubble. ""Pictures from Douma and the high civilian body count show the regime is targeting residential areas not military sites"" said Hisham Marwah the Syrian National Coalitions (SNC) vice-president. The regime has used this policy of collective punishment in many parts of Syria since the uprising began he added. Marwah called on the international community to put pressure on Assads regime to stop the massacres immediately. ""The international alliance should add Assads positions to the locations it is targeting in its attacks on the Islamic State group in Syria"" he added. Other locations targeted by Assads troops this week in Eastern Ghouta include the towns of Misraba Ayn Tarma Arbin and Kafr Batna and the al-Wafideen refugee camp. This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition. Also",alaraby,2/12/2015,damascus,1,,,,
1915433670,Hizballah leads regime offensive in southern Syria,"12 February 2015 Free Syrian Army and Nusra Front fighters pushed from town of Deir al-Adas and surrounding areas as rebels claim Iranian-backed Lebanese group wants to set up permanent base. Hizballah fighters backed by Syrian and Iranian forces have pushed the Nusra Front and from the town of Deir al-Adas reports say in a major offensive in the Daraa governorate. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Deir al-Adas was taken on Tuesday after two days of fierce fighting between regime elements and rebels including members of Nusra al-Qaedas affiliate in Syria and fighters from the Free Syrian Army. The offensive is part of the operation launched on Sunday to seize areas at the intersection point of the three Syrian governorates of Rif Dimashq Daraa and Quneitra near the disputed Golan Heights. The observatory group said 20 opposition fighters were killed in the fighting including a Hizballah ambush near Deir al-Adas. The groups director Rami Abdulrahman told the AFP news agency that Hizballah was leading the attack on Deir al-Adas and its surrounding hills. Al-Araby al-Jadeed cannot independently verify the reports. Restoring security The official Syrian news agency Sana quoted a military source on Wednesday as saying the army was able to ""restore security"" to Sanei Tal al-Hawa and Tal-Arous in the southwestern countryside of Damascus Tal Meri west of Damascus and al-Danaji and Tal Antar near Deir al-Adas. The opposition Local Coordination Committee of Deir al-Adas said heavy shelling had forced the Free Syrian Army from the town which was now ""in range of their firepower"". Ayman al-Aasmi a member of the FSA southern front command claimed that Hizballah was trying to set up a permanent base in north Daraa to link its positions in southern Lebanon through the hills of Mount Hermon. ""The issue is not just about retaking some towns and hills"" he said. ""Hizballah pushed large forces into the battle mostly made up of Lebanese and Iraqi militias in light of the regime forces collapse in the Daraa governorate as a result of losses in battles with opposition forces defections or redeployment into the hot spots in other governorates."" This article is an edited translation of the original Arabic.",alaraby,2/12/2015,damascus,1,,,,
1915433675,Syrian opposition remains divided,"23 February 2015 The Sawaiq al-Rahman Brigade has announced it has killed several Nusra Front fighters as clashes between opposition groups continue. Tags Syria Free Syrian Army opposition groups Sawaiq al-Rahman brigade al-Nusra Front Idlib The Sawaiq al-Rahman brigade announced on Monday that it had killed six Nusra Front fighters and injured several others in the countryside south of Idlib in northwest Syria. The brigade is a Syrian opposition faction affiliated with the Free Syrian Army (FSA). ""The operation was carried out in response to al-Nusras attack on the town of Amiriyah when it set fire to several houses - including one belonging to Mithqal al-Abdallah a former Syrian Revolutionary Front (SRF) commander"" the Sawaiq al-Rahman brigade stated. 	 	Al-Nusra has many enemies. It also has many hostages including my son. - Col Haitham Afisi former FSA deputy chief of staff The brigade also recently killed Abu Hassan an al-Nusra leader in the town of Salqin in the countryside around Idlib. He was hanged for ""violations committed by al-Nusra against the towns civilians"" according to a statement issued by the brigade. The FSAs special forces seventh division also issued a statement giving al-Nusra 48 hours to release those it took hostage nearly a week ago when it stormed its headquarters in the town of Ain Larouz. Those taken include the divisions commander and several fighters. The statement also called on al-Nusra to return all possessions it had taken and to abide by ""the law of God"" to prevent further bloodshed. Former FSA Deputy Chief of Staff Colonel Haitham Afisi said that over the past eight months al-Nusra had also attacked fighters from groups including the FSA SRF Hazzm Maarat al-Noman martyrs brigade Idlib martyrs brigade and those led by Mithal al-Abdallah and Yusuf al-Hassan. ""Al-Nusra has many enemies. It also has many hostages including my son a brigade commander that has been detained for over four months"" Afisi told al-Araby al-Jadeed. The colonel said the group had lost popular support and become a target itself while that those it had attacked were likely to unite against it. The Nusra Front is an al-Qaeda franchise operating in Syria and Lebanon that aims to overthrow the regime of President Assad in Syria. The group has been designated ""a terrorist organisation"" by many western governments. In early November 2014 al-Nusra started expanding into the countryside around Idlib after clashing with other opposition factions particularly the SRF. Al-Nusra has since seized control of most of the countryside south of Idlib the provincial capital. This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.",alaraby,2/23/2015,idlib,1,,,,
1915433682,IS video shows murder of 2 Syrian activists,"6 July 2015 So called Islamic State group has posted online a new disturbing video showing the murder of two Syrian activists after they confess to spying. Tags Syria Islamic State activists murder video Palmyra The Islamic State group has released a new video purporting to show the killing of two Syrian activists in the militants stronghold of Raqqa allegedly for spying on the extremists. IS has killed hundreds of people since it declared an Islamic caliphate in June last year with the city of Raqqa as its de facto capital. The video which was posted Monday on an IS-linked Facebook page shows two young men in orange jumpsuits who say they filmed and photographed IS-held areas in Syria and sent footage to a person abroad. They identify themselves as 21-year-old Faysal Hussein Habibi and 20-year-old Bishr Abdul-Azim. They are then tied to a tree after which masked gunmen shoot them in the head at close range. This follows the release of a video posted online n 4 July purportedly showing Islamic State fighters killing 25 Syrian soldiers in the historic town of Palmyra in central Syria. 	 	Scores of Syrian troops and state employees were killed in the days after Palmyra fell to IS. The video showed the soldiers being taken in pickup trucks from the towns notorious Tadmur prison to the amphitheatre. At the theatre they were shot dead by young IS members armed with pistols. Hundreds of people were seen watching the killings. The video did not indicate when the killings took place. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said these shootings took place on 27 May. It was reported in May that scores of Syrian troops and state employees were murdered in the days after the town fell to IS on 22 May 2015. Palmyra is a UNESCO world heritage site famous for its 2000-year-old Roman colonnades other ruins and priceless artifacts. The capture of Palmyra has raised concern that the militants might try to destroy one of the Middle Easts most spectacular archaeological sites a well-preserved Roman-era city on the towns edge as they have destroyed other pre-Islamic ancient monuments elsewhere in Syria and Iraq. On 2 July IS said its militants had destroyed six archaeological pieces from Palmyra that were confiscated from a smuggler. The shootings in the video took place inside the archaeological site and the troops some of whom had bruises and blood on their faces apparently as a result of being beaten were made to kneel in front of a giant IS black flag before being shot in the back of their heads.",alaraby,7/6/2015,raqqa,1,,,,
1915433683,Syrias Nusra Front stages deadly suicide bombing in Aleppo,7 July 2015 A suicide bomber from al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate al-Nusra Front killed 25 soldiers and fighters loyal to Assads regime in government-held western Aleppo on Monday a monitoring group said Tags Nusra Front al-Qaeda Aleppo Syria Assad extremism war. A suicide bomber from Syrias al Qaeda offshoot the Nusra Front blew himself up in a Syrian army outpost in a contested neighborhood in the divided northern city of Aleppo and killed at least 25 soldiers and allied militia and injured scores a monitor said. The UK based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which tracks the violence across the country said the explosion from the blast was heard across the city where several Islamist-led groups recently launched an offensive to control the remaining western parts of the city in government hands. Rebel websites said there was heavy bombardment of rebel-held portions of Jamiyat al Zahra district where rebels had gained ground and brought them closer to the heart of government controlled parts of the city which was before the 2011 civil war the countrys main industrial and commercial hub. Rami Abdul Rahman head of the monitor group said the Syrian army had responded with heavy firepower including aerial bombardment in an attempt to stem the offensive. The al Qaeda-linked insurgents posted on social media images of fighters from the Nusra Front heading towards the district which the Syrian army has repeatedly said in recent days had not fallen into insurgent hands. Syrian television said the Syrian army had foiled an attempt by extremists to detonate an explosive-laden truck heading towards Jamiyat al Zahra and that it was detonated before reaching its target.,alaraby,7/7/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1915433684,Regime troops thwart rebel attack in Syrias Aleppo,"8 July 2015 Regime forces fended off an attack by rebel fighters on the Zahra neighbourhood of Aleppo with reports of heavy casualties on both sides. Tags Syria Aleppo regime forces rebel forces the Nusra Front Syrian troops and pro-government gunmen repelled an offensive by rebels and militants on a neighbourhood in the northern city of Aleppo on Tuesday while opposition activists claimed the army carried out a chlorine gas attack in another part of the city state media and activists said. The offensive led by members of al-Qaedas affiliate in Syria the Nusra Front began late Monday with a suicide attack followed by a ground offensive that led to the capture of several buildings in the western Zahra neighborhood activists said. 	 	The city is witnessing fierce battles and the shelling is daily and intense. -Ibrahim Khatib activist. State news agency SANA said troops were able to destroy the vehicle rigged with explosives before it reached its target in Zahra. It added that troops repelled the attack killing and wounding dozens of insurgents in Zahra and other parts of Aleppo. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the suicide attack that was carried by members of the Nusra Front killed 25 troops and pro-government gunmen. The group added that 19 insurgents have been killed since Monday in Zahra. A former industrial and commercial hub Aleppo has been carved up between government and rebel-held neighbourhoods since July 2012. With Syrias largest city devastated by three years of fighting many of its residents have long fled. ""The city is witnessing fierce battles and the shelling is daily and intense"" said Aleppo-based activist Ibrahim Khatib via Skype. ""The situation is bad and residents are living through difficult humanitarian conditions."" Opposition fighters and Islamic militants have launched a series of attacks in Aleppo since last week capturing the citys Scientific Research Center that was used as a military base. Activists said Syrian troops and pro-government gunmen have been trying to retake the base with no luck so far. Chlorine gas The Local Coordination Committees and the observatory said government troops used chlorine gas on Tuesday during an attempt to regain control of the Scientific Research Center. The Observatorys chief Rami Abdurrahman said there were no casualties among the militants since most of them were wearing masks. The opposition and the government have blamed each other for chlorine gas attacks in the past. The fighting is part of a new coordinated offensive in Aleppo by a newly-formed coalition between the Nusra Front and other factions including the ultra-conservative Ahrar al-Sham group. The coalition which calls itself Ansar al-Sharia has said it seeks to ""liberate"" Aleppo. 	 	Iran is Assads strongest regional ally and has extended him billions of dollars in credit since the crisis began in March 2011. In the northwestern province of Idlib Nusra Front members kidnapped Iraqi Christian priest Diaa Aziz from the village of Yacoubiyeh the Observatory said. It said Aziz was kidnapped on Saturday and his whereabouts are not known. Bankrolled by Iran Also Tuesday Syrias parliament approved a draft law ratifying a new Iranian credit line agreement signed on May 19 by the Syrian Commercial Bank and the Export Development Bank of Iran. The deal worth around $1 billion aims to fund imports of goods and commodities as well as other projects. Iran is President Bashar Assads strongest regional ally extending him billions of dollars in credit since the crisis began in March 2011. The United States Saudi Arabia and several countries in the Persian Gulf suspect Tehran is also shipping him weapons. In another development Syrian tribal leaders are in secret talks with UN special envoy for Syria and a senior US general to form a coalition similar to the so-called ""Sunni Awakening"" during the US occupation of Iraq according to The Independent. However in interviews with the UK newspaper the tribal leaders said they were wary of being exploited by external powers which they blamed for their countrys current situation. Syrias conflict has killed more than 230000 people and wounded at least a million according to the UN. Over half of Syrias prewar population of 22 million have been forced to leave their homes.",alaraby,7/8/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1915433685,Ahrar al-Sham leader killed in Syria,"15 July 2015 Abu Abdelrahman Salqeen leader of Syrian rebel group Ahrar al-Sham was killed Tuesday in a suicide bombing that targeted the group for the second time in less than a year. Tags Syria Ahrar al-Sham Nusra Front suicide bombing Staffan De Mistura Southern Front alliance regime forces Hezbollah Zabadani Islamic State group airstrikes A double suicide bombing in northern Syria on Tuesday targeted the headquarters of an Islamist rebel group killing its leader and several other high ranking members. The attack was the second time in less than a year that a bombing takes out the leadership of Ahrar al-Sham (""Free men of the Levant"") one of the most powerful Islamic groups fighting both President Bashar Assads forces and its rival the Islamic State group which holds wide swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq. Tuesdays attack struck the headquarters of Ahrar al-Sham northwest of the town of Idlib killing the groups leader Abu Abdelrahman Salqeen. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said six other Ahrar al-Sham members also died. The Local Coordination Committees and other activists also reported the attack. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing. 	 	 The attack came a few days after a senior member of Ahrar al-Sham published an op-ed piece in the Washington Post in which he denied espousing al-Qaedas ideology and portrayed his group as the moderate Islamist alternative in Syria claiming it was a key to defeating the IS. In September Ahrar al-Shams leader Hassan Abboud was killed along with several other leading members of the group in a similar bombing also in Idlib province. Ahrar al-Sham is the largest group in the Jaysh al-Fateh (Army of Conquest) the coalition of Islamist and moderate rebel groups that took control of the regime-held stronghold of Idlib in March this year. According to a report in al-Monitor the various groups in Jaysh al-Fateh are having trouble agreeing on a unified approach to governing the territory they have captured. The other large group in the coalition the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front reportedly attacked Sharia court buildings and police stations affiliated with Ahrar al-Sham-dominated Sharia authority for managing the liberated areas in Idlib in Kafr Nabl on 8 July. 	 	Syrian forces backed by Lebanese Hezbollah fighters have entered a rebel-held mountain resort near the border with Lebanon. This follows protests in the Idlib countryside against the Nusra Front which Nusra fighters suppressed reportedly with the use of lethal force and a bomb at a mosque last Friday in which killed at least 10 members of the group according to Reuters. UN envoy meets southern rebels UN Special Envoy for the Syria Crisis Staffan de Mistura met with leaders of the Southern Front alliance in southern Syria on Tuesday for the first time according to Reuters. The Southern Front alliance controls a significant amount of territory between the capital Damascus and the southern border and has made a number of significant gains against regime forces over the last few months. De Mistura began an extensive round of meetings with parties directly or indirectly involved in the conflict in May with an eye to ending the brutal four-year civil war. According to his office he plans to finalise plans by the end of July to reach a political solution to the conflict. Regime offensive tightens grip on Zabadani State media says Syrian forces backed by Lebanese Hizbollah fighters have entered a rebel-held mountain resort near the border with Lebanon a day after launching a major offensive to capture the town. State-run Syrian TV said troops entered the town of Zabadani from the western Jamaiyat district Sunday. Hezbollahs al-Manar TV ran exclusive footage purportedly showing Hezbollah fighters in the town. It showed scenes of heavy fighting including explosions and mushrooms of white smoke. According to other sources the regimes latest attempt to secure Zabadani started 12 days ago. 	 	Meshaal killed in an airstrike in Hasakeh composed several Jihadi hymns for the IS celebrating martyrdom and holy war. Regime warplanes and helicopters launched at least 60 air raids yesterday on the rebel-held Syrian town of Zabadani to the west of Damascus and a short distance from the Lebanese border according to a monitoring group. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there had been at least 29 raids by warplanes on Zabadani and at least 34 barrel bombs dropped by helicopters so far today. The raids come as forces from the regimes army and Hezbollah are engaged in their 11th day of heavy fighting with rebel forces in the area for control of the strategic town. A spokesperson for the Zabadani Revolution Coordination Committee told al-Araby al-Jadeed on Monday that forces from the regimes army and Hezbollah had made several attempts to advance into the town from the south but all of these attempts had been repelled. Zabadanis capture would tighten Hezbollahs grip on Syrian territories bordering Lebanon and strengthen the Syrian governments control over of the Beirut-Damascus highway. The town has been held by rebels since shortly after Syrias crisis began in March 2011. US airstrikes target the IS The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the death of two senior Islamic State group (IS) leaders in a suspected US airstrike on Monday. Abu Osama al-Iraqi and Amer al-Rafdan were killed in what is believed to have been US airstrikes in Hasakeh. A Saudi national Maher Meshaal known as Abu Hajar al-Hadrami was also killed in airstrikes in Hasakeh according to IS supporters on twitter CBS reported. Meshaal composed several Jihadi hymns for the IS celebrating martyrdom and holy war. The airstrikes come a week after President Barrack Obama announced the US would intensify its campaign of airstrikes against the IS in northern Syria.",alaraby,7/15/2015,idlib,1,,,,
1915433687,Barrel bombs kill 11 in IS town in Syria,"16 July 2015 At least 11 civilians including three children were killed in regime barrel bomb attacks in the town of al-Bab held by the extremist Islamic State group a monitoring group said. Tags Syria Islamic State group IS civilians barrel bombs Syrian Observatory for Human Rights At least 11 civilians among them three children were killed Thursday in regime barrel bomb attacks on an extremist-held town in northern Syria a monitoring group said. Government helicopters dropped the crude and indiscriminate weapons on al-Bab which lies in the northern province of Aleppo and is held by the extremist Islamic State group according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Since Saturday at least 68 civilians have been killed in aerial attacks on the town. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP the ""intensified air attacks by regime forces on al-Bab are aimed at foiling IS efforts on multiple fronts"" including the nearby Kweyris military airport which IS has besieged for more than a year. Al-Bab is strategically important because it is one of ISs closest positions to regime-held parts of Aleppo he said. In May more than 60 civilians were killed by barrel bomb attacks on the town. Syrias embattled regime has heavily bombarded areas in Aleppo province that have fallen out of its control. To the west in Idlib province an alliance of rebels and Islamist fighters carried heavily shelled the provinces last two regime-held Shia villages for the second consecutive day. The ""Army of Conquest"" an opposition coalition that includes al-Qaedas Syria affiliate al-Nusra Front began its assault on Fuaa and Kafraya on Wednesday. ""Dozens of shells fell overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning on Fuaa and Kafraya which are largely inhabited by Shia Muslims"" the Observatory said. Abdel Rahman said there were casualties but had no immediate toll. The Army of Conquest said Wednesday its attack was a response to an offensive by the army and the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah on Zabadani the last rebel-held bastion along the Syrian-Lebanese border. Clashes in Zabadani raged on Thursday according to the Observatory which has documented heavy shelling on the town since early July. At least 230000 people have been killed in Syrias multi-front conflict which began in 2011 with anti-government protests but devolved into a civil war.",alaraby,7/16/2015,aleppo,1,,,,
1915433692,Rebels advance in north-western Syria,"28 July 2015 Syrian rebels launched a huge offensive on government-held areas in northwestern Syria in a bid to advance towards a coastal region vital to President Bashar al-Assads control of western Syria. Tags Syria Idlib Bashar al-Assad SOHR al-Qaeda al-Nusra Syrian rebels launched a huge offensive on government-held areas in north-western Syria in a bid to advance towards a coastal region vital to President Bashar al-Assads control of western Syria a monitoring group said on Tuesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said insurgents including the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front captured government-held positions outside the town of Jisr al-Shughour and pushed into the northern tip of the Sahl al-Ghab plain overnight. Rami Abdulrahman who runs the UK-based Observatory said government forces had launched a counter attack and had recovered some lost ground in Sahl al-Ghab. Reuters reported a military source who said ""The battles are ongoing in that area between the army and the militant attackers the terrorists."" Insurgents including the Nusra Front captured Jisr al-Shughour in May part of a wider offensive that drove Syrian government forces from nearly all the northwestern province of Idlib. Rebels advance in western province after regime forces retreated Elsewhere Syrian troops and Kurdish fighters ousted the Islamic State group from Hasakeh Tuesday more than a month after the extremists launched an assault on the north-eastern city a monitoring group said. Government troops and Kurdish forces who share control of the city had been battling since June 25 to push IS forces out of the city which is the capital of Hasakeh province. IS ""was expelled by the army from Zuhur the last district in which it was present in Hasakeh and its fighters have been pushed to the southern outskirts of the city"" said Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman. At least 287 IS fighters among them 26 minors had been killed in the fight for Hasakeh as well as strikes by the US-led coalition outside the city he said. Another 120 soldiers and pro-regime militiamen and several dozen Kurdish forces were also killed. State news agency SANA said Syrias armed forces ""dealt great blows to the Daesh (IS) terrorists in Zuhur"" Tuesday but did not say the extremists had been pushed out of the city. ""Army units advanced again into Zuhur where they executed a special operation against the terrorist hotbeds"" it reported. IS has attacked Hasakeh city several times but the latest assault was the most serious yet. Its forces initially seized several districts in the southern part of the city with Kurdish fighters and regime troops mobilising against them. The Observatory said IS had used at least 21 car bombs and several suicide bombers during the month-long campaign.",alaraby,7/28/2015,hasakeh,0,,,,
1915433693,Israeli strike on Syrian town kills pro-regime fighters,"29 July 2015 An Israeli airstrike on a government-held village on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights ceasefire line killed five pro-regime forces on Wednesday a monitoring group said. Tags Syria Golan Heights Israeli airstrike Hezballah SOHR An Israeli airstrike on a government-held village on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights ceasefire line killed five pro-regime forces on Wednesday a monitoring group said. ""An Israeli plane hit a car inside the town of Hader killing two men from (Lebanese Shia group) Hezballah and three men from the pro-regime popular committees in the town"" said Rami Abdel Rahman director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Hader is a Druze village that lies along the ceasefire line with the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights plateau to the west and the border with Damascus province to the northeast. An Israeli army spokeswoman declined to comment on the incident. According to Hezballahs official television station al-Manar ""two members of Syrias (pro-regime militia) National Defence Forces were killed when an Israeli drone targeted their car at the entrance of Hader in Quneitra province."" The National Defence Forces has fighters operating throughout Syria. Lebanons Hezballah is a close ally of the Syrian government and has dispatched fighters to bolster the army against the uprising that began in March 2011. Rebel fighters including Islamists surrounded the village of Hader on June 17 after fierce clashes with loyalist militia in the area. Israels own significant Druze minority has expressed concern that their brethren in Syria would be targeted by rebels there. The Druze are a secretive offshoot of Shia Islam. Officials say there are 110000 of them in northern Israel and another 20000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan. Israel seized 1200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan Heights from neighbouring Syria in the 1967 Six Day War.",alaraby,7/29/2015,damascus,0,,,,
1915433694,Syria army plane crashes in rebel-held town,"3 August 2015 A Syrian military aircraft crashed while on a bombing run over the rebel-held northwestern town of Ariha on Monday leaving at least 27 people dead a monitoring group said. Tags Syria Idlib Ariha Assad war Government air raids in a northwestern town in Syria and a subsequent crash by a Syrian warplane that slammed into a residential area there killed at least 27 people on Monday activists said. The raids on the town of Ariha came amid intense clashes between government forces and insurgents in the northwestern province of Idlib and the central region of Hama. The town once a government stronghold was captured by opposition fighters and Islamic militants in May. Government forces have suffered setbacks in Idlib province since March including the loss of the provincial capital of the same name. An activist group known as the Local Coordination Committees said the warplane crashed in a busy market adding that it was not immediately clear whether it was shot down. The LCC said 27 people were killed and many others were wounded. Rami Abdurrahman who heads another activist group the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the plane crashed in the town centre destroying several homes. The Observatory later said that 31 people were killed and more than 60 were wounded. The Ariha Today Facebook page posted a photo showing at least seven buildings reduced to rubble on a narrow street. It said 27 people were killed but that 12 of them have not been identified yet. The group also listed 55 wounded including nine women. The discrepancies in the different casualty figures reported could not be reconciled. The Observatory and the LCC said that at the time of the crash the town was under attack by Syrian President Bashar Assads air force. An amateur video posted online by activists showed several damaged buildings as well as parts of the plane that crashed. Syrias civil war began in March 2011. The United Nations says the war has killed more than 220000 people wounded at least one million and left many displaced internally and in neighbouring countries. 	 	More than four million Syrians have fled the civil war to become refugees in the surrounding region",alaraby,8/3/2015,idlib,0,,,,
1915433695,Syrian regime revenge attack kills scores in Qalamoun,"2 July 2016 The Syrian regime has killed at least 43 people in the town of Jayrud near Damascus in a revenge shelling attack after a downed pilot was killed by rebels. Tags Syria warplane shelling pilot Jayrud Qalamoun Jaish al-Islam al-Nusra Front At least 43 people have been killed by Syrian regime shelling in a rebel-held town northeast of the Syrian capital after a downed government pilot was executed by rebels. The bombardment hit the town of Jayrud on Saturday where Islamist rebels killed a pilot they captured after he was forced to eject on Friday. ""At least two of the killed in Jayrud were medical staff"" head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Rami Abdel Rahman said. ""Prominent figures in Jayrud have had a local truce with the regime for at least two years and neither fired on each other"" he added. Jaish al-Islam spokesman Islam Alloush said on Friday that al-Nusra Front had executed an air force pilot in Jayrud after his plane was shot down by Jaish al-Islam. ""We have been surprised by members of al-Nusra killing the pilot whose plane we shot down after they pledged to hand him over us"" Alloush said on Twitter. Alloush identified the pilot as Lieutenant Nawras Hassan and posted an interview with him before he was killed. 	 	Images of the captured pilot were released [Twitter] In a Friday statement about the incident Syrian state media said the attack ""would not go unpunished."" It added that the plane had crashed due to ""technical failure during a training mission"". Rebel groups in Jayrud 60 kilometres from Damascus include the Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam the hardline Ahrar al-Sham and al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front. Jaish al-Islam like the al-Qaida affiliate is considered a terrorist group by the Syrian government and Russia. Several government aircraft have been shot down by rebels or crashed because of technical faults since the civil war erupted five years ago. Also on Saturday Jaish al-Islam said it had shot down a regime drone near the village of al-Bahariya in eastern Ghouta. The conflict has killed more than 280000 people and displaced millions.",alaraby,7/2/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1918150026,Chemical Massacre in Idlib Defies the World,"April 5 2017 by Youssef Diab Paula Astih and Najla Habriri ""Chemical"" Massacre in Idlib Defies the World Beirut London- Warplanes releasing toxic gas targeted Tuesday the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib northwestern Syria massacring dozens of people and injuring hundreds. Many pointed their fingers at the Syrian regime which denied any responsibility for the attack and described the massacre as fabricated fake accusations by the armed fighters. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack believed to have been carried out by Syrian regime or Russian jets killed at least 58 people including 11 children at ages below 8. The Observatory added that warplanes continued to bomb the town following the attack which took place near a medical center where the victims of the first aggression were being treated. The attack also caused many people to choke and some to foam at the mouth the Observatory added. A high-ranking Syrian opposition official told Asharq Al-Awsat that the gas used during Tuesdays massacre had never been used before. Director of Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs (LISA) Sami Nader said. This crime will constitute a turning point in the Syrian developments because it has embarrassed the Russians on the issue of chemicals. Meanwhile the National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces said the attack killed more than 100 people including 25 children and 15 women and injured 400 others. A military source at the Free Syrian Army told Asharq Al-Awsat that the attack targeted a popular market in the center of Khan Sheikhoun. The attack only targeted civilians in order to push the residents of Idlib and its suburbs to migrate outside the Syrian border the source asserted. While UN war crimes investigators are looking into the alleged chemical weapons attack on the Syrian town in Idlib the Security Council is expected to hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the matter. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said it is seriously concerned about the attack. It said its Fact Finding Mission (FFM) is in the process of gathering and analyzing information from all available sources. Several countries also condemned the attack. The White House considered it as unacceptable while US President Donald Trump said These heinous actions by the Bashar Assad regime are a consequence of the past administrations weakness and irresolution.For his part French President Francois Hollande directly blamed Syrian regime forces for the attack while High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said the regime of Assad bears primary responsibility.Commenting on what happened in Khan Sheikhoun UN special envoy for Syria Staffa de Mistura said This was horrific im sure there will be a Security Council meeting on this for clear identification of responsibilities accountability. Youssef Diab Paula Astih and Najla Habriri.",asharqalawsat,4/5/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1918150027,Bus Bombing Marks End to Tragic Evacuation Deal in Syria,April 18 2017 Bus Bombing Marks End to Tragic Evacuation Deal in Syria. For two Syrian mothers on opposite sides of a two-year siege their evacuation from the blockade was supposed to end their suffering but that was not the case in wake of a bombing outside the city of Aleppo. Noha a Shiite and Samira a Sunni were besieged for nearly two years on each side of Syrias civil war. At the weekend they finally escaped the suffocating blockades under an evacuation agreement but their ordeal was not over. As they waited at two transit points miles apart outside Aleppo a bomb attack hit Nohas bus convoy killing more than 120 people including dozens of children. After ambulances rushed off the wounded new buses arrived and the two convoys eventually reached their destinations one in regime territory and the other in rebel territory. In the hours leading up to Saturdays attacks the two women spoke to Reuters about what they had left behind their families being split up and the likelihood they would never return home. Reuters was not allowed back past security to try to find Noha after the blast and lost contact with Samira after speaking to her earlier on another evacuees phone. Weve lost everything. We hope to go back one day but I dont expect we wil said Noha 45 asking not to be identified by her last name. Noha left al-Foua one of two Shiite villages besieged by Syrian insurgents in Idlib province with her two youngest children and 5000 other people under a deal between the Syrian regime and armed opposition. In exchange 2000 Sunni residents and rebel fighters from the regime-besieged town of Madaya near Damascus Samiras hometown were given safe passage out and bussed to Idlib province a rebel stronghold via Aleppo. Thousands of Syrians have been evacuated from besieged areas in recent months under deals between Bashar al-Assads regime and rebels fighting for six years to unseat him. Rebels say it amounts to forced displacement of Assads opponents from Syrias main urban centers in the west of the country and engenders demographic change because most of the opposition and Syrias population are Sunni. There was little choice. We had to leave we were scared said Samira 55 who was traveling with her five adult sons. She had feared her sons would be arrested or forced to join the Syrian regime forces and fight once troops and officials of the Damascus regime moved into the town. Like Noha Samira was relieved to have escaped a crushing siege which had caused widespread hunger and in the case of Madaya starvation but had left everything behind including family. We owned three houses farmland and three shops in Madaya town. Now we dont have a single Syrian pound she said. Her daughter pregnant with a third child had stayed in Madaya because her husband had vowed to live and die there she said. Samira has not heard from her own husband for nearly four years after he was arrested by the regime. With nothing left and no place to stay in Idlib other than camps Samira said she would try to migrate joining the 5 million Syrian refugees who have left since the war broke out in 2011. More than 6 million are internally displaced. I dont want to be in Idlib we know no one there. Also you dont know when or where the jets might bomb she said referring to the heavy bombardment by Russian and Syrian warplanes of rebel-held areas in Idlib including a recent alleged poison gas attack. The plan is to try to get to Turkey to leave Syria for good. Noha was also heading into the unknown. I dont know where well live whether they (authorities) have anything set up. At the very least we just want to be safe. The children jump at night from the sound of rockets. We just want security wherever they take us she said. Her adult son and daughter had stayed in al-Foua but were hoping to leave in the next stage of the evacuation deal. Nohas husband had been killed but she did not say how. Both women said they would never have left their hometowns but for the strangling sieges which caused severe food and medicine shortages and the gradual change of control in each area. On Saturday a deadly explosion killed at least 100 including children regime supporters and opposition fighters at an evacuation point adding new urgency to the widely criticized operation. The blast ripped through a bus depot in the al-Rashideen area where thousands of regime loyalists evacuated the day before waited restlessly for hours as opposition fighters guarded the area while negotiators bickered over the completion of the transfer deal. Only meters away hundreds of evacuees from pro-rebels areas also loitered in a walled-off parking lot guarded by regime troops. Asharq Al-Awsat Asharq Al-Awsat is the worlds premier pan-Arab daily newspaper printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities. Launched in London in 1978 Asharq Al-Awsat has established itself as the decisive publication on pan-Arab and international affairs offering its readers in-depth analysis and exclusive editorials as well as the most comprehensive coverage of the entire Arab world.,asharqalawsat,4/18/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1918150028,Six Killed in Aleppo Bombing as Evacuation of 4 Syrian Towns Resumes ,Posted on April 19 2017 by Asharq Al-Awsat English Six Killed in Aleppo Bombing as Evacuation of 4 Syrian Towns Resumes Six people were killed and dozens others wounded in a blast that rocked the northern Syrian city of Aleppo at a time when a complex evacuation deal was being carried out a few kilometers away in Rashidin a southwestern suburb of the city. Syrian state TV said an explosive device went off in the northern city of Aleppo killing six people and wounding 30 others. It did not provide further details on Wednesdays blast in the regime-held Salaheddin neighborhood. Opposition media groups including Aleppo Today said the explosion occurred near a mosque during the funeral of a regime fighter. Aleppo was divided between regime and rebel-held districts for years but regime forces managed to drive rebels from the city in December with a Russian-backed offensive. Some contested areas remain. Meanwhile the widely criticized evacuation of thousands of Syrians from four besieged areas resumed Wednesday state media and activists said days after a bombing killed more than 120 evacuees and delayed the population transfer. The Central Military Media said 3000 residents of two pro-regime villages Foua and Kafarya left Wednesday in 45 buses bound for regime-controlled Aleppo. Another 11 buses carrying some 500 people including opposition fighters left Madaya and Zabadani near Damascus heading toward the northern rebel-held Idlib province. The opposition-run Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the transfer which it said includes 800 armed men from both the rebels and regime. Some 160 mostly gunmen had remained in Zabadani. The process has resumed with 3000 people leaving Foua and Kafraya at dawn and nearly 300 leaving Zabadani and two other rebel-held areas the head of the Britain-based monitoring group Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Security was tightened up for Wednesdays departures. Several dozen armed rebel fighters stood guard over the marshalling area where the buses were parked. The AFP correspondent said all other vehicles were carefully searched. After repeated delays the first phase of the deal began on Friday. Some 30 hours after the first two batches reached exchange points a massive explosion struck near buses carrying evacuees from the pro-regime areas killing more than 120 mostly women and children. Many of the rebel fighters who guarded the buses were also killed. No one claimed responsibility for the attack which the regime blamed on the rebels. The transfer deal is not overseen by the United Nations. Critics say the string of evacuations which could see some 30000 people moved across battle lines over the next 60 days rewards siege tactics and amounts to forced displacement along political and sectarian lines. All four areas have been under siege for years their fate linked through a series of reciprocal agreements that the UN says have hindered aid deliveries. Asharq Al-Awsat English Asharq Al-Awsat is the worlds premier pan-Arab daily newspaper printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities. Launched in London in 1978 Asharq Al-Awsat has established itself as the decisive publication on pan-Arab and international affairs offering its readers in-depth analysis and exclusive editorials as well as the most comprehensive coverage of the entire Arab world.,asharqalawsat,4/19/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1918150030,58 Killed in Suspected Gas Attack in Syrias Idlib,Posted on April 4 2017 by Asharq Al-Awsat English 58 Killed in Suspected Gas Attack in Syrias Idlib Dozens of people have been killed in Syrias northern Idlib province on Tuesday in a suspected chemical attack that has been described as among the worst in the countrys six-year war. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group put the death toll at 58 saying there were 11 children among the dead. Meanwhile the Idlib Media Center said dozens of people had been killed. There was no comment from the regime in Damascus or any international agency in the immediate aftermath of the attack. A Syrian regime source denied that the regime had used any such weapons saying the army does not and has not used chemical weapons not in the past and not in the future. It deemed such claims as rebel propaganda. It was the third claim of a chemical attack in just over a week in Syria. The previous two were reported in Hama province in an area not far from Khan Sheikhoun the site of Tuesdays alleged attack. The Syrian American Medical Society which supports hospitals in opposition-held territory said it had sent a team of inspectors to Khan Sheikhoun before noon and an investigation was underway. The Syrian activists had no information on what agent could have been used in the assault. They claimed the attack was caused by an airstrike carried out either by the regime or Russian warplanes. A Turkey-based Syrian woman whose niece husband and one-year-old daughter were among those killed said the warplanes struck early as residents were still in their beds she said speaking on condition of anonymity because she feared for the safety of family members back in Syria. Makeshift hospitals soon crowded with people suffocating. The province of Idlib is almost entirely controlled by the Syrian opposition. It is home to some 900000 displaced Syrians according to the United Nations. Rebels and opposition officials have expressed concerns that the regime is planning to mount a concentrated attack on the crowded province. Tuesdays reports came on the eve of a major international meeting in Brussels on the future of Syria and the region hosted by the EUs High Representative Federica Mogherini. Claims of chemical weapons attacks particularly the use of the chlorine agent are not uncommon in Syrias conflict. The worst attack was what a UN report said was an attack by toxic sarin gas in August 2013 on the Damascus suburb of Ghouta that killed hundreds of civilians. The Syrian Coalition an opposition group based outside the country said regime planes carried out the airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun south of the city of Idlib the provincial capital. It said the planes fired missiles carrying poisonous gases killing dozens of people many of them women and children. The coalition described the attack as a horrifying massacre. Photos and video emerging from Khan Sheikhoun show limp bodies of children and adults. Some are seen struggling to breathe; others appear foaming at the mouth. A medical doctor going by the name of Dr. Shajul Islam for fears for his own safety said his hospital in Idlib province received three victims all with narrow pinpoint pupils that did not respond to light. He published video of the patients on his Twitter account. Pinpoint pupils breathing difficulties and foaming at the mouth are symptoms commonly associated with toxic gas exposure. The oppositions Civil Defense search-and-rescue group which released photos showing paramedics washing down victims has not published a casualty toll. The activist-run Assi Press published video of paramedics carrying victims from the scene by a pickup truck. The victims were stripped down to their underwear. Many appeared unresponsive. Warplanes continued to pound the town after the attack including near a medical point where victims were being treated the Observatory said. Most of the towns streets had become empty a witness said. The New York-based Human Rights Watch has accused the Syrian regime of conducting at least eight chemical attacks using chlorine gas on opposition-controlled residential areas during the final months in the battle for Aleppo last year that killed at least nine civilians and injured 200. Also a joint investigation by the United Nations and the international chemical weapons watchdog determined the regime was behind at least three attacks in 2014 and 2015 involving chlorine gas and the ISIS group was responsible for at least one involving mustard gas. Asharq Al-Awsat English Asharq Al-Awsat is the worlds premier pan-Arab daily newspaper printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities. Launched in London in 1978 Asharq Al-Awsat has established itself as the decisive publication on pan-Arab and international affairs offering its readers in-depth analysis and exclusive editorials as well as the most comprehensive coverage of the entire Arab world.,asharqalawsat,4/4/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1918150031,MSF Syrian Regime Used Chemical Weapons in Hama,Posted on April 2 2017 by Youssef Diab MSF Syrian Regime Used Chemical Weapons in Hama Beirut Doctors Without Borders (MSF) accused the Syrian regime and its allies of using chemical weapons in their bombardment of the Hama governorate on March 25. MSF reported that the regime targeted Latamneh hospital in the northern Hama governorate killing two people and causing severe respiratory symptoms among patients and staff. The hospitals orthopedic surgeon Dr. Darwish was one of two people killed. Thirteen people were transferred to other facilities for treatment. It reported that at around 600 pm on March 25 the Latamneh hospital was targeted by a bomb dropped by a helicopter which hit the entrance of the building. The organization relied in its report on information from the hospital staff that proved that chemical weapons were used. Patients and staff reported suffering severe respiratory symptoms and burning of mucous membranessymptoms consistent with an attack using chemicals. The hospital went out of service for three days due to the attack after which the emergency room reopened. The hospital is located a few miles from the frontlines and provides medical care for around 8000 people. Prior to the attacks the hospital had an emergency room and inpatient department and provided general and orthopedic surgery. Massimiliano Rebaudengo MSFs head of mission in northern Syria said that the loss of Dr. Darwish leaves just two orthopedic surgeons for a population of around 120000. Bombing hospitals although banned by International Humanitarian Law remains a common practice in Syria and health services are severely affected by these repeated attacks he added. Over the past year MSF has received reports of at least 71 attacks on 32 different health facilities which it runs or supports in Syria. On February 22 an MSF-supported health facility in Idlib governorate was hit by rockets killing six and wounding 33 others. Meanwhile Al-Nasr Army announced that the Hama battle will continue and the retreat of rebels from several locations does not mean they have been defeated. Battles continued between the regime forces and opposition factions on all fronts in Hama coinciding with dozens of air raids by Russian and Syrian war planes. Al-Nasr Army military spokesperson Lieutenant Iyad al-Homsi said The criminal gangs resorted to chemical weapons when they were no longer able to defeat us in the battlefield. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat he added Those who witness the number of deaths of regime forces and its affiliated militias will realize that victory is ours. We have proven to the world that after six years of killing destruction and displacement that our revolution will continue. Head of the Hama Media center Abu Yazan al-Noiami said that the retreat of rebel forces and the consequent advances of the regime over the past two days were caused by the regimes use of chemical gases. He added that both the regime and Iranian forces are resorting to media blackouts to hide the very high figures of their losses. He stressed Hundreds of Iranian militants were killed and over 30 tanks personnel vehicles and cannons were destroyed in this battle. In a new development 17 armed factions in coastal regions Aleppo Hama and Idlib announced that they agreed to form a comprehensive military operations room aimed at fighting the Syrian regime and restoring stability in the region. Opposition website al-Durrar al-Shamiyyah reported an informed source as saying that factions of al-Jabha al-Shamiyyah al-Sham Legion Mujahideen Army al-Nasr Army Idlib Army Freedom Brigade the Middle Company and many others are part of this operations room. According to the source Colonel Fadlullah Naji of the al-Sham Legion will head the room adding that during the last month and a half the troops had been meeting to agree on all details which he did not disclose. He said that the final meeting will be held in the coming few days to present the framework of the room after which it will be officially announced. Youssef Diab Launched in London,asharqalawsat,3/25/2017,hama,1,,,,
1918150033,Toxic Gas Dropped on Syrian Town After Russian Helicopter is Shot Down,Posted on August 3 2016 by Jordan Dakamseh Toxic Gas Dropped on Syrian Town After Russian Helicopter is Shot Down The President of the UN Security Council for August the permanent representative of Malaysia to the UN Ramlan Ibrahim said that the Council will discuss who is responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria during this month and will announce the results at the end of it. Meanwhile a spokesman for Syria Civil Defence said that 33 people mostly women and the children were affected by the gas which they suspect was chlorine in Saraqeb Idlib province. Medium-sized barrels containing toxic gases fell close to where a Russian military helicopter had been shot down hours earlier. The Syria Civil Defence which describes itself as a neutral group of volunteers that carry out searches and rescue work in areas controlled by the armed opposition posted a video on YouTube that showed a number of men trying to breathe and members dressed in the Syria Civil Defence uniforms giving them oxygen masks. Syria Civil Defence workers who went to the site said that they suspected that the gas used was chlorine gas but that it is difficult to confirm this. The organisations spokesman said that Medium-sized barrels fell containing toxic gases. The Syrian Civil Defence was not able to determine the type of the gas. Monitors at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which tracks violence on all sides in the civil war said barrel bombs fell on Saraqeb late on Monday wounding a large number of citizens. Reuters quoted the US State Department as saying that it was looking into the reported use of chemical weapons in Saraqeb. Its spokesman John Kirby said that he is not in a position to confirm the veracity of (the reports) and continued by saying Certainly if its true it would be extremely serious. Russias Ministry of Defence said that a Russian helicopter was shot down near Saraqeb on Monday killing all five people on board in the biggest officially acknowledged loss of life experienced by Russian forces since they started operations in Syria. Government and opposition forces have both denied using chemical weapons during the civil war that has been going on for the last five years. Western powers say that the government has been responsible for chlorine and other chemical attacks. Assads regime and Russia have accused rebels of using toxic gas. Jordan Dakamseh,asharqalawsat,8/3/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1918150034,Syrian Opposition Sparks Aleppo Front to Relieve North Fractions,Posted on July 12 2016 by Paula Astih Syrian Opposition Sparks Aleppo Front to Relieve North Fractions Beirut- Opposition Fractions in Aleppo raged a huge and first of its kind assault as a response to the progress achieved by the regime forces along with the pro-groups at the Castello Road. These fractions rain showered districts dominated by Assad forces with hundreds of missiles and bombarded tunnels thus leading to tenth of casualties. Wird Furati head of press office at Fastaqim Kama Umirt told Asharq Al-Awsat that Aleppo operation is an inverse one to spark all fronts in Aleppo to foil the regime repetitive attempts to besiege the city from four fronts. There is a media embargo over the battle thus it is not possible to discuss its details and purposes said Furati. Jabhat al-Nusra is involved in the battle but with few number of fighters he continued. The assault raged by the opposition was accompanied by launching tenths of missiles on the western districts dominated by the Syrian regime leading to the death of eight and the injury of 89 according to Syria TV. Syrian Arab News Agency however reported that a unit from Assad regime forces bombarded a tunnel in Ancient City of Aleppo and killed tenths who were trying to sneak into Citadel of Aleppo. This operation was being planned to since the intense conflicts in Aleppo northern countryside and it seeks reducing pressure over opposition fractions in the north said Security Officer Ammar Aref to ARA News. Media Activist Wael Mohammed told ARA News that Abdullah Al Huseini judge at Jaish al-Fatah and leader at Jabhat al-Nurah sent a voice message assuring Aleppo residents that the regime attempts to besiege Aleppo will fail. Aleppo will not be besieged. Dont you know what Aleppo is! Al Huseini said in the voice message. Paula Astih,asharqalawsat,7/12/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1918150036,Dozens Killed in International Coalition Airstrikes on Manbij,Posted on July 20 2016 by Asharq Al-Awsat Dozens Killed in International Coalition Airstrikes on Manbij A day after the first massacre that took place in the Al-Hazawiya neighbourhood in Manbij the Aleppo countryside airstrikes led by the international coalition have killed dozens of people and injured others in Tokhar according to the Syrian National Coalition and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The ISIS run Amaq news agency said that 160 civilians were killed in raids on the Manbij countryside whilst an international coalition source did not deny that airstrikes had been carried out in Manbij recently and said that an investigation into the matter is being carried out. The source told Asharq Al-Awsat that. We have seen the reports that indicate that people were killed as a result of the shelling and we are now collecting information on the matter from several parties some of which were close to the sites that were targeted. Based on the results we will take necessary measures. We would like to stress that we take precautions and measures to avoid targeting civilians and minimise the harm that may affect them. Meanwhile the US military announced in a statement that opposition fighters that are backed by the United States and are fighting ISIS militants in Syria took control of a base from which operations were led in the city of Manbij at the beginning of the week. The Director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP that the bombing carried out by the international coalition targeted the outskirts of the village of Tokhar at dawn yesterday which resulted in 56 civilians dying including 11 children. Other Syrian opposition websites stated that the death toll has risen to 85 people including five entire families most of which were women and children after residential areas were targeted. Opposition websites also stated that the bombing resulted in the destruction of a mill and a number of mosques and schools. Asharq Al-Awsat Asharq Al-Awsat is the worlds premier pan-Arab daily newspaper printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities. Launched in London in 1978 Asharq Al-Awsat has established itself as the decisive publication on pan-Arab and international affairs offering its readers in-depth analysis and exclusive editorials as well as the most comprehensive coverage of the entire Arab world.,asharqalawsat,7/20/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1918150039,Thirty Killed in Syrian Strikes on Damascan Suburb Town,Posted on July 2 2016 by Asharq Al-Awsat English Thirty Killed in Syrian Strikes on Damascan Suburb Town Thirty civilians were killed on Saturday in intensive Syrian air strikes on a Damascan suburb town northeast of the city a day after the reported execution of a Syrian air force pilot a monitor and rebels said. The raids targeted a medical center a school and a residential area in Jayrud town rebels said. Jayrud is a heavily populated area that struck a local truce with the army that had saved it from the heavy bombing on other rebel held areas. It had made it a sanctuary for thousands of civilians fleeing heavy battles nearby. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said scores were also injured in the aerial strikes as well as shelling from army posts in the area. A rebel spokesman said the strikes seemed to be in retaliation for the killing of a Syrian air force pilot who parachuted down near the town after his plane crashed on Friday. The strikes against civilians are in retaliation against the execution of the pilot by Nusra Front said Said Seif al Qalamoni from the Free Syrian Armys (FSA) Shahid Ahmad Abdo brigade that operates in Jayrud alongside the al Qaedas Nusra Front and other groups. Rebels in a joint operations room targeted a main army base in the region with Russian-made surface to surface missiles after the aerial strikes al Qalamoni said. Syrian state media said the crash was due to a technical fault and the pilot had ejected while the rebel group Jaish al-Islam said it had shot down the plane but did not say how. Jaish al Islam said the pilot was arrested and was subsequently killed by a fighter from the Nusra Front while being held at a joint command center. The army had warned of a strong response after the execution of the pilot was reported shortly after he was shown on a rebel video circulated on social media giving details of his mission. Separately Russian and Syrian planes intensified their bombing on Saturday of a strategic rebel-held area of Aleppo that is near the only route into opposition-held parts of the northern city. If the Malah area were to fall to the army and its allies they would succeed in laying siege to areas where over 400000 people live under rebel control. Asharq Al-Awsat English Asharq Al-Awsat is the worlds premier pan-Arab daily newspaper printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities. Launched in London in 1978 Asharq Al-Awsat has established itself as the decisive publication on pan-Arab and international affairs offering its readers in-depth analysis and exclusive editorials as well as the most comprehensive coverage of the entire Arab world.,asharqalawsat,7/2/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1918150044,Russians and the Syrian Regime Use Internationally Banned Bombs to Attack Aleppo,Posted on August 12 2016 by Youssef Diab Russians and the Syrian Regime Use Internationally Banned Bombs to Attack Aleppo The chairman of the Syrian Network for Human Rights Fadel Abdul Ghani told Asharq Al-Awsat that the networks investigators have verified that a helicopter belonging to the regime dropped a barrel bomb containing toxic gasses on the Zubdiya neighbourhood in Aleppo on Wednesday night. The bomb was dropped at a time when the United Nations envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura emphasized that there is a lot of evidence that chlorine gas is being used in Aleppo and If it did take place it is a war crime. Three civilians were killed and more than twenty others suffered from suffocation on Wednesday night after a toxic gas believed to be chlorine gas was released by a helicopter belonging to the regime. A medical source in Aleppo said The regimes helicopter dropped a barrel containing toxic gas on the neighbourhood of Zubdiya Aleppo on Wednesday. A man woman and child died as a result of suffocation and the source added that The gas was poisonous chlorine and About twenty other civilians including women and children suffered from suffocation and were immediately taken to medical points in order to receive the necessary medical procedures. The news website El-Dorar Al-Shamia that is affiliated to the Syrian opposition said that the attack using poisonous gasses on the Zubdiya neighbourhood was not an isolated case and that Russian warplanes targeted the neighbourhood of Al-Rashideen the area around the town of Kefarnaha west Aleppo and the Al-Ramusa area in south Aleppo with phosphorous bombs. Youssef Diab,asharqalawsat,8/12/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1918150046,Syria Kurdish Islamist violence kills 12 Al-Qaeda-linked fighters,Posted on August 3 2013 by Nazeer Rida At least 12 Islamist fighters were killed in clashes with Kurdish militants in the Syrian city of Hasaka early Friday the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said. Clashes erupted on Friday at midnight between fighters from the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) on the one hand and fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the Al-Nusra Front on the other hand the SOHR announced. Fridas fighting came after renewed tensions between the two sides in Kurdish-dominated areas to the north and east of Syria. This is not the first time that Islamists linked to Al-Qaeda and Kurdish militants have fought since the Syrian crisis erupted in 2011. Rebel-on-rebel violence has been frequent in areas along the Turkish border and last month witnessed heavy clashes in the oil-rich city of Ras Al-Ayn in northeastern Syria. The ArabKurdish crisis appears to include the Free Syrian Army (FSA). A video posted on the internet showed Col. Abdul Jabbar Akidi a member of the FSA military council announcing that the FSA has sent reinforcement to Islamists. This cannot be tolerated. If it is necessary we will wipe out the PKK he said referring to the Kurdistan Workers Party. Viewed as the largest Kurdish political and military formation in Syria the Democratic Union Party (PYD) dismissed Akidis statement as unjustified. Speaking exclusively to Asharq Al-Awsat PYD spokesman Nawaf Khalil said that reasons for Akidis calls to fight Kurds are unknown and that the PKK has clearly announced that the Syrian regime and its supporters have lost legitimacy. This attack is meant to be against the entire Kurdish region on the pretext of fighting the PKK Khalil said stressing that Kurds will fight those who attack them. The PYD the Syrian franchise of the Turkish PKK is believed to stand as the largest political and military formation in Syria and has assumed control over the Kurdish-dominated areas to the east and north of Syria since July 2012 setting up checkpoints and running public affairs. Khalil reaffirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat the PYDs despire to topple the regime as well as its opposition to the Al-Qaeda-linked rebel groups such as the Al-Nusra Front. We did not want to go into battles with the Islamists particularly after the agreement we signed with them but today they are laying siege to us in addition to the siege laid by the Syrian regime on the one hand and Turkey along the borders on the other the PYD spokesman said. He added The stances of the opposition and the FSA serve the interests of the dictatorial regime. They should have looked for a formula to deal cooperate and even coordinate on the ground with the Kurdish side in the face of the regimes aggression. We work to topple the regime and coordinate with all sides but we will not accept the Islamists the regime army or the FSA entering our area. In other news the UN said it would probe reports opposition fighters committed a massacre against troops loyal to Assad in Khan Al-Assal after seizing the strategic town from the regime last week UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a statement. After examining videos documenting the atrocities committed by rebels Pillay said These images if verified suggest that executions were committed in Khan Al-Assal calling for a thorough independent investigation to establish whether war crimes have been committed. She also warned that all sides in Syria should not think they are immune from prosecution. Nazeer Rida,asharqalawsat,8/3/2013,hasakeh,1,,,,
1918398776,Syrian army advances near Aleppo,"Published February 18 2015 The Syrian army backed by allied militia has captured several villages north of Aleppo from insurgents and fighting has blocked a main supply route leading into the northern city a monitoring group said on Tuesday. A U.N. mediator has been struggling to broker a ceasefire in Aleppo and government forces had long been expected to try to encircle it completely aiming to drive insurgents from Syrias second city and take control of their main supply road. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said pro-government forces had blocked a road leading towards the Turkish border as heavy clashes continued there. The army also took villages including Bashkuwi and Sifat while battles raged in Hardatain and Ratain said the Observatory which tracks the Syrian conflict using sources on the ground. It added that at least 16 insurgents were killed. Aleppo is at the heart of clashes between pro-government forces and a range of insurgents which include extremist brigades al Qaedas hardline Syria wing Nusra Front foreign fighters in other groups and Western-backed rebels. ""It is very important because if they continue like this they will completely cut the supply lines for the future. The Syrian regime is moving forward there"" the Observatorys founder Rami Abdulrahman said. More than 210000 people have died in the Syrian conflict which will enter its fifth year next month the Observatory has estimated with fighting between numerous factions regularly flaring across the country. Villages and towns outside Aleppo have passed between pro-government and insurgent fighters before. Insurgent-held districts in the divided city have come under heavy air force bombardment while Syrian state television said on Tuesday that five people had been killed and 18 wounded in ""terrorist"" rocket attacks in Aleppo neighborhoods. A television channel run by Lebanese group Hezbollah which is fighting alongside pro-government units reported that the Syrian army had taken control of areas north of Aleppo. The Observatory said Hezbollah was involved in the battle. The pro-government al-Watan newspaper said on Monday that government forces aimed to completely surround the city this week in a major offensive against insurgent groups. In December mainly extremist insurgent factions in Aleppo grouped together to form Jabhat al-Shamiyya the Levant Front an attempt at unity among their fighters. Last month the Western-backed rebel group Hazzm movement joined the alliance after coming under pressure from Nusra Front. Recent Syrian army progress in the area has reduced the chances of a truce between the government and disparate insurgent groups diplomats say. Since October U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura has been working on a plan to broker ""local freezes"" in Syria.",dailysabah,2/18/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1918398778,Monitor 10 of 48 people executed by forces loyal to regime were children,"Published February 23 2015 Ten children were among at least 48 people killed in a Syrian village last week when regime forces executed six families of rebel fighters a monitoring group said on Saturday Tuesdays executions took place in the village of Rityan north of second city Aleppo after regime forces entered that day during an offensive aimed at cutting rebel supply lines to the Turkish border the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitor said that villagers had discovered the bodies when they returned to their homes after the regime forces withdrew a day later. Five women and 13 rebels from the six families were among the dead. ""The troops and militiamen knew exactly where they lived thanks to the informers who accompanied them"" Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. ""There was no resistance except in one house where a rebel opened fire at troops before being executed along with his family"" he added. Activist Mamun Abu Omar said some of the bodies had been mutilated. Syrian regime forces killed 48 alleged rebels in Hardatnin village in Aleppo in northern Syria according to a statement released Saturday by the Syrian Revolution General Commission. Regime forces killed 48 civilians by shooting or slaughtering the victims before withdrawing from the village Friday night. The victims included women and children. The massacre was discovered when the rebels completely seized control of Hardatnin village on Saturday according to the statement. The opposition forces freed 150 civilians who were captured at a school in the village. A field hospital documented a list of the 48 victims names. Mustafa Sultan a local activist in the area confirmed the death toll saying that regime forces backed by Hezbollah factions killed the civilians before their withdrawal. A report released by a group of U.N. experts investigating war crimes on Friday said that ""unthinkable"" crimes continue to occur on a daily basis in Syria as the conflict approaches its fifth year. The U.N. commission of inquiry on Syria called for urgent attention to be paid to the shocking crimes committed by the Syrian regime Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant militants and other armed opposition groups. The report said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assads regimes ""surrender or starve"" siege strategy has left thousands of people particularly infants dead over the past four years citing the victims describing the regimes strategy as that of ""draining the sea to kill the fish."" The regime has been using barrel bombs since 2012 targeting crowded areas such as bakery lines transportation hubs apartment buildings markets and aid distributions which led to an increase in the number of persons with disabilities according to the report. The brief seizure of Rityan was part of an abortive army offensive launched this week to try to encircle the rebel-held east of Aleppo and relieve two besieged villages to its north. By Friday all but one of the villages initially taken by government forces had been recaptured by the rebels who include fighters of Al-Qaida affiliate Al-Nusra Front. Syria has been gripped by violence since the regime launched a violent crackdown in response to anti-government protests in March 2011 triggering a conflict that has left at least 210000 people dead and displaced almost half of the countrys population according to the U.N.",dailysabah,2/23/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1918398779,Suicide bomber kills 4 in Assad clans hometown,"Published February 23 2015 A suicide bomber killed four people in a hospital on Sunday in an attack that took Syrias civil war to the ruling Assad clans hometown for the first time a monitoring group said. The attack came as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that troops had executed 48 people earlier this week in a northern village among them 10 children. ""The explosion that hit the town of Qardaha... was caused by a suicide bomber driving a car along with another person"" said the Observatory adding that the passenger likely an accomplice also died in the blast. ""Two women and two soldiers were killed in the attack"" said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. Earlier state television had reported the blast but did not specify the nature of the attack. The attack the first explosion to hit the heart of the western town since the outbreak of Syrias civil war in 2011 took place in the parking of Qardaha hospital. The outskirts of Qardaha have previously come under rocket fire while Latakia province where the town is located has seen several rounds of heavy fighting. A mausoleum containing the graves of President Bashar al-Assads father and predecessor Hafez and brother Bassil is located in Qardaha. The clan has ruled Syria with an iron fist for more than 40 years. Syrias war began in March 2011 as a pro-democracy revolt seeking Assads ouster. It morphed into a conflict after the regime unleashed a brutal crackdown on dissent.",dailysabah,2/23/2015,lattakia,1,,,,
1918398782,US-led airstrikes target ISIS stronghold Raqqa,"Published July 5 2015 U.S.-led coalition aircraft unleashed a series of airstrikes targeting the self proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) groups stronghold of Raqqa in eastern Syria in what the coalition said Sunday was one of its most sustained aerial operations carried out in Syria to date. ISIS said at least 10 people were killed and many others wounded. At least 16 airstrikes were reported late Saturday and early Sunday triggering successive explosions that shook the city and created panic among residents activists said. The U.S.-led coalition often targets ISIS-held towns and cities in Syria but the overnight strikes on Raqqa were rare in their intensity. In a statement issued early Sunday the coalition said it had conducted 16 airstrikes throughout Raqqa destroying vital ISIS-controlled structures and transit routes in Syria. ""The significant airstrikes tonight were executed to deny Daesh the ability to move military capabilities throughout Syria and into Iraq"" said coalition spokesman Lt. Col. Thomas Gilleran using the Arabic acronym for the ISIS group. ""This was one of the largest deliberate engagements we have conducted to date in Syria and it will have debilitating effects on Daeshs ability to move"" from Raqqa he said. Raqqa is the de facto capital of the so-called caliphate declared a year ago by the ISIS terror group in territories it controls in Iraq and Syria. The sustained airstrikes add pressure on the militants in Raqqa still reeling from last months loss of the border town of Tal Abyad to Kurdish fighters. The town on the Turkish border was a major avenue for commerce and smuggling for the group. A militant website said 10 people were killed and dozens of others wounded. An ISIS-affiliated Facebook page said one civilian was among those killed and 10 were wounded including women and children. It also said the bombing destroyed several bridges. The ISIS-affiliated Aamaq news agency released a video of what it said was the effects of shelling Saturday by a U.S. drone on Raqqa. It showed several wounded men on a stretcher and at least three young boys being treated for wounds at what appeared to be a hospital. A Raqqa-based anti-ISIS activist network reported eight civilians were killed by the coalition airstrikes including a 10-year-old child. The casualty figures could not be independently confirmed. The network called Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered said at least one airstrike targeted a group of ISIS members in the city center. Another targeted an ISIS checkpoint while a third destroyed large parts of an ISIS-held brick factory in the city. In the remote northeastern city of Hassakeh ISIS suicide bombers detonated an explosives-laden truck near a main power plant Sunday. State-run news agency SANA reported casualties and damage in the plant on the southern edge of the city. Fighting has raged in Hassakeh since the ISIS group attacked several southern neighborhoods held by government troops earlier this month. The violence has forced tens of thousands of residents to flee. The predominantly Kurdish city was split between government forces and Kurdish fighters who have been fighting the ISIS group separately. In Iraq a Defense Ministry statement said government forces repelled an ISIS attack Sunday morning on the town of Haditha and the nearby Haditha dam in Anbar province. At least 20 militants were killed in the failed attack said the statement which did not provide any further information. Iraqi forces backed by Shiite militias have been struggling to recapture areas lost to the ISIS group in the countrys west and north. In May the militant group scored a stunning victory overrunning Ramadi the provincial capital of western Anbar province. Yet Haditha and some other towns remain under control of government forces and allied Sunni tribal fighters. In Lebanon some 200 Kurdish nationals staged a demonstration in downtown Beirut in solidarity with their brethren in Syria who are fighting against ISIS militants.",dailysabah,7/5/2015,raqqa,1,,,,
1918398784,Assad regime launches operation in Latakia region attacks Syrian Turkmen village,"Published July 20 2015 A checkpoint that belonged to Assads forces is seen after a coalition of rebel groups called Jaish al Fateh said they took control of it on a highway that connects Aleppo to Latakia June 6 2015 (Reuters) Two people were killed and 15 injured as Syrian regime forces attacked the Avanl village of the Jabal al-Turkmen Mountain predominantly inhabited by Syrian Turkmens located in the northwestern Latakia province. According to Syria Turks Association tanks artillery and missiles were used in the attack and explosions were also heard in villages located on the Turkish side of the border. Four wounded were brought to hospitals in Turkeys Hatay province for treatment. The attack is a larger part of the operation as Syrian army announced on Sunday that it had stepped up air strikes and retaken villages in a new offensive on opposition forces in coastal province of Latakia. Aerial bombardment had intensified over the past 48 hours in a bid to cut rebel supply lines in rugged territory close to Turkeys border an army source was quoted as saying on state media. Latakia province - home to Syrias biggest port and a stronghold of President Bashar al Assads Alawite sect - has been a key battleground of the conflict which is now in its fifth year. Sunni Muslim groups including al Qaedas Syrian offshoot the Nusra Front control many villages in the borderlands north of the government-held Mediterranean port city of Latakia and other areas dominated by Alawites who follow an offshoot of Shiite Islam. The army said five villages and hilltops including Beit Khadour Beit Zaifa Tel alKhadar and Jabal al Rahmaliya had been wrested back from the insurgents bringing it closer to the border areas. The army had stepped up its campaign in the province since insurgents took the strategically located town of Jisr al Shughour in April strengthening their position in a mountain range that overlooks Alawite villages and close to Qardaha hometown of the Assad family. The area has been in control of opposition forces since September 2012. The rough terrain and heavy forests has allowed the opposition forces to resist heavy Syrian army shelling and withstand heavy aerial bombing defense analysts say. A Syrian army officer said the aim of the latest operation was to cut rebel supply lines from the Turkish border to the rebel held villages including the town of Salma that has been held by Nusra Front since 2012. ""These armed men are weaker than to try to dare get close to Latakia"" a senior army officer was quoted as saying in a report from the area by Lebanese Hezbollahs television al-Manars correspondent. Last year the Syrian army wrested back control of the Christian town border town of Kasab a gateway to Turkey nearer the coast in Latakia after less than three months of control by opposition forces including Nusra Front. The Syrian war has taken on a starkly sectarian character with the overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim rebels backed by Sunni Gulf Arab powers fighting to overthrow Assad who is backed by Shiite Iran.",dailysabah,7/20/2015,lattakia,1,,,,
1918398785,Assad regime kills 18 civilians in Aleppo Monitor,"Published July 21 2015 A young Syrian boy cries as he sits on the rubble after a missile fired by Syrian government forces hit a residential area in the Maghayir district in the old quarter of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on July 21 2015. (AFP Photo) At least 18 civilians were killed on Tuesday when a ground-to-ground missile struck a rebel-held neighborhood in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo a monitoring group said. Another 50 were wounded or missing in the citys central neighborhood of Maghawir the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said blaming the attack on forces loyal to the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Aleppo Syrias largest city before it was engulfed by fighting in 2012 is divided between the Assad regime-held western districts and the rebel-held east. In the Qalamoun region west of the capital Damascus government forces backed by the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah seized areas outside Zabadani the last rebel-controlled town in the area. The Hezbollah said it had taken control of the plain outside the city and a main road in cooperation with the Syrian army. ""The city of Zabadani is under the full siege of the Syrian army and our resistance fighters"" the terrorist group said. Hezbollah is trying to eliminate rebel forces from all areas between the Lebanese border and Damascus. Zabadani lies 12 kilometers from the border crossing on the Damascus-Beirut highway and about 25 kilometers north-west of the Syrian capital. The Syrian conflict which started when the Assad regime forces brutally repressed peaceful protests in 2011 has descended into a multi-sided civil war. Forces loyal to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad are facing off against an array of rebel and terrorist groups and both sides are under attack from the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) group which now controls most of eastern Syrian territory. Syrias Kurds have carved out a de facto autonomous region named Rojava in the north of the country and are attacking ISIS with intensive U.S.-led air support.",dailysabah,7/21/2015,aleppo,1,,,,
1918398786,Russian airstrikes hit Syrian opposition forces,Published April 2 2017 Syrian opposition forces on Sunday claimed that Russian jets in violation of a cease-fire hit an outpost in northwestern Syrias Idlib province near the border with Turkey killing at least one opposition fighter and wounding several others. They said several overnight raids hit Babeska a village in Idlib that has become a haven for several moderate Free Syrian Army (FSA) groups. A tripartite mechanism was established in February by Turkey Russia and Iran to monitor the ceasefire in Syria. Opposition forces however say Russia has failed to pressure the Assad regime to ensure the ceasefire holds. The village also houses hundreds of families and fighters from the Damascus suburb of Daraya which fell to Assad regime forces last year and was evacuated by opposition forces. Fighter jets also believed to be Russian struck the town of Urum al Kubra in the opposition-held western Aleppo countryside where five civilians were killed in an area that has witnessed fighting between the opposition and the Assad regime the opposition said.,dailysabah,4/2/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1918398790,Syrian warplane crashes into market in northwest town of Ariha near Turkish border kills 35 and wounds dozens,Published August 3 2015 People inspect the damage after a Syrian army fighter jet crashed into a busy marketplace in the rebel-held northwestern town of Ariha August 3 2015(Reuters Photo) Thirty-five people were killed on Monday-and scores of others injured-when a Syrian regime warplane crashed into a market in the opposition-held town of Ariha in Syrias northwestern Idlib province according to a local civil defense official. Most of the dead were civilians on the ground in the town in Idlib province which fell to a coalition of Islamist insurgents in May according to the UK-based Observatory for Human Rights which tracks violence across Syria. Scores were also injured it said. There was no immediate reaction from the Syrian army. The Local Coordination Committees said the warplane crashed in a busy market in Ariha adding that it was not immediately clear whether the warplane was shot down. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the warplane crashed in the center of the town destroying several homes and killing at least 12 people. The town of Ariha once a government stronghold was captured by opposition fighters and ISIS militants in May. The town is in the northwestern province of Idlib where government forces have suffered setbacks since March including the loss of the provincial capital which is also called Idlib. Syrian warplane crashes into market in northwest town of Ariha near Turkish border 35 killed - YouTube The Observatory and the Local Coordination Committees said that at the time of the crash the town was under attack by the air force of embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad. An amateur video posted online by activists showed several damaged buildings as well as parts of the plane that crashed. The video appeared genuine and corresponded to other Associated Press reporting of the events. Syrias civil war began in March 2011. The United Nations says the war has killed more than 220000 people and wounded at least 1 million.,dailysabah,8/3/2015,idlib,1,,,,
1918398791,Suicide bomb attack in Syrias Idlib mosque kills 25 senior Nusra Front leader,Published July 4 2015 An explosion at a mosque in Syrias Idlib province on Friday killed at least 25 members of the Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. The blast in the town of Ariha in northwestern Syria went off as members of the Nusra Front gathered at the mosque for iftar the meal with which Muslims break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Observatory which tracks the war said the explosion in Salem Mosque in Ariha also killed a senior non-Syrian member of the Nusra Front. Opposition-based social media websites had conflicting casualty figures with some saying more than 40 people were dead. Turkeys state-run Ananolu Agency reported 15 deaths citing a statement from Istanbul-based Syrian Revolution General Commission. No group announced responsibility for the blast but supporters of Nusra Front blamed rival self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) militants who have fought the group on several frontlines in Syria. A coalition of rebel groups called Jaish al Fateh or Conquest Army in which Nusra Front is a major part of its composition have controlled most of Idlib province since the capture of the provincial capital in March. The region borders Turkey and neighbors President Bashar al-Assads heartland in Latakia province on the Mediterranean coast.,dailysabah,7/4/2015,idlib,1,,,,
1918398793,16 civilians killed in Syrias Hasakeh after motorbike bomber attack,"Published July 5 2016 A motorcycle bomber killed at least 16 civilians outside a bakery in Syrias Hasakeh city Tuesday on the eve of the feast marking the end of Ramadan an official said. The attack which also wounded dozens of people occurred in the neighbourhood of Salihiah ahead of the Eid al-Fitr festival. It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack but Daesh terrorist group has claimed previous bombings in the mainly Kurdish region. Rami Abdel Rahman head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack killed at least 16 people and wounded another 40. The death toll was confirmed to an AFP correspondent. The suicide attacker reportedly detonated his explosives in front of the bakery. ""A suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up in the Salihiah neighbourhood of Hasakeh city"" said Abdel Rahman. Fifteen of the wounded were in critical condition said the head of the Britain-based group that relies on a network of sources on the ground for its information. Hasakeh city is the capital of the province of the same name. Nearly all of the province is controlled by the PKKs Syrian affiliate PYD and its armed wing YPG terrorist organization. The militants have declared an autonomous region across the mainly Kurdish northern areas they hold. A US-backed alliance of Kurds and Arabs The Syrian Democratic Forces alliance has been locked in battle in the neighbouring province of Aleppo for control of the Daesh stronghold of Manbij for more than one month. The SDF launched the offensive in late May and encircled the town and entered its southwestern districts on June 23. More than 280000 people have been killed and millions have been displaced since Syrias conflict broke out in March 2011.",dailysabah,7/5/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1918398795,2 medics among at least 31 dead in regime shelling of opposition-held Syrian town,"Published July 2 2016 Two medics were among at least 31 people killed on Saturday in Syrian government shelling of an opposition-held town northeast of the capital the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The bombardment struck the town of Jayrud 60 kilometres (35 miles) from Damascus where the army says opposition forces killed a pilot they captured after he was forced to eject on Friday. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said it was the first bombardment of the town in at least two years. ""Prominent figures in Jayrud have had a local truce with the regime for at least two years and neither fired on each other"" Abdel Rahman told AFP. He said at least 31 people were killed including two medics. It was not immediately clear how many of the rest were civilians. Activists in the town said the head of the local medical centre and several colleagues were killed. ""There have been at least 45 air strikes today. The towns medical centre was hit and its director Amjad al-Danaf was killed"" activist Abu Malek al-Jayrudi told AFP via the Internet. He said the town is home to some 60000 people and that the bombardment had not stopped since early Saturday. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests - which erupted as part of the ""Arab Spring"" uprisings - with unexpected ferocity and disproportionate force. Since then more than a quarter of a million people have been killed - and more than 10 million displaced - throughout the war-battered country according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research an NGO however has put the death toll from the five-year conflict at as high as 470000.",dailysabah,7/2/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1918398796,Assad regime airstrike kills 16 civilians in Syrias Aleppo,"Published July 2 2016 Syrians inspect the damage on a street following a reported airstrike at a market in the rebel-held district of Tariq al-Bab in the northern city of Aleppo on July 1 2016. (AFP Photo) At least 16 civilians including women and children were killed Friday during an air raid by the Syrian regime army on the opposition-held neighborhood of Tareeq al-Bab in Aleppo Syrias largest city according to a pro-opposition civil defense source on the ground. The missiles fired from a Syrian warplane also wounded 25 others Ibrahim Abu Leys told Anadolu Agency. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests - which erupted as part of the ""Arab Spring"" uprisings - with unexpected ferocity and disproportionate force. Since then more than a quarter of a million people have been killed - and more than 10 million displaced - throughout the war-battered country according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research an NGO however has put the death toll from the five-year conflict at as high as 470000.",dailysabah,7/2/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1918398799,Coalition airstrikes kill 85 civilians in Daesh-held villages in Syrias Manbij,Published July 19 2016 A Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter walks in the silos and mills of Manbij after the SDF took control of it in Aleppo Governorate Syria July 1 2016. (Reuters Photo) Airstrikes on Daesh-held villages in northern Syria killed at least 85 civilians on Tuesday as intense fighting was underway between the militants and U.S-backed fighters Syrian opposition activists and the extremist group said. Residents in the area blamed the U.S.-led coalition for the strikes that targeted two villages Tokhar and Hoshariyeh which are controlled by IS activists said. The villages are near the Daesh stronghold of Manbij a town that members of the PYD-dominated U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) have been trying to capture in a weeks-long offensive. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 56 civilians including 11 children were killed in the strikes on the villages which also wounded dozens. Another activist group the Local Coordination Committees said dozens of civilians mostly families were killed. Turkeys official Anadolu Agency put the death toll at least at 85 adding that 50 civilians were also wounded in airstrikes. The Daesh-linked Aamaq news agency claimed 160 civilians mostly women and children were killed in Tokhar alone in a series of purportedly American airstrikes around dawn Tuesday. Postings on a Facebook page show images of people including children as they were being put in collective grave purportedly in the village of Tokhar. One photograph shows a man carrying the lifeless body of a child covered with dust while another shows a child partly covered by a blanket lying in a grave. Tuesdays casualties come on the heels of similar airstrikes on the Daesh-held town of Manbij on Monday when at least 15 civilians were reportedly killed. Meanwhile the headquarters of Daesh militants inside Manbij was captured as SDF forces pushed into the western part of the town over the weekend the U.S. military said in a statement on Tuesday. The headquarters which was located in a hospital was being used as a command center and logistics hub. The U.S.-backed Syrian rebels also took control of part of the town enabling civilians in the area to flee the fighting the statement said. The rebels were continuing to battle Daesh on four fronts for control of Manbij clearing territory as they pushed toward the center of the city the statement said. Daesh militants have staged counterattacks but the Syrian rebels have maintained momentum with the help of air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition the statement said. It said the coalition has carried out more than 450 air strikes around Manbij since the operation to take the town began. The U.S. Central Command said the coalition conducted 18 strikes on Monday and destroyed 13 Daesh fighting positions seven Daesh vehicles and two car bombs near Manbij. The Manbij area has seen intense battles between Daesh extremists and the Kurdish-led fighters who have been advancing under the cover of intense airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition. If Manbij is captured by the U.S.-backed fighters it will be the biggest strategic defeat for Daesh in Syria since July 2015 when the extremist group lost the border town of Tal Abyad. In neighboring Iraq meanwhile Daesh has been beaten back on several fronts with Iraqi forces aided by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes having retaken the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah in western Anbar province.,dailysabah,7/19/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1918398801,Assad regime surrounds Aleppo opposition groups resist despite intense raids,"Published July 12 2016 A man carries an injured girl after an airstrike on Aleppos opposition held Kadi Askar in Aleppo. Bashar Assads forces with assistance from Russian airstrikes is continuing its siege of opposition groups in Aleppo and is attempting to cut a road leading into the opposition-held section of the city while the groups continue to wage fierce battles despite intensified airstrikes some of which have reportedly targeted civilians. The groups had previously launched an attack against regime positions in the historic center of Aleppo on Monday in response to an offensive on Castello Road which is used for supplies and access severing opposition-held areas under siege where at least 250000 people live. Regime airstrikes killed 20 civilians on Monday in the Bab al-Maqam neighborhood of Aleppo Syria Live Network (SLN) reported. One civilian was killed and many others were injured by a regime barrel bomb dropped on al-Jalloum. Many civilians were wounded in the attacks on the al-Ansari neighborhood. Inflicting heavy casualties in the battlefield the regime also intensified its aerial artillery and missile bombardment on the neighborhoods of Bab Qensrin al-Kallaseh Bab al-Hadid and Bab al-Nasr in Aleppos old city. Eyewitnesses said that the regime used cluster bombs and vacuum bombs in the airstrikes. Elsewhere jets believed to be Russian or Syrian also struck a fuel market in a town in the northwestern province of Idlib killing 18 people and injuring scores more according to a local rescue worker near the site. An airstrike hit a local field hospital in the town of Ahsem in Idlib province killing three people including a child an international charity and an aid worker said. Early on Monday more than 300 shells fired by opposition groups hit western regime-held neighborhoods of Aleppo. The assault was ""a response to the [government] attempts to advance"" Zakaria Malahifji of the Aleppo-based Fastaqim opposition group told Reuters. He said insurgents had already made gains and that much of the fighting was taking place in Aleppos ancient old city a renowned UNESCO World Heritage site now largely in ruins. A witness reported fierce close-range clashes near the historic citadel where the opposition killed at least 20 army troops when they blew up a tunnel they dug underneath a regime post. The city Syrias largest before the war has been a main battleground in the countrys five-year war and has seen an escalation of fighting after peace talks and a fragile ceasefire broke down earlier this year. Its capture would be a strategic prize for the Assad regime which controls the major population centers in western Syria apart from opposition-held areas of Aleppo and the city of Idlib. Opposition also control pockets of territory elsewhere in western Syria. Early on Monday more than 300 shells fired by opposition groups hit western regime-held neighborhoods in Aleppo killing five people and wounding dozens more observers said. A U.N. spokeswoman said that intensified fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels in contested Aleppo has completely cut off the only road allowing access for humanitarian aid deliveries into the rebel-held part of the city. Alessandra Vellucci said on Tuesday that the Castello Road considered the only access in and out of eastern Aleppo has been rendered ""impassable"" since hostilities there worsened last week. Vellucci said the U.N. estimates that 300000 people depend on the road which allows for the flow of supplies goods and civilians into the area. She said the U.N. continues to receive ""distressing reports of aerial bombardment and shelling on civilian locations in both western and eastern Aleppo."" She called on all sides to protect civilians and ease access for humanitarian access to all. Al-Jazeera reporter killed in Russian airstrikes in Idlib A reporter from Al-Jazeera was killed in a Russian airstrike in a town near the northeastern province of Idlib on Monday the news outlet reported on Monday. Ibrahim al-Omar who became the sixth Al-Jazeera staff member to be killed in the Syrian civil war was killed in a Russian airstrike in the town of Turmanin . The bombing also killed 13 people in a fuel market in the same town. Three people were also killed in another town in the Idlib countryside. Another Al-Jazeera team was targeted by Russian jets while en route to cover strikes in Huraytan and Anadan in the Aleppo countryside. Syrian regime forces and Russian raids have frequently targeted reporters in the war-torn country. In October last year Anadolu Agency reporter Salih Mahmoud Leyla was killed in a DAESH-orchestrated car bombing near Aleppo. Syria has become the most dangerous area in the world for reporters. Reporters Without Borders counted 66 journalists killed in 2014 along with 119 were kidnapped and 178 were imprisoned. According to a report by New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists at least 84 journalists have been killed since the fighting began in 2011.",dailysabah,7/12/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1919191741,US jets killed at least 15 civilians in Syria,"29 Jul 2016 The US-led coalition strikes came a day after the coalition opened a formal investigation to determine whether its air strikes last week near Manbij claimed more than 100 civilians including children. A picture taken on July 29 2016 shows a close up view of Karaj al-Hajz corridor (C) a passage in rebel-held Aleppo leading towards the Syrian government controlled area of Masharqa neighbourhood. (TRT World and Agencies) At least 15 civilians were killed and many wounded in fresh air strikes by US-led coalition in Syria on Thursday morning. These civilians were targeted in the coalition jets bombardment in the town of Ghandoura said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. US Central Command which oversees US military operations in the Middle East said it had ""initiated an assessment following internal operational reporting that a strike today near Manbij Syria may have resulted in civilian casualties."" The strikes came a day after the coalition opened a formal investigation to determine whether its air strikes last week near Manbij claimed more than 100 civilian lives including children. US-led coalition continue to target civilians in Syria (Reuters) Around 600 Syrians including 136 children have been killed in coalition air strikes since September 2014 according to an Observatory toll. More than 520 US airstrikes since 21 May have killed between 229 and 425 civilians overall. After examining ""internal and external information"" the coalition determined that there was sufficient credible evidence of civilian victims to open a formal inquiry said spokesman Colonel Chris Garver on Wednesday. The main Syrian opposition group had urged the US-led coalition to suspend its bombardments following the strikes. Amnesty International has also called on the coalition to redouble its efforts to prevent civilian deaths and to investigate possible violations of international humanitarian law. Aleppo Death Toll Rises as Bombing Targets Civilians in Opposition-held Areas Syria httpst.co5rT60NqJDk pic.twitter.com0Zw6eHpmd4 The Syrian Observer (observesyria) July 27 2016 The US has rejected calls by Syrian opposition figures after Tokkhar to halt the bombings for the sake of thousands of civilians trapped in Manbij as it believes the fall of the city is critical to the overriding objective of capturing Raqqa. ""We take all measures during the targeting process to avoid or minimize civilian casualties or collateral damage and to comply with the principles of the Law of Armed Conflict"" the US authorities pledged. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,7/29/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1919191742,Fatalities expected to increase in suicide blast in Syria,27 Jul 2016 At least 48 people dead over 100 injured after truck bomb exploded near security headquarters in the city of Qamishli Hasaka. A man walks by a damaged site after bomb blasts claimed by DAESH hit the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli near the Turkish border. July 27 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) A bomb blast in the Syrian city of Qamishli on Wednesday killed 48 people and left dozens more wounded. The attack is believed to be among the deadliest in the city for years the British-based Syrian Obervatory for Human Rights said. A large truck bomb was set off near the security headquarters of the Kurdish administration that controls most of Hasaka province in the northeast said the Observatory. The death toll is expected to rise because of the number of people seriously injured added the Observatory. The official SANA news agency said at least 140 people were injured. The attack was initially believed to be a double bombing but sources in the city and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights subsequently said the initial attack caused a gas tank to detonate. My god! Look at the devastation from this terrorist attack in Qamishli. My prayers are with the victims. pic.twitter.comezhmZ1GOG4 Leith Abou Fadel (leithfadel) July 27 2016 State TV rolled footage from the scene of the blast showing large-scale damage to buildings vast amounts of rubble strewn across the road with plumes of smoke rising. The explosion was so powerful that it shattered windows in shops in the nearby Turkish town of Nusaybin which is directly across the border from where the blast occurred. Two people were slightly hurt in Nusaybin a witness said. The attack was claimed by DAESH. The assault against DAESH in the city of Manbij near the Turkish border has put it under pressure cutting off all routes out of the city. Fighters from the US-backed alliance have recently made incremental advances as they try to flush out the remaining DAESH fighters in Manbij. DAESH has previously targeted Qamishli and the provincial capital Hasaka city with bombs. A suicide blast killed six members of the Kurdish internal security force known as the Asayish in April. In July a suicide bomb killed at least 16 people in Hasaka. Kurdish forces control much of Hasaka province after capturing vast areas from the DAESH in 2015. Source TRTWorld and agencies,trt,7/27/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1919191744,US-led air strikes in Syria kill dozens of civilians,"21 Jul 2016 Dozens of civilians have reportedly been killed by US-led air strikes as they fled from the front lines of a battle raging in the city of Manbij in the governorate of Aleppo. (TRT World and Agencies) The US military is investigating reports that at least 73 civilians mostly women and children were killed in air strikes early on Tuesday morning in the northern Syrian village of Tokhar part of the city of Manbij in the governorate of Aleppo. Near the Turkish-Syrian border many civilians had fled their houses to avoid the battles raging in the vicinity. They sought refuge in a clump of ""clay and adobe"" homes in the nearby village of Tokhar Amnesty International said. US-led air strikes targeted the group taking out many of the women children and families who sought shelter there. This is the largest instance of civilian casualties since the US-led coalition began its bombing campaign in Syria in 2014. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a monitoring group based in the UK reported that the air strikes mistakenly identified and targeted the civilians as DAESH terrorists. The incident comes after another report of a strike killing ""a woman with four of her children and an old man"" in a separate part of the same city on Sunday the Observatory said. Recently the SDF a US-backed group mainly consisting of YPG militants associated with the PKK terrorist organisation concentrated their forces upon the strategically important city in an attempt to seize it from DAESH which took Manbij in 2014. The Syrian civil war began in mid 2011 when protests against autocrat Bashar al Assad and his regime were suppressed violently in the context of the Arab Spring uprisings. Since then the UN has estimated that nearly half of the countrys population has been forced to leave their homes and the death toll may be as high as 400000. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,7/21/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1919191745,Syrian opposition advances into key Aleppo district,"12 Jul 2016 Opposition forces in Syria fight back in Aleppo to recapture the encircled district of Al Mallah after the vital supply route was cut off by regime forces. Syrians walk past an empty vegetable market in the rebel-held area of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on July 10 2016 after the regime closed the Castello Road severing the supply route to the opposition-held eastern half of the city. (TRT World and Agencies) Syrian rebel forces advanced into a key regime-held district in Aleppo on Monday to reopen the last remaining supply route into opposition-held districts. The offensive to gain control of the strategic Castello Road in the Al Mallah district came at dawn just days after the area was encircled by regime forces. Control over the Castello Road is the only way that some 250000 besieged residents of east Aleppo can have access to essentials like food and fuel. The regimes capture of the district days ago had come during an extension of a nationwide truce declared last week by the regime to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al Fitr. The regime which has been gaining ground on the rebels after Russia launched air strikes in support of regime leader Bashar al Assads forces last year have continued to step up their military campaigns on major battle fronts this month despite periodically announcing temporary truces. A Syrian man sells parsley at an empty vegetable market in the opposition-held area of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on July 10 2016 after the regime closed the Castello Road severing the supply route to the opposition-held eastern half of the city. (AFP) Residents contacted in the city say prices of the little remaining vegetables bread and fuel had almost doubled in the past week with no new supplies coming into Aleppo Syrias largest city and commercial hub before the war. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air raids by regime forces on the opposition-held part of Aleppo killed 13 civilians on Monday. It also said that 19 regime fighters were killed in the fighting. Aleppo has bore the brunt of the war which began in 2011 after regime forces led a crackdown on anti-regime protesters. The war has since killed more than 300000 people with some estimates suggesting 470000 may have died. A series of peace talks were brokered by the UN in February to bring peace to Aleppo and other parts of the country but long-lasting ceasefires have not held. UN calls US and Russia to bring peace to Syria The siege by regime forces on eastern Aleppo has alarmed humanitarian workers. United Nations Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said the UN is extremely concered about the unfolding situation in Syria. Battle rages near Aleppo as rebels encircled Ali Mustafa reports - YouTube UN envoy Staffan de Mistura however says he is still optimistic to end the six-year-old war with the help of international support. ""My message is for Russian and for the US. Now more than ever. Because it is them who have produced and given their contributrion to making sure at least for two months that the ceasefire was agreed upon"" he said referring to the cessation of hostilities deal. On the other hand the main Syrian opposition body the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) told the UN envoy that it was premature to set a date for fresh talks in which outlines of a political deal will be presented something Mistura is seeking ahead of an August deadline. ""There is a need to adopt a new strategy to push the peace process by adopting a tougher policy against the regimes violations against the Syrian people ... before calling for a new round of negotiations"" the HNC statement said. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Syrian regime attacks kill 16 civilians in Idlib Will Sochi peace talks end Syrian war or become yet another failure? Category News Latest updates Idlib The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,7/12/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1919191746,Two Russian pilots killed in Syria as DAESH downs chopper,"10 Jul 2016 After exhausting all their ammunition the pilots were leaving the scene when their helicopter came under fire from the ground near Palmyra city. Syrian soldiers drive past the Arch of Triumph in the ancient city of Palmyra in April. Two Russian airmen were killed when their helicopter was shot down east of the city. (TRT World and Agencies) Two Russian pilots were killed in Syria after DAESH shot down a helicopter near Palmyra the Russian military was quoted as saying by local media. The two pilots Riafagat Khabibulin and Yevgeny Dolgin were flying a Syrian Mi-25 helicopter which was downed east of Palmyra city. The Russian pilots were attacking DAESH in the Homs region on Friday on the request of the Syrian government. After using up all of their ammunition the pilots were leaving the area when their chopper came under fire from the ground held by Syrian military troops after DAESH militants breached Syrian forces lines east of Palmyra. ""The turning helicopter was hit by militants gunfire from the ground and crashed in the area controlled by the Syrian government army. The crew died"" the Russian military was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency. Video footage released by DAESH affiliated news agency Amaq on Saturday showed a helicopter being shot and crashing to the ground against cries of ""Its fallen God is greatest"". The statement by the Russian defence ministry said that the two Russian pilots were on a test flight in the Homs region with a Syrian Mi-25 helicopter laced with ammunition. The statement further said the Syrian government requested the pilots to carry out strikes against the DAESH militants. Both the pilots have been nominated for Russian state awards. Russian forces entered the conflict at the end of last year backing the forces of Syrian regime. Russia has so far lost at least 12 soldiers in the Syrian war. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,7/10/2016,homs,0,,,,
1919191752,At least 15 dead as bomb hits refugee camp in Syrias Idlib,"15 Aug 2016 A suicide attack near the Atmeh refugee camp in Syrias border province of Idlib kills at least 15 people. A civil defence member runs near an ambulance after an airstrike on a hospital in the town of Meles western Idlib city in opposition-held Idlib province Syria August 6 2016 (TRT World and Agencies) A suicide bomber has detonated an explosive vest on a bus in Syrias embattled Idlib province near the Atmeh border crossing killing at least 15 people and injuring 25 others some critically. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported the bus was carrying opposition fighters battling forces loyal to autocratic leader Bashar al Assads regime. Ercan Topaca the Governor of Hatay a Turkish province on the other side of the border from Idlib told Turkeys Anadolu Agency that four people injured in the blast are being treated in Turkish hospitals. He added that four other victims had died after they had been transferred to Turkish hospitals. (TRT World and Agencies) ""Some of the injured might have been evacuated to hospitals around the Atmeh refugee camp on the Syrian side but we dont have any information about the death toll. The identification process of those who lost their lives in Hatay is yet to begin"" Topaca stated. Syrias Idlib province where Atmeh is located is a major stronghold for Syrian opposition forces. The attack in Idlib came a day after heavy air strikes by Russian and regime warplanes killed 26 people and injured 11 others in the province. At least 327 people have also been killed in clashes in the neighbouring province of Aleppo. SOHR said 76 children and 41 women were among those killed in clashes over the last 15 days. The War In Syria Explosion hits Syria-Turkey border crossing Ediz Tiyansan reports - YouTube Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war which started when the Assad regime launched a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011. Since then more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and around 10 million have been displaced across the war-battered country UN estimates suggest. According to the Syrian Center for Policy Research the six-year conflict has caused more than 470000 deaths in the country. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,8/15/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1919191753,Gas attack hits rebel-held areas of Aleppo report,11 Aug 2016 According to the Al-Quds hospital four people died while over 50 were injured in the attack. A man breathes through an oxygen mask at Al-Quds hospital. A hospital and a civil defence group said a gas what they believed to be chlorine was dropped alongside barrel bombs on a neighbourhood of Aleppo. (TRT World and Agencies) At least four people died and many suffered breathing difficulties when gas believed to be chlorine was dropped alongside barrel bombs on a neighbourhood of the Syrian city of Aleppo on Wednesday a hospital and a civil defence group said. Hamza Khatib the manager of Al-Quds hospital in Aleppo told a Reuters photographer the hospital had recorded four deaths from gas poisoning and 55 injuries. Seven people were still receiving hospital treatment. Khatib said he was preserving pieces of patients clothing and fragments from the barrel bombs as evidence for analysis. Syria Civil Defence a Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory said it had recorded three deaths and 22 injuries after a barrel containing a gas suspected of being chlorine fell on the Zubdiya neighbourhood of rebel-held Aleppo. Civilians brought to the Al-Quds hospital after the suspected gas attack. (Reuters) The group which describes itself as a neutral band of search and rescue volunteers said it could not independently verify the nature of the gas. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a war monitor said helicopters dropped explosive barrels on the neighbourhoods of Seif al Dawla and Zubdiya leading to the death of a woman and her child from suffocation. The northern city of Aleppo Syrias most populous before the war is split into rebel- and regime-held districts. Capturing the whole city would be a major prize for Syrias Bashar al-Assad in the countrys five-year-old conflict. A fierce battle for control of the city broke out on Friday when rebels staged a major assault to break through a month-long regime siege of the citys rebel-held east where about 300000 people are thought to be living. Fighters managed to pierce the ring of regime-controlled territory but a safe corridor for civilians and aid has not yet been established. There have been unconfirmed reports among activists and residents of chlorine gas falling on rebel-held east Aleppo since the rebel offensive. The Aleppo Media Centre an online opposition news portal for the city posted a video that it said was of victims of the gas attack a child and adults wearing breathing apparatus. Two men interviewed said barrel bombs were dropped and there was a strong smell of gas. People then began to suffer breathing and eye problems. A boy breathes through an oxygen mask at Al-Quds hospital after the suspected gas attack. (Reuters) Western powers say the Syrian regime has been responsible for chlorine and other chemical attacks. The government has accused rebels of using poison gas. UN investigators established that sarin gas was used in Eastern Ghouta in 2013. The United States accused Damascus of that attack which it estimates killed 1429 people including at least 426 children. Damascus denied responsibility and blamed rebels. Later that year the United Nations and the Syrian regime agreed to destroy the states declared stockpile of chemical weapons a process completed in January 2016. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed in late 2015 that sulphur mustard commonly known as mustard gas had been used for the first time in the conflict without saying which party in the many-sided conflict it thought had used it. Source Reuters,trt,8/11/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1919191754,Syrian regime forces drops vacuum bomb on Idlib,"9 Aug 2016 5 people were killed and 12 others wounded in the attack in the opposition-held district of Sevre. Men and civil defence members look for survivors after an airstrike on a hospital in the town of Meles western Idlib city in rebel-held Idlib province Syria August 6 2016. (Reuters) Syrian opposition-held district of Sevre in the northwestern province of Idlib was hit by a vacuum bomb attack aerially dropped by Syrian regime on Monday leaving five people dead and 12 injured. The wounded including civil defence staff have been taken to local hospitals. A security source says civil defence personnel were trying to retrieve victims that are trapped in a building which was demolished after the attack. Last Monday regime forces attacked Saraqeb another opposition-held city in Idlib province with barrel bombs laced with chlorine gas. 33 people mostly women and children suffered from breathing difficulties and vomiting due to chlorine exposure. Syria - Chlorine Gas Attack in Saraqeb. About 30 people affected. Retaliation to downing of Russia helicopter? pic.twitter.comn8xFHIrtf5 DOAM (doamuslims) August 2 2016 Meanwhile regime forces intensified airstrikes on Syrian oppositions strategic stronghold Aleppo since rebel fighters broke the siege on eastern parts of the city on Saturday. 300000 under siege Fresh fighting threatens civilians in eastern Aleppo. More info httpst.coKzleH5JFML R2P pic.twitter.com5CbTHfRGTp GCR2P (GCR2P) August 9 2016 The United Nations on Tuesday called for an urgent ceasefire in the divided city of Aleppo where it said 2 million people lacked access to clean running water with children at risk of disease. We are very concerned about deteriorating situation and restricted access in Aleppo Syria httpst.copctCY4Locs pic.twitter.comw5tQH8xa9d UN Refugee Agency (Refugees) August 9 2016 ""The UN is extremely concerned that the consequences will be dire for millions of civilians if the electricity and water networks are not immediately repaired"" a statement from Yacoub El Hillo UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria and Kevin Kennedy UN regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis said. 2m people in Aleppo left with no access to running water as fighting intensifies httpst.coxiueLu6qHq Syria pic.twitter.comU0hIN7a1BO UNICEF (UNICEF) August 9 2016 Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the regime of Bashar al-Assad cracked down on pro-democracy protests which erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings with unexpected ferocity. Since then more than a quarter of a million victims have been killed and more than 10 million displaced across the war-battered country according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research however puts the death toll from the six-year conflict at more than 470000 people. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,8/9/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1919191759,Chemical attack in Idlib draws international condemnation,"4 Apr 2017 An alleged chemical attack that killed at least 58 and injured dozens in the rebel-held town of Khan Shaykhun in Idlib province has triggered global criticism. Syrian children receive treatment following a suspected toxic gas attack in Khan Shaykhun a rebel-held town in the northwestern Syrian Idlib province on April 4 2017. (TRT World and Agencies) International leaders have condemned the alleged chemical attacks which killed at least 58 people including 11 children in Syrias Idlib province on Tuesday. Syrian regime jets pounded the town of Khan Shaykhun. Medics attending the victims said they bore the signs of a gas attack. The war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said those killed had died from suffocation and the effects of a toxic gas. The weapons used caused many people to choke or faint and some had foam coming out of their mouths SOHR said citing medical sources who described the air strikes as a ""toxic gas attack."" Fifteen victims mostly women and children were brought to Turkey for treatment. International condemnation Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey condemns the suspected chemical attack describing it as a crime against humanity. He said the attack could derail the process of Syrian peace talks being held in Astana Kazakhstan. EUs diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini said the regime of Bashar al Assad bears ""primary responsibility"" for the attack. ""Today the news is awful"" Mogherini said in an interview with media organisations in Brussels on the sidelines of a EU-UN conference that was meant to focus on the post-conflict situation in Syria. French President Francois Hollande accused Assad regime of responsibility for a ""massacre"". ""Once again the Syrian regime will deny the evidence of its responsibility for this massacre"" Hollande said in a statement. The White House also blamed the attack on the regime saying the incident was ""reprehensible and cannot be ignored by the civilised world."" ""These heinous actions by the Bashar al-Assad regime are a consequence of the last administrations weakness and irresolution"" White House spokesman Sean Spicer told a briefing. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also condemned the attack saying those responsible should be ""held to account."" Drawing criticism from around the world Idlib was also trending globally on social media site Twitter. Russia denies involvement Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Tuesdays attack Turkish presidential sources said. ""President Erdogan touched on the use of chemical weapons against civilians in Idlib. President Erdogan said such inhumane attacks are unacceptable"" a statement from top residential sources said. However Russia has categorically denied any involvement. ""Planes of the Russian air force have not carried out any strikes near Khan Shaykhun of Idlib province"" said a statement by the Russias defence ministry. The two leaders also have emphasised the importance of the maintenance of an ongoing ceasefire in Syria. TRT Worlds Shamim Chowdhury has the latest from Gaziantep near the Turkish-Syria border. ""Toxic gas attack"" kills at least 58 in Idlib - YouTube Opposition demands UN investigation Syrias opposition National Coalition demanded a UN investigation into the attack. ""The National Coalition demands the [UN] Security Council convene an emergency session ... open an immediate investigation and take the necessary measures to ensure the officials perpetrators and supporters are held accountable"" the body said in a statement. The opposition said on Tuesday that the attack ""calls into question"" the peace process. ""If the United Nations cannot deter the regime from carrying out such crimes how can it achieve a process that leads to political transition in Syria?"" said Mohamad Sabra the head negotiator for the main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) that participated in recent peace talks in Geneva. The regime military source denied that its forces used any such weapons saying the army ""does not and has not"" used chemical weapons ""not in the past and not in the future."" Meanwhile a rocket has slammed into a hospital in northwestern Syria on Tuesday as doctors treated victims of the suspected chemical attack destroying part of the building. The projectile hit the building in Khan Shaykhun bringing down rubble on top of medics. TRT World spoke to Idlib-based Syrian activist Ahmad Ibrahim. Suspected gas attack on rebel-held Idlib kills at least 58 - YouTube Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,4/4/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1919191761,Regime air strikes kill 22 in Syrias rebel-held region,"3 Apr 2017 Syrian civil defence volunteers and relatives try to identify bodies of the victims. (TRT World and Agencies) Air strikes by Syrian regime on a rebel-held region near Damascus killed at least 22 civilians on Monday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The highest toll was in Douma the largest town in the Eastern Ghouta region where raids killed 16 civilians including at least one child and wounded 22 it said. A witness at the town hospital said he saw many wounded people their faces bloodied. All the facilitys beds were occupied by men women and children. Five more civilians were killed in the town of Sabqa and one in the town of Harasta both also in Eastern Ghouta the Observatory said. Devastating regime siege The Eastern Ghouta region is adjacent to the capitals eastern neighbourhood of Jobar which is divided between regime and rebel control. Last month the armed opposition launched a surprise assault against regime forces from Jobar but was repelled after a week of fighting. Eastern Ghouta has been under a devastating regime siege since 2012 and is targeted regularly by air strikes and artillery. It is the last remaining opposition stronghold near Damascus where a string of local ""reconciliation deals"" have seen villages and towns brought back under the control of regime leader Bashar Al Assad. The regime is fighting to push rebels out of five neighbourhoods in Damascus. The rebels control almost all of Qabun and Tishreen in the northeast as well as half of Jobar in the east. They are also present in Barzeh in the north and Tadamun in the south but the neighbourhoods are covered by a truce with the regime. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,4/3/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1919191763,Air strikes kill at least 18 in northwestern Syria,"9 Apr 2017 A hospital in Khan Shaykhun a rebel-held town in the northwestern Syrian Idlib province after the toxic gas attack. (TRT World and Agencies) Air strikes have struck Syrias town of Urum al-Joz in rebel-controlled Idlib province on Saturday according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Civil Defence rescue service. The attack believed to have been carried out by Russian aircraft killed at least 18 people including five children said the Observatory. The death toll is expected to rise it added. The Civil Defence service said that the two air raids on the town on Saturday afternoon have killed 19 and wounded 22. Pressure mounts on Assad Turkey remains committed to a ceasefire in Syria but Russia must stop insisting that Bashar al Assad should remain in office Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday. Cavusoglu also said he told his Russian counterpart that Moscow did not take the necessary steps in the face of breaches in the Syrian ceasefire. Meanwhile Iraqs influential Shia cleric Moqtada al Sadr also called on the regimes leader to step down and spare his country further bloodshed. Sadr who commands a large following among the urban poor of Baghdad and the southern cities is the first Iraqi Shia political leader to urge Assad to step down. Defeating Daesh The top priority for the United States in Syria is to defeat Daesh Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said at a TV interview on Sunday. ""Once Daesh threat has been reduced or eliminated I think we can turn our attention directly to stabilising the situation in Syria"" he said. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson cancelled a visit to Moscow scheduled for April 10 after the poison gas attack in Syria. The decision by Johnson to cancel the visit to Moscow later this month shows a lack of understanding of events in Syria Russias Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. The Syrian regime and its Russian and Iranian backers have vowed to keep up the fight against ""terrorists"" despite threats of further US strikes against the regime following the chemical attack. The US launched a cruise missile attack on a Syrian air base in response to the attack on Friday. Scores of people died and many were injured on Tuesday after the regime air strike dropped chemical bombs onto the town of Khan Shaykhun. But the regime has denied any responsibility saying its air strikes hit a rebel depot containing chemical materials. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,4/9/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1919191766,Multiple Daesh suicide bombers attack refugee camp in Syria,"2 May 2017 At least 24 people were killed on Tuesday in a Daesh attack near a refugee camp on the Syrian side of the border with Iraq a Britain-based war monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said militants sneaked into the village of Rajm Sleibi which houses the camp for the displaced people fleeing Daesh-held areas in Syria and Iraq. The village lies in Hasakeh province a frontline that separates the area from Daesh-held places further south. ""At least five suicide attackers blew themselves up outside and inside a camp for Iraqi refugees and displaced Syrians in Hasakeh province"" Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. The dead included displaced children. Heavy clashes then erupted between the Daesh fighters and members of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters some of whose combatants were among the dead Abdel Rahman said. The SDF is dominated by the YPG which is the armed wing of the PYD a Syrian affiliate of the PKK listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey the US and EU. Redur Khalil one of the spokespersons within SDF said the attack came a few hours after Daesh suicide bombers dressed in civilian clothes entered the town of Shaddadeh and engaged SDF forces triggering clashes. Daesh is under attack by an array of forces in Syria and Iraq. In Syria the SDF is now fighting to recapture the town of Tabqa from the group. Tabqa is an important stronghold for the militants located about 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Daeshs de facto capital the city of Raqqa. In Iraq the extremist group is fighting for survival against Iraqi forces and their allies in the last neighbourhoods it still holds in the western part of Mosul Iraqs second largest city. Chemical attacks Human Rights Watch on Monday accused Syrian government forces of likely dropping bombs containing nerve agents at least three times elsewhere in the country before an April 4 attack that killed dozens of people and sparked a retaliatory US strike. Bashar al Assads forces are also stepping up chlorine gas attacks and have begun using surface-fired rockets filled with chlorine in fighting near Damascus the US-based rights group said in a new report. ""The governments use of nerve agents is a deadly escalation and part of a clear pattern"" said Kenneth Roth Human Rights Watchs executive director. ""In the last six months the government has used warplanes helicopters and ground forces to deliver chlorine and sarin in Damascus Hama Idlib and Aleppo."" The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical weapons a global watchdog has said sarin or a similar banned toxin was used in the April 4 strike. Human Rights Watch said that before the April 4 attack on Khan Shaykhun government warplanes also appeared to have dropped nerve agents on eastern Hama on December 11 and 12 2016 and northern Hama near Khan Shaykhun on March 30 2017. Three suspected attacks in Hama Human Rights Watch said 64 people died from exposure to nerve agents after warplanes attacked territory controlled by Daesh in eastern Hama on December 11 and December 12. Activists and local residents provided names of the victims while Human Rights Watch interviewed four witnesses and two medical personnel about the alleged attacks. A third suspected nerve agent attack in northern Hama on March 30 caused no deaths but injured dozens of civilians and combatants according to residents and medical personnel the report said. The alleged attacks were systematic and in some cases directed against civilians which would meet the legal criteria to be characterised as crimes against humanity the rights group said. Syrian regime denies accusations The Syrian regime has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons. The Syrian UN mission was not immediately available to comment on the allegations by Human Rights Watch which cited interviews with witnesses and medical personnel. Last month Assad told AFP in an interview that the suspected sarin attack in Khan Shaykhun was ""100 percent"" fabricated serving as a pretext for US missile strikes on a Syrian airfield. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,5/2/2017,hasakeh,1,,,,
1919191767,Air strikes in Syria kill eight White Helmets activists,"30 Apr 2017 White Helmets operates in the opposition-held parts of Syria where air strikes have intensified recently. (TRT World and Agencies) At least eight Syrian civil defence workers were killed when an air strike hit their office in the town of Kafr Zeita in the northern Hama province the rescue service said on Saturday. Known as the White Helmets the rescue service operates in the opposition-held parts of Syria. Work continues today recovering the bodies of the fallen volunteers in Kafr Zeita. 8 killed in yesterdays tragedy. The White Helmets (SyriaCivilDef) April 30 2017 ""Rescue workers are buried under the debris of their centre. Those who have been helping the wounded are now now killed"" said Hadi Abdullah a Syrian activist. While we were coming here to document this bombing a Russian jet targeted us with cluster bombs. One of the civilians was wounded no one was there to rescue him so we had to do it ourselves Hadi Abdullah activist Deliberate targeting of medical and civil defence by Russia. Not only devoid of humanity but setting new norm. Where will it end? The White Helmets (SyriaCivilDef) April 29 2017 The air strike was one of the worst against the White Helmets. With Bashar al Assads regime trying to push the opposition rebels out of Hama the bombings have intensified. TRT Worlds Nafisa Latic has more details. The War in Syria Air strikes kill eight White Helmets workers - YouTube Source TRT World",trt,4/30/2017,hama,1,,,,
1919191768,Air strikes hit hospital and kill 26 people in Idlib,"27 Apr 2017 A view shows the damage at a hospital after an air strike in Deir al-Sharqi village in Idlib province Syria April 27 2017. (TRT World and Agencies) Syrian regime or Russian air strikes in and around a town in opposition-held Idlib province on Tuesday killed 26 people and severely damaged a hospital a monitoring group said. The attacks came as Syrian regime forces and Russian jets intensified their bombardment of Idlib the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. A spokesman at the hospital in Kafr Takharim in Idlib said an air strike hit its courtyard killing 14 people including patients. Separate air strikes southwest of Kafr Takharim killed at least 12 people including civilians and rebel fighters the Observatory said. The United Nations condemned the air strikes and called for an end to such attacks on hospitals. ""It is completely unacceptable that facilities and people who are trying to save lives are being bombed"" said Kevin Kennedy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis. ""It must stop"" he added. The Observatory said there were no deaths from the hospital strike but that the bombardment had put it out of action. Idlib is an opposition stronghold one of the few large areas still under rebel control in the west of the country. Rebels and their families who have chosen to leave areas under regime siege around Damascus in evacuation deals have headed for Idlib. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,4/27/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1919191770,Deadly bomb blast hits Syrias Aleppo,"19 Apr 2017 The blast happened as the regime and opposition resumed population exchanges four days after a deadly attack on a convoy of evacuees forced both sides to suspend the deal. A boy who was injured during a bomb blast on a crowded Syrian bus convoy outside Aleppo on Saturday sits inside a tent connected to Bab al-Hawa hospital near the Syrian-Turkish border Syria April 18 2017 (File photo) (TRT World and Agencies) A bomb killed six people and wounded more than 30 in Syrias second city Aleppo on Wednesday the Assad regimes official television channel reported. The blast hit the southwestern neighbourhood of Salaheddin which was on the front line between opposition and regime-held sectors before Bashar al Assads forces retook full control of the city in December. The attack took place as evacuations of civilians from conflict zones resumed after a four-day pause. About 45 buses carrying 3000 people left the opposition-besieged al-Foua and Kefraya towns of the northwestern Idlib province for regime-controlled Aleppo. Meanwhile a convoy of 11 buses left regime-besieged al-Zabadani near the capital Damascus for opposition-controlled territory a military media unit linked to the pro-regime Hezbollah group said. ""The area of Zabadani is empty of militants after the last batch of them left this morning"" the pro-regime Sham FM radio reported citing a senior regime official in Zabadani. Three buses on Wednesday also carried people who were injured in a convoy attack as they were being transferred from al-Foua and Kefraya on Saturday as well as the remains of those who had died in the attack the Hezbollah military media unit said. Saturdays convoy attack killed 126 people including more than 60 children the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The convoy was carrying at least 5000 people including civilians and several hundred pro-regime fighters who were granted safe passage out of the two towns. The attack forced a population exchange deal brokered by regime ally Iran and opposition backer Qatar to be halted. Under the deal more than 30000 people will be evacuated from four Syrian towns in two stages. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,4/19/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1919191772,At least 100 killed after bomb hits bus convoy in Syria,"15 Apr 2017 The attack took place as thousands of evacuees from the towns of Foua and Kefraya waited to enter Aleppo. Still image shows a cloud of black smoke rising from vehicles in the distance in what is said to be Aleppos outskirts Syria April 15 2017. (TRT World and Agencies) A suicide car bomb has hit a convoy of buses carrying civilians out of two besieged Syrian towns killing at least 100 people and wounding several others. The explosion took place at a transit point Rashideen area as thousands of evacuees from the regime-held predominantly Shia towns of Foua and Kefraya waited on Saturday to continue their journey to regime-controlled Aleppo the coastal province of Latakia or Damascus according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. ""The suicide bomber was driving a van supposedly carrying aid supplies and detonated near the buses"" the Observatory said. It warned that the death toll was likely to rise given the ""several dozen wounded"" at the blast site. People who were evacuated from the two villages of Kefraya and Foua wait near buses after a stall in an agreement between the opposition and Syrian regime army at Rashideen. (TRT World and Agencies) More than 5000 people who had lived under crippling siege for more than two years left the two towns along with 2200 evacuated from opposition-held Madaya and Zabadani on Friday. Thousands of evacuees from Madaya and Zabadani were also stuck in regime-controlled Ramusa south of Aleppo. The evacuation brokered by regime ally Iran and rebel backer Qatar is set to see more than 30000 people evacuated in two stages. The deal to evacuate the towns was the latest in a string of such agreements touted by the rebels as the best way to end the fighting. The opposition says they have been forced out by the siege and bombardment. More than 400000 people have been killed and millions more displaced since the Syrian conflict erupted with protests against Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad in March 2011. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,4/15/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1923102821,Suicide bomber kills 16 in Syrias Hasakah,"Date of publication 5 July 2016 The bomber was on a motorcycle when he attacked a crowd outside a bakery. ""A suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up in the Salihiah neighbourhood of Hasakah city"" said Rami Abdel Rahman head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights adding that 15 of the wounded were in critical condition. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack which it claimed targeted Kurdish forces. Kurdish police put the death toll at 16 earlier. Nearly all of Hasakah province is controlled by the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) who have declared an autonomous region across the mainly Kurdish northern areas they hold. The YPG is regarded by the Pentagon as the most effective fighting force against IS on the ground in Syria. Meanwhile fighting between Islamic State militants and a Kurdish-Arab alliance troops has forced 13000 residents to flee the IS-bastion city of Manbij. ""The fleeing increased after the Syrian Democratic Force [SDF] besieged Manbij"" on June 10 the head of the Syrian Observatory said. ""Hundreds of people fled a southern district of the town where there have been fierce clashes in recent days"". The US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance seized a key road junction and grain silos overlooking the city last week pushing further into the Islamic State group stronghold. The city lies close to the border with Turkey and is a key staging post on the extremists supply line to areas under its control in eastern Syria and neighbouring Iraq. The militants took an estimated 900 Kurdish civilians hostage in areas under their control west of the city according to the Observatory and Kurdish officials. Manbij lies in the eastern plains of Aleppo province which has become a battleground between an array of competing armed groups including al-Qaeda rebels and government forces as well as the SDF and the IS group. Read Also",alaraby,7/5/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1923102823,Bombs continue to fall on Syria despite regime truce,"Date of publication 7 July 2016 Video More than 33 people were killed in Syrian regime and Russian bombing on Wednesday despite Damascus promises of a truce to mark the Muslim Eid holidays. Syrian regime Manbij human rights truce Eid Syrian opposition territories were bombed on Wednesday hours after the Syrian regime announced a nationwide ceasefire for three days. Rebel-held areas in Aleppo and Idlib provinces were bombed despite Damascus promise of a 72-hours Eid al-Fitr truce. Three children were killed in five separate air raids on Jisr al-Shigour in Idlib province while a car bomb exploded outside a mosque in the city according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Other air raids took place in Aleppo while clashes between rebels and regime fighters continued across the day. A total of 33 people died according to the Local Coordination Committees with Russian and regime war planes both suspected. Regime advances cut the only road leading to rebel-held parts of Aleppo in the firing range cutting it off on Thursday. ""Currently nobody can get in or out of Aleppo"" a member of the Aleppo-based rebel group Fastaqim told Reuters. ""[The road] was not risk-free but now there is not a matter of danger now the road is cut"" Zakaria Malahjifi said. Rebel forces are battling to push back regime advances. [Click to enlarge] ""All the factions sent reinforcements and are trying to take back the positions taken by the government but the situation is very bad there was heavy government air cover in the night"" another rebel official told Reuters. It is estimated that between 250000 and 300000 people live in areas held by the opposition in Aleppo according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. In Ghouta a rebel-held area in the Damascus suburbs regime artillery hit Douma city while clashes continued between rebel and regime fighters in Daraa Latakia and Homs. Meanwhile US-led coalition warplanes killed 56 civilians including 19 children in Manbij in Aleppo province according to the Observatory. Assault on Manbij Kurdish-led forces are continuing their assault on the Islamic State group stronghold in northern Syria and are slowly advancing in the southern districts of Manbij and seized a number of silos on Wednesday. Coalition aircraft which are supporting the Kurdish-Arab forces on the ground have conducted 325 air raids around Manbij since 21 May including 29 strikes in the past four days. This has helped anti-IS fighters to gain 1000 kilometres of territory and a foothold in Manbij which is an important supply route for the jihadi force. ""The SDF [Syrian Democratic Forces] has repeatedly defeated [IS] attempts to punch a hole through the cordon"" said Operation Inherent Resolve spokesperson Colonel Christopher Garver on Wednesday. He said this pressure is forcing IS to bring in new recruits to defend the city from the Kurdish-Arab force. ""Weve seen [IS] fighters leaving these previously defended towns to attempt to reinforce Manbij"" Garver said. ""As the pressure increases against [IS] in Manbij they are demonstrating more desperation to keep [IS] strategic crossroads open for access outside Syria."" Read Also",alaraby,4/12/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1923102825,Syrian rebel fighters killed in IS suicide bomb attack,"Date of publication 10 July 2016 A suicide bomb blast struck al-Dumayr in the Damascus countryside on Sunday killing 14 fighters from Jaish al-Islam and wounding several others in the latest act of intra-opposition violence. Tags Jaish al-Islam Syria Ghouta Islamic State Syrian opposition Fourteen members of the Jaish al-Islam rebel group were killed when a suicide bomb blast targeted their positions in the northeast Damascus suburbs south of Syria local sources told The New Arab. The Islamic State group is believed to be behind the suicide attack that struck the rebel-held district in the early hours of Sunday. ""A [IS] suicide bomber detonated his suicide belt near Jaish al-Islam position in al-Dumayr city killing 14 fighters and wounding several others"" a source in Jaish al-Islam told The New Arab. ""Leading members of Jaish al-Islam were on high alert as dozens of fighters were deployed at entry points to the city"" the source added. Jaish al-Islam often refer to rebel opponents as belonging to the Islamic State group but the opposition group have also fought to prevent IS from advancing into Ghouta city an eastern Damascus suburb it dominates. The area has seen some of the most horrific regime attacks on civilians with Ghouta witnessing two chemical weapons attacks in 2013 which left hundreds dead. Read Also",alaraby,7/10/2016,damascus,1,,,,
1923102826,Scores of Syrian rebels killed over key Aleppo road,"Date of publication 10 July 2016 At least 29 Syrian rebels were killed during a major counter-offensive to recapture a critical supply route into Aleppo and break regime siege of the city which threatens 300000 civilians. Tags Castello road Syria Syrian regime UN siege Aleppo al-Nusra Front Ahrar al-Sham At least 29 Syrian rebels were killed in clashes with regime troops overnight during a failed bid to reopen the oppositions key supply route into Aleppo city. The fighters from the Faylaq al-Sham Islamist faction and al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front were killed trying to reopen the Castello Road which regime forces effectively severed on Thursday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The road was the only remaining supply route into the opposition-held east of Aleppo city which has been divided between government and rebel control since mid-2012. Government forces effectively severed the route on Thursday when they seized a hilltop within firing range of the Castello Road. The Observatory said there were deaths among government forces in the overnight fighting but had no immediate toll. ""The attack has ended and the road remains completely closed"" said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman. Civilians face food shortages Syrian rebel forces are preparing for a major battle in Aleppo [Anadolu] Residents in Aleppo described shortages of basic goods after government troops advanced within firing range of the key Castello Road supply route. ""For two days the situation was calm I went to the market and I filled up my motorbike with gasoline. Today I couldnt even find a single tomato"" said Bilal Qaterji a local textile factory employee. ""Theres not a drop of fuel left because the Castello Road has been cut"" he told AFP. Residents in eastern Aleppo said they feared ongoing shortages if the Castello Road remained closed. ""I worry that the Castello Road will be cut for a long time it will lead to shortages of bread and other necessities"" said Ahmed Kanjou an unemployed father of four. Residents said prices were already rising and many were bracing for the possibility of a lengthy siege. Syrias government has been accused of using siege tactics to pressure rebel forces and the UN says nearly 600000 Syrians live in besieged areas most surrounded by government forces although rebels also use the method. Activists and rights groups including Doctors Without Borders [MSF] have reported deaths from starvation in some besieged areas. The Castello Road wraps around Aleppos eastern and northern edges and leads into rebel-controlled territory north of the battered city. President Bashar al-Assads forces have been trying to cut the route for more than two years and their Thursday advance brought them the closest so far to achieving that goal. Agencies contributed to this report Read Also",alaraby,7/10/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923102830,US-led coalition raids kill scores of civilians in Syria,"Date of publication 18 July 2016 Syrian activist groups say airstrikes by the US-led coalition targeting areas controlled by the Islamic State group have killed at least 21 civilians. Airstrikes by the US-led coalition killed at least 21 civilians in and around a stronghold of the Islamic State group in northern Syria on Monday. At least 15 civilians were killed in raids in a northern district of Manbij while six others were killed in a village near the city according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The extremist bastion has faced more than a month-long US-backed offensive by Kurdish and Arab fighters that has caused thousands of civilians to flee. However tens of thousands of civilians are still trapped in Manbij most of which is controlled by the extremists. On June 23 the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters broke into western districts of Manbij after blocking the road south of the city heading to ISs de facto capital of Raqqa. But their advance has been slowed in the past month because of landmines planted by the militants which are also fighting back by launching suicide attacks against the SDF. Founded in October the Kurdish-dominated alliance has seized territory from IS across large parts of northern and northeastern Syria. Capturing Manbij would be its most significant victory yet. Syrias war has killed more than 280000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. 	 	 Read Also",alaraby,7/18/2016,raqqa,0,,,,
1923102835,Dozens killed in bombardment on rebel-held Aleppo,"Date of publication 25 July 2016 Video Suspected Russian strikes hit several locations in rebel-held parts of Syrias Aleppo province including a market area in the early hours of Monday morning. Tags Aleppo Syria Assad Russia Attack Airstrikes At least 16 people were killed in airstrikes and barrel bomb attacks on rebel-held parts of Syrias Aleppo province on Monday. Early on Monday morning multiple air raids believed to be Russian killed 10 civilians in the rebel-held Atareb town the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Footage showed the local civil defence unit attempting to put out a fire in the rubble of one collapsed building as civilians attempted to search for medicine from what seemed to be the remains of a pharmacy. Meanwhile six others were killed in government barrel bombs in the east of the city. The monitor which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information said the death toll was expected to rise because of the number of people with injuries and still trapped under the debris. The news follows earlier airstrike on Syrias Aleppo that hit four makeshift hospitals and a local blood bank. Sundays bombardment killed a two-day-old baby in the childrens hospital in a besieged eastern neighbourhood of Aleppo the Independent Doctors Association a group of Syrian doctors that supports clinics in the city said. The IDA said the four hospitals that were hit the childrens hospital al-Bayan al-Zahraa and al-Daqaq would all be going out of service ""as a result of the escalating series of aerial attacks taking place against health facilities in Aleppo by Syrian and Russian warplanes"". The World Health Organisation said Syria was the most dangerous place for health care workers to operate last year with 135 attacks on health facilities and workers in 2015. In recent months several hospitals have been damaged and medical staff killed in the densely populated eastern neighbourhoods of Aleppo city. A hospital in the eastern Maadi neighbourhood was hit just eight days ago wounding some of the staff and patients inside. Once an economic hub Aleppo has been divided between rebel and government control since 2012. More than 280000 people have been killed since Syrias conflict erupted in 2011 and millions have been forced to flee. Read Also",alaraby,7/25/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923102842,Seven children killed in Syrias rebel-held Aleppo,"Date of publication 5 August 2016 Air raids on Aleppos Marjeh district killed at least 10 people including seven children on Friday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports. Tags Aleppo siege Syria Islamic State Syrian Democratic Forces At least 10 people including seven children were killed in airstrikes on the rebel-held east of Aleppo city on Friday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The Britain-based group said it was unclear if the raids on Aleppos Marjeh district were carried out by aircraft belonging to the Syrian government or its ally Russia. The latest civilian deaths come as the rebels press on with an assault intended to break a government siege of opposition-held Aleppo that began on July 17 and has raised fears of a humanitarian crisis. The assault started on Sunday and is targeting the Ramussa district that contains the main supply route to the government-held west of the city. Once Syrias economic powerhouse Aleppo has been ravaged by the war that began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. After some initial advances government forces backed by Russian airstrikes have pushed back opposition fighters which include extremists from al-Qaedas former Syrian affiliate. According to the Observatory at least 112 civilians including 33 children have been killed in Aleppo since the rebel assault began on Sunday. The deaths include 65 people among them 22 children killed in rebel fire on government neighbourhoods the Observatory said. Another 42 people including 11 children have been killed in strikes on eastern Aleppo the monitor said. It reported five more deaths in rebel fire on the Kurdish-majority Sheikh Maqsud district of the city. Elsewhere in the Aleppo province the monitor said an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters were advancing inside the Islamic State [IS] bastion of Manbij. Observatory chief Rami Abdul Rahman said the Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF] now held 70 percent of the town. ""The Islamic State has entered its final phase in the town of Manbij"" he told AFP adding however that IS was keeping a number of civilians there as human shields. ""The progress the SDF has made in the last week is more than it was able to achieve in previous weeks put together."" The SDF began an assault on Manbij in late May and entered the town on June 23 with support from the US-led coalition against IS. Manbij sits on the route between the Turkish border and the eastern city of Raqqa the extremists de facto capital in Syria. Read Also",alaraby,8/5/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102845,Syria Airstrikes destroy Idlib MSF hospital leaving 13 dead,"Date of publication 9 August 2016 Five children and four medical staff killed by regime airstrikes on a hospital in a rebel-held zone in Syrias Idlib province. Tags MSF Syria Idlib Russia A hospital funded by medical charity Medcins Sans Frontieres [MSF] in a rebel-held province of northern Syria was destroyed by airstrikes over the weekend that killed 13 people MSF said on Monday. Among the dead were four staff and five children. ""The direct bombing of another hospital in Syria is an outrage said Silvia Dallatomasina MSFs medical manager of operations in northwest Syria while also calling for an immediate end to attacks on hospitals in Syrias war. MSF said that the hospital in Millis Idlib province was hit directly by two airstrikes that forced the closure of the medical facility. The hospital served as a referral centre specialising in pediatrics with an operating theatre and an intensive care unit. MSF did not specify which government was behind the attacks however Russia was on Monday accused of dropping phosphorous bombs on central Idlib late Sunday night. The bombings came as rebel groups on the ground prepared for fresh assaults on regime positions. The medical charity said that the attack has deprived around 70000 people in Millis and the surrounding towns of medical care as it used to cater for up to 250 people a day. Hospitals have been regularly targeted in Syrias conflict with the UN recording 44 attacks in July alone on medical facilities in the war-torn country. The government of President Bashar al-Assad and his allies in Moscow have denied bombing hospitals in their campaigns against rebel groups. According to MSF two medical centres that it supports in Idlib have reported a total of nice mass influxes of injured people in July. In this month alone 466 patients have been reported as wounded and 37 have died. These same rebel-controlled facilities reported 294 wounded and 33 dead in a total of seven mass influxes for the first six months of 2016. Read Also",alaraby,8/9/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1923102846,Dozens killed by Russian air raids over IS-held Raqqa,"Date of publication 11 August 2016 Ten Russian raids hit the Islamic State-held city of Raqqa and its outskirts killing at least 30 people and injuring dozens on Thursday. Tags Syria Raqqa Aleppo Russia United Nations human rights Islamic State ISIS At least 30 people including 24 civilians were killed by Russian airstrikes targeting the Islamic State [IS] group bastion of Raqqa in northern Syria on Thursday. Dozens more were wounded when ten Russian raids hit the city and its outskirts. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had not yet confirmed how many of the remaining six people killed were civilians or IS militants. The Britain-based monitor says it determines what planes carried out raids according to their type location flight patterns and the munitions involved. Russia confirmed that six Tupolev warplanes carried out airstrikes around Raqqa but said it had demolished ""a chemical weapons factory in the citys northwestern outskirts."" The defence ministry said the raids also destroyed a weapons storage facility and a training camp for IS fighters to the north and southeast. The ministry said that the extremists had suffered ""significant material damages"" in the strikes and that ""a large number of fighters have been killed."" The raids comes a day after the ministry said it would halt fire around Syrias ravaged city of Aleppo for three hours each day to allow humanitarian aid in an initiative the United Nations said is insufficient to meet the citys needs. The UN has called for urgent aid access to Aleppo and 48-hour weekly pauses for the aid deliveries warning that civilians are at grave risk from water shortages and disease as fighting has intensified. Fighting between government forces and rebels in Aleppo has intensified in the past month with both sides sending in reinforcements. Read Also",alaraby,8/11/2016,raqqa,1,,,,
1923102847,Four killed in suspected gas attack on Aleppo,"Date of publication 11 August 2016 A helicopter dropped toxic gas barrel over Aleppo on Wednesday killing four and leaving many more suffering from breathing problems. Tags Aleppo Syria toxic gas chlorine gas attack suffocation Russia At least four people were killed and many suffered breathing problems after a gas barrel was dropped over Aleppo on Wednesday. Those killed were believed to have inhaled chlorine gas and died from poisoning the manager of al-Quds hospital Hamza Khatib told Reuters news agency. At least 55 people were injured by the gas and Khatib had persevered evidence of the attack including patients clothing he told Reuters. Three deaths and 22 injuries were reported by the civil defence rescuers after barrels of gas believed to be chlorine were dropped on the Zubdiya neighbourhood in rebel-held Aleppo Reuters reported. A woman and a child died of suffocation after helicopters dropped explosive barrels on the neighbourhoods of Seif al-Dawla and Zubdiya the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Unconfirmed reports over the use of chlorine gas on rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo emerged after the offensive on the city began in late June. Rebels and activists have reported barrel bombs containing poisonous gas were dropped on residential areas around Aleppo but the lack of chemical labs or independent testers made it difficult to verify these claims. A worlds chemical weapons watchdog raised concerns earlier this month over the reports of chlorine gas attacks around Aleppo. ""These reports are of great concern"" Ahmet Uzumcu the head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons [OPCW] said in a statement. The UN-backed group based in The Hague ""continues to examine any credible reports"" of chemical weapons use the statement said. Uzumcu added that under international conventions the use of chemical weapons ""by anyone under any circumstances"" is seen ""as reprehensible and wholly contrary to the legal norms established by the international community."" Syrian regime and rebels have traded accusations over which side is using toxic gas in their shelling. 	 	 Read Also",alaraby,8/11/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923102849,Three women killed while attending funeral in Syrias Madaya,"Date of publication 12 August 2016 Hizballah and Syrian regime forces reportedly targeted a funeral with mortars and artillery shells killing at least three women and injuring dozens more in the besieged town of Madaya. Tags Madaya Syria hunger siege women Hizbollah Three women from the besieged town of Madaya west of the Syrian capital Damascus were killed after being hit by artillery shells while attending a funeral on Thursday evening. ""Hizballah and Syrian regime forces targeted a funeral with mortars and artillery shells leading the deaths of at least three women"" media activist Abdul Wahab told The New Arab adding that dozens of others were left injured. ""The intensity of the bombing made many mourners flee while the dead and wounded were left in the area for more than an hour"" he added. More than 40000 civilians are trapped in Zabadani and Madaya under a blockade. ""People are suffering from a new kind of hunger... no kind of humanitarian aid has entered the area since May"" local sources told The New Arab. Diseases are spreading among residents threatening the lives of many. According to the United Nations there are currently 592700 people living under siege in Syria. The vast majority of this number some 452700 people are besieged by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In January the regimes siege of Madaya saw dozens die of starvation with mounting public pressure forcing the UN aid to act. Aid deliveries to the suburb have taken place but the amounts delivered have been short of what residents say is needed to sustain life. Since then others have died particularly infants from starvation and hunger-related issues. Desperate residents in some besieged areas have been forced to eat dogs or cook soups made from leaves and tree bark with no nutritional value to stave off hunger. Read Also",alaraby,8/12/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1923102850,Violence rages on in Syria as dozens more killed,"Date of publication 12 August 2016 Airstrikes in opposition areas of Syrias northern Aleppo province struck a market a hospital and a village on Friday. Tags Aleppo civil defence UN airstrikes Russia Airstrikes in opposition areas of Syrias northern Aleppo province struck a market a hospital and a village on Friday killing at least 18 people including children and two hospital staffers. The air raids hit the only hospital for women and children in the town of Kafr Hamra before dawn killing two staffers including a nurse. The Syrian Civil Defence a group of first responders said it pulled 10 people alive from under the rubble. Kafr Hamra is near the northern front line in the deeply divided city of Aleppo where government troops have sealed the main route into opposition areas effectively trapping nearly 300000 residents. The Syrian Civil Defence said one of its centres in the rebel-held part of Aleppo was hit. Pictures on the groups Facebook page showed serious damage to one of its vehicles and crumbling walls. The volunteer group said one of its most well-known members died after being buried under the rubble following a Wednesday airstrike in the Ramouseh area recently seized by rebels from government forces. Khaled Harah had recovered a live baby from a destroyed building in Aleppos Sukkari neighbourhood in 2014 following a 16-hour rescue effort. ""It was a miracle"" said Bibars Mishal a colleague of Harah in Aleppo. Harah was later invited to the UN Security Council to testify about the violence in Aleppo. Mishal said Harahs body was pulled from the rubble on Thursday. Read more here Syrian miracle baby saver killed in Aleppo The opposition fighters launched a counteroffensive last week breaching the siege from the south. That road remains under fire and the UN has asked for a cease-fire to allow aid into the area. Health facilities have been frequently targeted in the civil war in Syria. Aid groups have said the month of July was one of the worst since the war began in 2011 with some 43 facilities in opposition areas partially or totally destroyed. Despite calls for a ceasefire and Russias promise of a three-hour daily respite from airstrikes to allow in humanitarian aid there has been no let-up in the violence. During the day Friday airstrikes hit a market in the nearby town of Urem al-Kubra killing at least six people according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which relies on activists on the ground. Urem al-Kubra lies on the road linking Aleppo to the northern rebel-controlled province of Idlib which has also seen intense bombing. In the northern Aleppo countryside at least 10 people were killed including children and women when airstrikes hit the village of Hayan. It was not clear what the target was but videos shared by activists of the scene of the attack show the bodies of women and children strewn on the side of the road as frantic residents scramble to recover them. The Local Coordination Committees an activist collective said outdoor Friday prayers were called off in Idlib because of the intensity of the airstrikes. Germany meanwhile called for UN-supervised humanitarian access to Aleppo saying Russias unilateral three-hour daily cease-fire isnt enough. Russia has been carrying out airstrikes to bolster Syrian government forces since last September. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was quoted as telling Fridays edition of the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that ""humanitarian access cant be under the single-handed control of one side of the conflict."" ""A unilaterally declared three-hour cease-fire per day isnt enough to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe"" he said. Read Also",alaraby,8/12/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102851,More than 50 civilians killed in Syrias Aleppo,Date of publication 14 August 2016 Scores of civilians including children were killed on Saturday after regime airstrikes and shelling hit Aleppo. Tags Syria Aleppo civilians airstrikes At least 51 civilians including four children were killed in air raids and shelling attacks on Saturday in Syrias battleground city Aleppo and the neighbouring countryside. Syrian air force raids left 15 people dead in rebel-held areas in the east of Aleppo city. Nine civilians died in rebel shelling on the government-held west the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Another 27 people were killed in Syrian and Russian raids targeting a string of towns in the west of Aleppo province the Britain-based group added. In a major push last week to end a siege on opposition-held eastern Aleppo a coalition of rebels and Islamist fighters cut off the regimes own main access road on the southern edges of the city. Each side has used their newly acquired territory to bring food and other supplies into neighbourhoods of the city they control but the roads into rebel-held eastern Aleppo are still not safe for civilians to use. The fighting in Aleppo is reported to have killed at least 130 civilians since the end of July and has damaged hospitals clinics and the citys power and water networks. Read Also,alaraby,8/14/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923102855,Syrian regime bombs Kurdish fighters for second day,"Date of publication 19 August 2016 The uneasy peace in Syrias Hassakeh city was broken two days ago as clashes between regime and Kurdish forces escalated leading to Damascus to bomb separatist positions. Tags Qamishli Rojava Hassakeh Kurdish Syrian-Kurdish YPG Peoples Protection Units Turkey Syrian regime Syrian regime warplanes bombed Kurdish positions in the north-eastern city of Hassakeh on Friday as fighting between the two sides continued for a second day. The regime launched eight air raids - on the citys Kurdish-run south-western neighbourhoods - on Friday after an uneasy truce between regime and Kurdish militias broke down earlier this week leading to the latest bout of fighting. Images showed footage the city - reportedly Hassakeh - burning last night following one air raid. Control for Hassakeh city - the capital of the north-eastern province by the same name - is mostly in the hands of Kurdish forces while the rest is held by regime loyalists. Clashes between the two sides have rocked the city leaving 23 civilians - including nine children - dead according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Bombing and fighting has forced thousands of Hassakeh locals to flee in one of the most intense confrontations between the two sides in months. Thursdays air raids on Hassakeh were the first time the regime had bombarded Kurdish positions from the air. Damascus forces and Kurdish fighters have enjoyed a truce while the Islamic State group threatens the province and other Kurdish areas jointly controlled by the two sides. In Hassakeh and Qamishli tensions have led to armed clashes. Kurdish units have proclaimed independence of an autonomous region around the Turkish border and deeper into Syria and demanded that the pro-regime militias disband in Hassakeh. A regime source in Hassakeh told AFP that the bombing was ""a message to the Kurds that they should stop this sort of demand that constitutes an affront to national sovereignty"". Kurdish militias are key US allies in the fight against IS providing them with weapons and advisers on the battlefield. The US has also reportedly opened up an air base in Kurdish-controlled Syrian territory while Russia - which is helping prop up the regime - is also close to the Kurdish units. Agencies contributed to this story. Read Also",alaraby,8/19/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1923102859,Barrel bomb attack kills 11 children in Syrias Aleppo,"Date of publication 25 August 2016 Fifteen civilians among them 11 children were killed in a barrel bomb attack on the Bab al-Nayrab neighbourhood on Thursday. Tags Syria Aleppo children deaths human rights lifeless body baby Bashar al-Assad Eleven children were killed on Thursday in a barrel bomb attack carried out by government forces on a rebel-held neighbourhood of Syrias Aleppo city. ""Fifteen civilians among them 11 children were killed in a barrel bomb attack on the Bab al-Nayrab neighbourhood"" in the south of Aleppo city the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The group also reported eight civilians including two children were killed on Thursday in rebel fire on the government-held west of the city. An AFP journalist in Bab al-Nayrab saw rescue workers and civilians digging through the rubble of collapsed buildings. One man carried out the lifeless body of a baby no bigger than his forearm. The babys eyes were closed and its body was white with dust except for speckles and smears of blood. Elsewhere a civil defence worker protected the face of another dead child as his colleagues scraped away the rubble encasing the rest of the childs body. Syrias regime has been accused of regularly using barrel bombs crude explosive devices on rebel-held areas that are home to civilians and other parties to the conflict are not known to have used the weapons. President Bashar al-Assad and his government deny using barrel bombs. Once Syrias economic powerhouse Aleppo city has been ravaged by the conflict that began with anti-government protests in March 2011. The city has been roughly divided between rebel control in the east and government control in the west since mid-2012 with each side bombarding the other and causing civilian casualties. More than 290000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began according to the Observatory. Read Also",alaraby,8/25/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102861,Children killed in Syrias Homs by napalm mortar rounds,"Date of publication 28 August 2016 Two children were killed in shelling by the regime on rebel-held parts of Homs central Syria reportedly using incendiary napalm bombs. Tags Waer incendiary weapons war crimes Syrian conflict Two children were killed in regime raids targeting the neighbourhood of al-Waer with napalm incendiary bombs while more than 10 other civilians were wounded in regime airstrikes on the same neighbourhood according to sources on the ground. Meanwhile three civilians were killed and 12 others including women and children were wounded in Russian airstrikes on Idlibs countryside. ""Regime forces targeted Waer neighbourhood in Western Homs with a mortar containing napalm - an internationally banned substance - killing two children burning many civilians and damaging residential buildings"" Mohammad Sibai a spokesman for the oppostion-aligned Homs Media Centre told The New Arab. Al-Waer neighbourhood is the last remaining rebel-held district in Homs following a truce between the opposition and the regime in the city in 2014. Residents of Daraya near Damascus had previously accused Russian aircraft of using napalm bombs in attacks on the area. Sibai added that regime warplanes also launched an air road of fourteen missiles on the neighborhood wounding dozens of civilians including women and children. Meanwhile a Russian warplane targeted north of Idlib city with four airstrikes including two cluster bombs killing three civilians and severely injuring a dozen people according to media activist Musafa Abu Mohammad. ""Civil defence teams prevented civilians from approaching area and removed the remains of cluster bombs drooped by Russia aircraft on civilian homes"" he said. Read Also",alaraby,8/28/2016,homs,0,,,,
1923102863,7 killed in regime strikes on besieged Homs neighbourhood,"Date of publication 29 August 2016 Airstrikes kill seven and wound dozens more in the last rebel-held area in Syrias third city of Homs. Tags Syria Homs Seige Napalm Incendiary bombs Jets thought to belong to the Syrian government struck the the besieged Al-Waer neighborhood in the city of Homs on Sunday residents and a monitor said. According to Reuters over a dozen airstrikes on the residential area killed at least seven people and injured dozens more civilians. A woman and a child were also among the dead the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights said. Videos and images also emerged on social media showing children afflicted by burns that activists say were caused by incendiary weapons. This escalation in attacks came a day after the Damascus suburb of Daraya was evacuated by rebels after relentless bombing and a tough siege. The strikes were the first of their kind on Homs rebel-held areas in a year. In December local leaders and the government agreed a UN-sponsored deal that would see fighters evacuated and the regime take control of the city. No progress has been seen on this plan which requires local resistors to surrender their heavy weapons. Prior to this a truce in Homs in 2014 allowed for the withdrawal of fighters from the Old City leaving al-Waer in rebel hands. Since then the neighbourhood has been choked by a seige enforced by government troops and loyalist militias. This has blocked deliveries of all supplies of aid to the area save a few UN-led deliveries. An estimated 50000 civilians are currently trapped in Al-Waer alongside several thousand fighters. The seige on Al-Waer is part of what Washington has decried as Damascus ""surrender-or-starve"" tactic of beseiging rebel-controlled areas into capitulation or death. Read Also",alaraby,8/29/2016,homs,0,,,,
1923102866,Dozens killed hospital damaged after strikes hit northwest Syria,"Date of publication 25 April 2017 Airstrikes on a rebel-held village in northwest Syria early on Tuesday killed 12 people and put a nearby field clinic out of service according to the Syrian Observatory. Tags Syria Idlib Russia airstrikes Syrian regime Bashar Assad Airstrikes on a rebel-held village in northwest Syria killed 12 people and put a nearby field clinic out of service early on Tuesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said a first round of raids which were likely carried out by Russian jets targeted the village of Duwayleh in the Idlib province. ""Twelve people were killed including at least two rebel fighters and five civilians"" Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. ""As they were bringing wounded people to the clinic in nearby Kafr Takharim new airstrikes hit near the facility"" Abdel Rahman told AFP. ""They put the hospital out of service because of damage to its structure and to the equipment"" he said. It was the second medical facility in rebel-held Idlib province to be targeted in four days after a warplane on Saturday severely damaged a makeshift hospital set up in a cave. That bombardment near the opposition-controlled village of Abdeen wounded five medical staff according to the Observatory. The World Health Organization has called Syria the worlds most dangerous place for health workers. The province of Idlib has been under the control of rebel and extremist groups since spring 2015 and is regularly bombarded by both Syrian and allied Russian warplanes. In early April at least 88 civilians were killed in a suspected chemical attack on Khan Sheikhun a town further south in Idlib province. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said last week that ""incontrovertible"" test results showed sarin gas or a similar substance had been used in Khan Sheikhun. Read Also",alaraby,4/25/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1923102872,Scores killed in gas attack in rebel-held Syria town,"Date of publication 4 April 2017 At least 72 people including nine children were killed in an airstrike that released ""toxic gas"" on the rebel-held Syrian town of Khan Sheikhun on Tuesday a monitor said. Tags Syria Idlib gas attack chlorine Observatory Assad Warplanes carried out a suspected toxic gas attack that killed at least 72 people including several children in a rebel-held town in northwestern Syria on Tuesday a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said those killed in the town of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province had died from the effects of the gas adding that dozens more suffered respiratory problems and other symptoms. The Britain-based monitoring group was unable to confirm the nature of the substance and said it was unclear if the planes involved in the attack were Syrian or those of government ally Russia. The Observatory said medical sources in the town reported symptoms among the affected including fainting vomiting and foaming at the mouth. The victims were mostly civilians it said and included at least 20 children. Photographs circulated by activists showed members of the volunteer White Helmets rescue group using hoses to wash down the injured as well as at least two men with white foam around their mouths. Idlib province is largely controlled by an alliance of rebels including former al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front. A man gets treatment at a hospital after the chlorine gas attack in Idlib [Anadolu] It is regularly targeted in strikes by the regime as well as Russian warplanes and has also been hit by the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group usually targeting extremists. Syrias government officially joined the Chemical Weapons Convention and turned over its chemical arsenal in 2013 as part of a deal to avert US military action. But there have been repeated allegations of chemical weapons use by the government since then with a UN-led investigation pointing the finger at the regime for at least three chlorine attacks in 2014 and 2015. The government denies the use of chemical weapons and has in turn accused rebels of using banned weapons. The attack comes only days after forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad were accused of using chemical weapons in a counter-offensive in neighbouring Hama province. The opposition accused the government forces of using ""toxic substances"" in its battle to repel the assault. On Thursday airstrikes on several areas in the north of Hama province left around 50 people suffering respiratory problems according to the Observatory which could not confirm the cause of the symptoms. The monitor relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type location flight patterns and munitions used. TimelineJS Embed March 3 2011 Six years of conflict in Syria Peaceful protests against the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011. They were harshly repressed prompting an armed uprising. The conflict has left more than 320000 people dead according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. March 15 2011 Unprecedented protests demand civil liberties and freedom for political prisoners after 40 years of repressive rule by the Assad family. The regime repressed demonstrations using brutal force in Damascus and the southern city of Daraa but protests continue. July 2011 Bashar al-Assad sacks the governor of the northern province of Hama over mass demonstrations and sends in troops to restore order at the cost of scores of lives. March 1 2012 Regime forces seize rebel-held Baba Amr in Homs city after 27 days of heavy shelling. 2013 Jihadists notably al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front expand in the north at the expense of moderate rebels. Assad accused of releasing extremist prisoners to portray his regime as anti-terror bulwark April 2013 Powerful Iran-backed Lebanese Shia militia Hizballah says it is fighting alongside regime forces. Iran meanwhile boosts military support for longtime ally Assad who belongs to the Shia-linked Alawite sect. August 21 2013 Rebel-backer Washington accuses the regime of killing more than 1400 people with chemical weapons in rebel-held districts near Damascus. 2014 Islamic State [IS] group seizes swathes of territory proclaiming a self-styled ""caliphate"" in areas it controls in Syria and Iraq. September 2014 The US its Arab and European allies launch airstrikes against IS in Syria. The strikes benefit Kurdish groups which had in 2013 declared ""autonomous administrations"" in northern Syria. January 2015 Coalition-backed Kurdish fighters oust IS from the flashpoint border town of Kobane. September 30 2015 Russia launches airstrikes on Syria in support of Assads regime under the pretext it is striking ""terrorist groups"". With Russian support the regime begins to retake territory. Thousands more civilians killed. August 24 2016 Turkey launches Operation Euphrates Shield in Aleppo province to tackle both IS and Washington-backed Kurdish militias Ankara considers ""terrorists"". September 22 2016 Syrian regime forces announce a major offensive to retake rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Syrias second city and former economic capital had been divided between rebel and regime control since 2012. December 22 2016 The regime declares it has full control of Aleppo after a final convoy of civilians and rebel fighters leave under a withdrawal deal. January 2017 Russia Iran and Turkey agree to a nationwide ceasefire between regime and non-Islamist rebels following talks between both sides in Kazakhstan. Ceasefire repeatedly violated by regime forces in some areas March 15 2017 Amid continuing low-level violence across much of the country and as the Islamic State group is put under further pressure in its remaining strongholds at least two suicide carbombs detonate in the Syrian capital on the sixth anniversary of the uprising. At least 32 are confirmed dead. March 15 2011 Timeline JS Unprecedented protests demand civil liberties and freedom for political prisoners after 40 years of repressive rule by the Assad family.The regime repressed demonstrations using brutal force in Damascus and the southern city of Daraa but protests continue. Bashar al-Assad sacks the governor of the northern province of Hama over mass demonstrations and sends in troops to restore order at the cost of scores of lives. Regime forces seize rebel-held Baba Amr in Homs city after 27 days of heavy shelling. Jihadists notably al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front expand in the north at the expense of moderate rebels. Assad accused of releasing extremist prisoners to portray his regime as anti-terror bulwark Powerful Iran-backed Lebanese Shia militia Hizballah says it is fighting alongside regime forces. Iran meanwhile boosts military support for longtime ally Assad who belongs to the Shia-linked Alawite sect. Rebel-backer Washington accuses the regime of killing more than 1400 people with chemical weapons in rebel-held districts near Damascus. Islamic State [IS] group seizes swathes of territory proclaiming a self-styled ""caliphate"" in areas it controls in Syria and Iraq. The US its Arab and European allies launch airstrikes against IS in Syria. The strikes benefit Kurdish groups which had in 2013 declared ""autonomous administrations"" in northern Syria. Coalition-backed Kurdish fighters oust IS from the flashpoint border town of Kobane. Russia launches airstrikes on Syria in support of Assads regime under the pretext it is striking ""terrorist groups"". With Russian support the regime begins to retake territory. Thousands more civilians killed. Turkey launches Operation Euphrates Shield in Aleppo province to tackle both IS and Washington-backed Kurdish militias Ankara considers ""terrorists"". Syrian regime forces announce a major offensive to retake rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Syrias second city and former economic capital had been divided between rebel and regime control since 2012. The regime declares it has full control of Aleppo after a final convoy of civilians and rebel fighters leave under a withdrawal deal. Russia Iran and Turkey agree to a nationwide ceasefire between regime and non-Islamist rebels following talks between both sides in Kazakhstan. Ceasefire repeatedly violated by regime forces in some areas Amid continuing low-level violence across much of the country and as the Islamic State group is put under further pressure in its remaining strongholds at least two suicide carbombs detonate in the Syrian capital on the sixth anniversary of the uprising. At least 32 are confirmed dead. ",alaraby,4/4/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1923102873,Syrian regime airstrikes kill 22 civilians near Damascus,"Date of publication 3 April 2017 At least 22 civilians have been killed by Syrian regime airstrikes on the outskirts of Damascus on Monday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Tags Syria Damascus Douma Regime Rebels Civilians Bashar al-Assad Airstrikes Syrian regime airstrikes on a rebel-held region near Damascus killed at least 22 civilians on Monday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The highest toll was in Douma the largest town in the Eastern Ghouta region where raids killed 16 civilians including at least one child and wounded 22 it said. Five more civilians were killed in the town of Sabqa and one in the town of Harasta both also in Eastern Ghouta the Observatory said. The Eastern Ghouta region is adjacent to the capitals eastern neighbourhood of Jobar which is divided between regime and rebel control. Last month the armed opposition launched a surprise assault against regime forces from Jobar but was repelled after a week of fighting. Eastern Ghouta has been under a devastating government siege since 2012 which has trapped over 300000 civilains and is targeted regularly by airstrikes and artillery. It is the last remaining opposition stronghold near Damascus where a string of local ""reconciliation deals"" have seen villages and towns brought back under the control of President Bashar al-Assads government. The World Health Organization last week demanded immediate humanitarian access to the area saying residents are in desperate need of medical attention. •�Time is running out for the people of East Ghouta. As health needs increase available resources are being depleted day by day. Our main goal now is to provide access to lifesaving care for thousands of vulnerable men women and children immediately said Elizabeth Hoff WHO Representative in Syria. All 3 public hospitals and 17 public health care centres in East Ghouta are nonfunctioning and inaccessible to the population the WHO said in a statement. The regime is fighting to push rebels out of five neighbourhoods in Damascus. The rebels control almost all of Qabun and Tishreen in the northeast as well as half of Jobar in the east. They are also present in Barzeh in the north and Tadamun in the south but the neighbourhoods are covered by a truce with the regime. The Syrian conflict began when the Baath regime in power since 1963 and led by President Bashar al-Assad responded with military force to peaceful protests demanding democratic reforms during the Arab Spring wave of uprisings triggering an armed rebellion fueled by mass defections from the Syrian army. According to independent monitors hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed in the war mostly by the regime and its powerful allies and millions have been displaced both inside and outside of Syria. The brutal tactics pursued mainly by the regime which have included the use of chemical weapons sieges mass executions and torture against civilians have led to war crimes investigations. Read Also",alaraby,4/3/2017,damascus,0,,,,
1923102874,Shelling of rebel bastion near Syrian capital kills 19,"Date of publication 4 April 2017 At least 19 people were killed near the Syrian capital on Tuesday including six children just hours after a suspected chemical gas attack left dozens dead in the Khan Sheikhun. Tags Syria Damascus Rebels Douma Ghouta Airstrikes At least 19 civilians were killed in heavy aerial bombardment of several opposition-held towns east of the Syrian capital on Tuesday a monitoring group said. Six children were among the dead in Eastern Ghouta the largest rebel bastion near Damascus the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed. ""It was a series of airstrikes throughout the day and the death toll may still rise"" the Britain-based group added. Civilians had died in Jisreen Kafr Batna and the largest of the towns in Eastern Ghouta Douma. Half a dozen wounded children were seen sitting on the floor of a makeshift clinic caked in dust and blood as they awaited treatment an AFP photographer in Douma reported. Fourteen of the victims died in airstrikes on an area between the opposition-held towns of Hammuriyah and Saqba. Another AFP photographer in Saqba reportedly saw residents scrambling over rubble and through clouds of dust tossing debris aside as they searched for signs of life. The Observatory said Tuesdays bombardment brought to 49 the number killed in Eastern Ghouta in two days of attacks. ""There has been fierce artillery shelling and airstrikes since yesterday and 165 people total have been wounded"" Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. Eastern Ghouta has been under a devastating government siege since 2012 and is targeted regularly by air strikes and artillery. It is the last remaining opposition stronghold near Damascus where a string of local ""reconciliation deals"" have seen villages and towns brought back under the control of President Bashar al-Assads government. Hundreds of people were killed in Eastern Ghouta in chemical weapons strikes allegedly carried out by government troops in August 2013. On Tuesday at least 58 people were killed in a suspected chemical attack on the northwestern Syrian town of Khan Sheikhun according to the Observatory. Dozens more suffered respiratory problems and symptoms including vomiting fainting and foaming at the mouth the monitor and doctors at the scene said. More than 320000 people have been killed and millions displaced since Syrias war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.",alaraby,4/4/2017,damascus,0,,,,
1923102875,Syrian airbase struck by US missiles Whats the damage?,"Date of publication 7 April 2017 A salvo of US cruise missiles have severely damaged a Syrian regime airbase that was used as a launchpad for a devastating chemical attack on an opposition village in Idlib. Tags Shayrat cruise missiles US Homs Idlib Khan Sheikhun Fifty nine US cruise missiles struck a Syrian regime airbase in Homs province early Friday morning which appears to have caused severe damage to the infamous military site. Shayrat Airfield was allegedly the launch pad for a devastating chemical attack on an Idlib village that left up to a hundred civilians dead including scores of women and children. A potent symbol of regime oppression the airfield has been used for countless air raids on civilian targets and the second largest airbase in Syria. It now appears to be inoperable after sustaining severe damage from the Tomahawk cruise missiles launched by two US destroyers. ""All aircraft located there have been damaged you can say it is completely destroyed"" regime TV reported while state news agency SANA said that six people were killed in the attack. Pro-regime media have reported that 15 regime fighter planes were destroyed and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Sukhoi-22s Sukhoi-24s and MiG-23s were based there. [click to enlarge] Russia was given prior warning by the US which likely prevented the killing of large numbers of air and ground crew but it appears some were caught by the missiles. Dozens of regime personnel were reported killed or injured in the attack with damage to air defences housing for officers and a fuel depot according to the observatory. Although it appears the airfield will no longer be used for more bombings by regime planes the regime still has many options while Russia still maintains the huge Hmeimem airbase in Latakia. The brief lull in regime bombing should still provide some relief for the civilians of Idlib. Read Also",alaraby,4/7/2017,homs,1,,,,
1923102878,Strike on Syrias Idlib kills 18 including five children,Date of publication 8 April 2017 An airstrike by Russian warplanes on Saturday killed 18 people including five children and two women in the rebel stronghold of Urom al-Joz in Syrias Idlib province. Tags Syria Idlib airstrike Russian human rights Homs bombing Islamic State At least 18 civilians including five children and two women were killed in an airstrike on Syrias northwestern province of Idlib on Saturday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. An earlier death toll from the strike on the rebel stronghold of Urum al-Joz reported 15 people were killed but three more died after sustaining serious injuries. The names of all 18 killed were listed by Ariha Today activist group which said the death toll is likely to rise as many of the wounded remain in critical conditions. The Britain-based Observatory said the strike was likely to have been carried out by Russian war jets which operate in support of the Syrian regime. The Observatory which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type location flight patterns and munitions used. Idlib province is controlled by a rebel alliance that includes former al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and is regularly targeted by both the Syrian regime and its Russian ally. Earlier this week a suspected chemical attack hit the town of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib killing at least 87 civilians including 31 children. Much of the international community accused Bashar al-Assads regime of responsibility for that attack though Damascus involved responsibility. The Khan Sheikhun strike prompted Washington to take its first direct military action against Assads regime with missile strikes against a central air base on Friday morning. In return Moscow announced it would ramp up air defences in Syria in an attempt to show a tough line on the US actions. Bus bombing in Homs province Also on Saturday Syrian state TV reported a bomb exploded aboard a bus carrying workers near the central city of Homs killing a woman and wounding 25. It gave no further details about the explosion but the governor of Homs province Talal Barrazi told AP the bomb was placed inside a bus that transports workers at a private factory. The Observatory confirmed a woman was killed in the blast saying it also wounded more than 20 people. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and the Islamic State group have carried out similar attacks in the past. More than 320000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government demonstrations. Read Also,alaraby,4/8/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1923102880,Sarin nerve gas used in Syria British scientists,"Date of publication 13 April 2017 British scientists concluded that sarin or a sarin-like substance was used in the chemical attack in Syria the ambassador to the United Nations said on Wednesday. Tags Syria Russia Chemical Attack British scientists said sarin or a sarin-like substance was used in the suspected chemical attack in Syria the British ambassador to the United Nations said Wednesday. ""Samples obtained from Khan Sheikhun"" where the attack took place have ""tested positive for the nerve agent sarin or a sarin-like substance"" Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told the UN Security Council pinning the blame on the regime of Bashar al-Assad. ""The United Kingdom therefore shares the US assessment that it is highly likely that the regime was responsible for a sarin attack on Khan Sheikhun on the 4th of April"" Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told the UN Security Council. On Tuesday similar results were confirmed by Turkish health officials who said post-mortem tests on victims of the suspected attack concluded that the deadly sarin nerve agent had been used. The results came from analysis of blood and urine samples of the casualties from the attack in Idlib province who were brought to Turkey for treatment - three of which died in hospital. At least 87 people including 31 children died in the suspected attack that the West blames on Syria President Bashar al-Assads forces. However Russias Deputy Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov cast doubt on the British findings saying he was ""amazed at this conclusion."" ""No one has yet visited the site"" he asserted. ""How do you know that?"" Russia a key ally of Syrias Bashar al-Assad has called for a thorough investigation by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) of the allegations of chemical weapons use in Khan Sheikhun. On Wednesday Moscow vetoed a draft UN resolution demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation into the attack after describing the measure as ""unacceptable"".",alaraby,4/13/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1923102885,Syria rebels battle to break Aleppo siege,"Date of publication 29 October 2016 Fresh fighting shook Aleppo on Saturday as rebels battled to break a siege of the city by the Syrian regime. Fresh fighting shook Aleppo on Saturday as rebels battled to break a siege of the city by the Syrian regime accused by Washington of using starvation as a weapon of war. Opposition fighters unleashed a barrage of rockets on the government-held western side of the divided city on Friday as they announced a major offensive aimed at reopening vital supply lines. ""In just a few days we will open the way for our besieged brothers"" rebel commander Abu Mustafa told AFP. The rebel fire has killed at least 21 civilians including two children according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. ""Fighting continues on the western outskirts of Aleppo where rebels have been making advances"" the British-based monitoring group which has a network of sources on the ground said Saturday. More than 1500 fighters from the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib to the west were attacking government-controlled districts of the city along a front stretching for 15 kilometres (nine miles) it said. The Observatory reported Russian air raids on Aleppos western front lines but said that a halt to Moscows aerial bombing of the rebel-held east of the city was holding. An AFP correspondent who visited Dahiyet al-Assad where rebels seized ground on Friday saw deserted streets and extensive damage to buildings as airstrikes and artillery fire hit the area. Fierce fighting shelling and car bombs killed at least 18 regime forces and allied fighters on Friday according to Observatory which was unable to provide a toll for the rebels. More than 250000 people live under government siege in the eastern half of Aleppo which the army began an operation to retake several weeks ago. Syrias second city Aleppo has been devastated by some of the heaviest fighting of the five-year civil war that began with anti-government protests and has since killed more than 300000 people. Much of the once-bustling economic hub has been reduced to rubble by air and artillery bombardment including barrel bombs - crude unguided explosive devices that cause indiscriminate damage.",alaraby,10/29/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102889,Syrian children killed in west Aleppo school attack,"Date of publication 27 October 2016 State media says rebel forces have hit a school in government-controlled west Aleppo just a day after dozens of children were killed in airstrikes on a school in Idlib. Tags Aleppo Idlib Syria education children At least six children were killed and 15 injured in rebel rocket attacks in the government-held west of Aleppo city on Thursday just a day after deadly airstrikes on a school complex in Idlib left 35 people including 22 children dead. The rocket fire in Aleppo hit two neighbourhoods in the west of the city with one of the attacks striking a school. ""Three children were killed and 14 students were injured in a terrorist rocket attack on the national school in the Shahba neighbourhood of Aleppo"" state news agency SANA reported. It added that the attack also damaged the school. A second rocket attack hit a house in the Hamdaniyeh neighbourhood killing three brothers and injuring a fourth SANA said. The two neighbourhoods are in the west of the city which has been roughly divided since mid-2012 when rebels seized its eastern half. Syrian rebels regularly target west Aleppo with airstrikes with civilian deaths as a result of such strikes not uncommon. Recently on October 13 Syrian state media reported that four people had been killed in rebel shelling of a school in the Sulemaniyeh district of west Aleppo. Since late September Syrian regime forces backed by Russia have embarked on an intense aerial and ground campaign aimed at recapturing east Aleppo. Hundreds of people have been killed in attacks that have also targeted hospitals and water infrastructures in the area. According to Save the Children more than 4200 schools in Syria have been damaged destroyed militarised and used as detention centres or been converted into shelters for internally displaced in near six years of conflict. In September 2015 the humanitarian organisation reported that half of all attacks on schools worldwide between 2011 and 2015 had occurred in Syria. On Wednesday the UN childrens agency UNICEF said 22 children had been killed along with six teachers in airstrikes on a school in rebel-held Idlib province. The strikes carried out by either Russian or Syrian warplanes according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights hit the village of Hass. Moscow denied any involvement in the raids. The British-based Observatory which has a network of sources in Syria gave a toll of 36 dead among them 15 children and four teachers. The incident prompted outrage from UNICEF director Anthony Lake. ""This is a tragedy. It is an outrage. And if deliberate it is a war crime"" he said adding that the school complex had been hit repeatedly. Read also Stop draining the blood of Syrians UN official pleads Outside Damascus meanwhile at least eight people were killed on Thursday in government shelling on Douma in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta region the Observatory said. Douma is regularly targeted by government fire and in recent months regime forces have waged an offensive in the area which has also been under siege since 2013. More than 300000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. Read Also",alaraby,10/27/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923102890,Idlib bombing deadliest school attack in Syrias war,"Date of publication 27 October 2016 Airstrikes targeting a school complex in the town of Hass in Idlib province around noon on Wednesday may be the deadliest attack on a school since Syrias conflict began. The UN Childrens agency (UNICEF) said on Thursday that airstrikes targeting a school in Syrias rebel-held northern Idlib province early on Wednesday may be the deadliest attack on a school since Syrias conflict began nearly six years ago. Both first responders the Syrian Civil Defence and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights have reported that 35 people were killed by the attack which struck a school complex in the village of Hass around midday on Wednesday as children gathered outside preparing to return home. Among the dead were 22 children. UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake has called the airstrikes an ""outrage"" tantamount to a war crime."" The Syrian Civil Defence or White Helmets have said that the attack constituted a double tap. This occurs when a warplane carries out an initial bombing raid on a target and then waits for either signs of survivors or rescue workers to arrive before executing a second or more consequent attacks. ""One rocket hit the entrance of the school as students were leaving to go home after the school administration decided to end classes for the day because of the raids"" said a local activist speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity. Idlib province is controlled by the Army of Conquest an alliance of rebel groups and extremists including the Fateh al-Sham Front which changed its name from al-Nusra Front after breaking off ties with al-Qaeda earlier this year. In the last week as Syrian and Russian airstrikes over Aleppo have temporarily calmed amid a Russian-proposed humanitarian •�pause in the city airstrikes on rebel positions have increased in Idlib as the Syrian regime seeks to stymie opposition gains in the province. Seven days of airstrikes across the northwestern province had left more than 75 civilians dead and another 150 wounded according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. (Click to enlarge) Read Also",alaraby,10/13/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1923102891,Students among scores dead as raids hit Syria school,"Date of publication 26 October 2016 Warplanes either Russia or Syrian carried out six strikes in the village of Hass including on a school complex a monitor has said. Airstrikes on Syrias rebel-held Idlib province hit a school and the surrounding area on Wednesday killing at least 26 civilians including many children a monitor and activists said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said ""warplanes either Russia or Syrian carried out six strikes"" in the village of Hass including on a school complex. The Britain-based Observatory which monitors Syrias five-year conflict said at least 11 children were among the 26 civilians killed. A complex of 3 schools was targeted in by many airstrikes including a double tap. Initial reports of 20+ killed & many injured. The White Helmets civil defence group released pictures of four rescue workers clambering over a mound of rubble in search of survivors after what it said was a ""double-tap"" strike on the school. The raids hit Hass around 1130 am (0830 GMT) an activist with the opposition Idlib Media Centre told AFP. ""One rocket hit the entrance of the school as students were leaving to go home after the school administration decided to end classes for the day because of the raids"" the activist said speaking on condition of anonymity. Other activists from the province circulated a photograph on social media of a childs arm seared off above the elbow still clutching the strap of a dusty black rucksack. Shaky video footage depicted rescue workers sprinting towards the site of the raids and pulling a frail elderly man out of a collapsed building. The authenticity of the pictures and footage could not be independently verified. Syrian government forces and their Russian ally have been criticised by rights groups for indiscriminate attacks on civilian infrastructure. Intentional attack A leading opposition group condemned the raids. The Istanbul-based National Coalition said Russian and regime warplanes ""targeted children in their schools deliberately and intentionally hitting civilians with high-explosive material."" Idlib province is controlled by the Army of Conquest an alliance of rebel groups and extremists including the Fateh al-Sham Front which changed its name from al-Nusra Front after breaking off ties with al-Qaeda earlier this year. Syrian and Russian warplanes regularly bomb Idlib but airstrikes have intensified in recent weeks according to the Observatory. Seven days of airstrikes across the northwestern province had left more than 75 civilians dead and another 150 wounded it said. Syrias conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests calling for the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. But it has since evolved into a multi-front war pitting extremists rebels government forces and Kurdish militia against each other. More than 300000 people have been killed and millions forced to flee their homes. 	 	 Read Also",alaraby,10/26/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1923102893,Two dead twenty injured in Syrian regime chlorine attack,"Date of publication 26 October 2016 Syrian regime forces allegedly dropped six barrel bombs containing chlorine on a village near Hama Tuesday as France and Britain called for UN sanctions against the regime. Tags Syria chlorine chemical weapons Hama Abu Shadi al-Hamwi al-Latamineh A woman and a child were killed and twenty civilians including children were treated for asphyxiation on Tuesday evening following what is believed to be a chlorine gas attack carried out by the Syrian regime near Hama. YouTube footage and first-hand eyewitness accounts report that six barrel bombs allegedly filled with chlorine were dropped from a Russian-made helicopter on the village of al-Latamineh northwest Hama. ""A regime helicopter dropped six barrels containing poisonous chlorine gas on the city of al-Latamineh"" Abu Shadi al-Hamwi a local media activist told The New Arab. ""One woman and one of her children were killed in a rocket attack by regime forces on al-Latamineh while dozens of others were wounded."" ""The [chlorine] attack injured five civilians from one family including children who suffered from shortness of breath vomiting and nausea."" YouTube footage showing three barrel bombs being dropped from a Russian-made helicopter was also uploaded by independent media group the Syrian Centre of Events at 1850 (Syrian time) on Tuesday.",alaraby,10/26/2016,hama,0,,,,
1923102894,Heavy Syrian regime bombing in Idlib kills civilians,"Date of publication 24 October 2016 At least 16 civilians and three children have been killed in waves of air raids by Syrian regime war planes on opposition-held Idlib province. Tags Syria Idlib regime airstrikes Kafr Takharim Khan Sheikhun Sixteen civilians - including three children - were killed on Monday following heavy bombardments of a rebel-held town in northern Syria a monitoring group said. Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province suffered a series a air strikes which killed seven people including two women and a child the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. It was not clear whether the attacks were carried out by either Syrian or Russian war planes. Another seven people including four women and two children were killed in raids on Kafr Takharim further north in the province. Those raids hit three residential buildings a local government building and a stadium shortly after midnight AFPs correspondent in the town said. In the morning rescue workers were still trying to pull bodies out of the rubble. ""My sisters house was standing right here. She and her daughter are dead along with another family"" Abu Mohammad told AFP. ""There was no military base here. All the military positions are outside the town"" the devastated man said. Another man and a woman were killed in rocket fire in the nearby town of Kafr Awid. Idlib province is controlled by the Jaish al-Fatah an alliance of rebel groups and militants including the Fateh al-Sham Front which changed its name from al-Nusra Front after breaking off ties with al-Qaeda. According to the Syrian Observatory heavy bombardment has battered the northwest province in recent days. Since Thursday bombing has killed 44 civilians including 11 women nine children and one rescue worker. Syrias conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests but it has since evolved into all-out war pitting rebels regime forces Kurds and militants against each other.",alaraby,10/24/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1923102896,Russia says Belgian strikes kill six in Aleppo region,"Date of publication 19 October 2016 Russia has accused Belgium of killing civilians in Aleppo while partaking in coalition strikes. Tags Belgium Syria coalition air raids strikes Aleppo Russia has accused Belgium a member of a US-led coalition fighting militants in Syria of killing six civilians in airstrikes in the Aleppo region but the claim was swiftly denied by Brussels. ""Six people were killed and four people injured to various degrees as a result of bombing that destroyed two homes"" in the village of Hassajik in the Aleppo region early on Tuesday the Russian defence ministry said in a statement. ""Two of Belgiums F-16s were identified at that time in the region"" it said late Tuesday. ""There were no Russian and Syrian air force planes in this region."" Belgian defence ministry spokeswoman Laurence Mortier denied the countrys air force was active in the area at the time. Moscow had announced on Tuesday that the Russian and Syrian air forces had stopped bombing Aleppo to pave the way for an eight-hour truce on Thursday. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova took a jab at the United States on Wednesday calling on the State Department to release statements ""strongly condemning strikes against civilian targets and the murder of civilians"". ""I think that photographs of the dead will not be difficult to find to launch an appropriate campaign on CNN"" she wrote on Facebook. The brutal government offensive against rebel-held eastern Aleppo - which has destroyed hospitals and other civilian infrastructure - has plunged Syria into some of the worst violence of the five-year war that has claimed over 300000 lives. The West has accused Russia of potential war crimes over its bombing campaign in Aleppo in support of the regime offensive. The US State Department voiced scepticism regarding Moscows planned truce while welcoming a halt in the bombardments. President Vladimir Putin is set to face Western pressure over the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine at international talks in Berlin on Wednesday as Russia comes under increasing criticism over its support for Damascus. Russian airstrikes have killed thousands of civilians since Moscow intervened in September 2015. But US-led coalition strikes have also claimed hundreds of civilian lives in parts of Syria. According to a report by the Syrian Network for Human Rights published on Wednesday coalition strikes targeting mainly IS-held areas in eastern and northern Syria have killed 649 civilians since September 2014. Read Also",alaraby,10/19/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102898,24 hours of bombardment in Aleppo kills 45,"Date of publication 17 October 2016 At least 45 people have been killed in Aleppo in the last 24 hours according to monitors with high-level diplomatic talks over the weekend failing to curb the bloodshed. Tags Aleppo Syria United States Russia At least 12 civilians were killed by airstrikes in the rebel-held east Aleppo district of Marjeh on Monday bringing the number killed in 24 hours of bombardment on the battleground city to 45. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that five of the dead were children. On Sunday Zouhir al-Shimale The New Arabs correspondent in east Aleppo reported that 15 people had been killed following an attack on a market in the Ferdous neighbourhood of east Aleppo. Two buildings collapsed said al-Shimale It is a public market or it used to be because now it is completely destroyed. Airstrikes on rebel-held east Aleppo have intensified since a US-Russian brokered ceasefire collapsed in September resulting in a fresh regime assault on the city. Global outrage over the humanitarian situation in rebel held Aleppo where residents face a regime-enforced siege has lead the United States to state that it will reconsider the prospect of military intervention in Syria. 	 	 	 	 The aftermath of an airstrike in the Ferdous neighbourhood of east Aleppo on Sunday [Zouhir al-Shimale] Speaking on Sunday US Secretary of State John Kerry said the US was discussing every mechanism available to us but I havent seen a big appetite from anyone in Europe to go to war. Kerry also met British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in London stating that the US was considering new sanctions against the Syrian regime. On Saturday a meeting between Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov lasted over four hours but ended without any clear progress. Speaking after the talks Kerry said their intention was to find something that works other than military action.",alaraby,10/17/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923102901,Dozens killed in car bomb attack on Syrian rebels,Date of publication 14 October 2016 At least 20 people were killed in a car bomb blast on Thursday at an opposition checkpoint in Azaz Aleppo province close to the border with Turkey local sources said. Tags Syria Aleppo Azaz Rebels Car Bomb Islamic State At least 20 people were killed in a car bomb blast at an opposition checkpoint in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo on Thursday local sources said. The blast hit near the town of Azaz close to the border with Turkey local activist Mohammad al-Halabi told The New Arab adding that rebels manning the checkpoint and civilians waiting to get through were killed. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 14 of the dead were rebels. The attack also injured dozens and the monitor said the toll could rise further because of the number of people with serious wounds. The checkpoint was run by the Shamiya Front rebel group which is active in Aleppo province and was on the road to the Bab al-Salama crossing. The blast caused huge devastation and most of the injured were taken across the border to the nearby Turkish hospitals Mohammad al-Halabi added. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack which al-Halabi believes bares the hallmarks of the Islamic State group. IS has regularly targeted rebel factions with bomb attacks including an October 6 attack at a border crossing in neighbouring Idlib province that killed 29 rebels. More than 300000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011.,alaraby,10/14/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102902,Airstrikes continue to rain down on east Aleppo,"Date of publication 13 October 2016 Civilians in rebel-held east Aleppo continue to face relentless bombardment. Elsewhere a purported deal has been reached that will see rebels evacuated to Idlib from the Damascus suburb of Qudsaya. More than a dozen airstrikes had been carried out overnight in rebel-held districts of east Aleppo amid ongoing bombardment of the area by Syrian regime and Russian warplanes. The Syrian Civil Defence or White Helmets reported on Thursday that 13 people had been killed and 25 injured in airstrikes with defence teams still looking under rubble for survivors. Relentless bombardment According to the Halab Today TV station cluster munitions were deployed over east Aleppo while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said that clashes had taken place between pro-regime forces and rebels in Aleppos northern suburbs. Over 350 civilians have been killed in east Aleppo since a US-Russian brokered ceasefire collapsed on September 19 according to the UK-based monitor. An international meeting headed by the US and Russia is set to take place in Lausanne this Saturday aimed at curbing deadly violence in Syria with a particular focus on Aleppo where life in rebel-held districts of the city has been described as a ""merciless abyss of humanitarian catastrophe"". Elsewhere in Syria the Observatory reported government bombardment on rebel positions in Daraa Hama Idlib and Homs provinces. Another evacuation deal in Damascus Meanwhile in Damascus reports emerged that a deal had been reached between the Syrian regime and rebel fighters in the suburb of Qudsaya that will see some 150 rebels and their families leave the area and be transferred to the north-western province of Idlib. Rebels are set to hand over light weapons to regime authorities on Thursday before they are transported away from the area on Friday in a manner similar to deals that have taken place previously this year in other suburbs of Damascus such as Daraya and Moadamiyeh and the al-Waer neighbourhood of Homs. Read Also",alaraby,10/13/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102903,Russia launches new crippling air raids on Aleppo,"Date of publication 11 October 2016 Intense bombing of rebel-held areas of Aleppo has resumed as UK MPs consider whether to investigate possible Russian war crimes in Syria. Tags Aleppo Syria UK Russia UK Parliament Bustan al-Qasr Russian forces returned to their intense aerial bombardment of rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Tuesday after several days of relative calm local residents have said. ""It was pretty calm in the previous few days said Abd Abu al-Nasr a resident of Aleppos Bustan al-Qasr district told The New Arab. ""But this morning it was pretty bad again with warplanes cannon and artillery shelling our neighbourhood. At least eight died including two children. Now the bombing is still all around us and the warplanes are still flying"". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the reports of bombing while local journalist Zouhir al-Shimale placed the death toll from the air raids at 50. Another resident living in the citys Ferdous neighbourhood reported that the bombing hit an area close to a sprawling residential area. Following the attack all local schools and shops were closed. Last week the Syrian regime and its Russian ally appeared to scale down air raids on Aleppo after hundreds were killed in a week of intense bombing. According to the Syrian regime this lull in violence was to allow civilians to ""escape"" from rebel-held neighbourhoods. Damascus has claimed that opposition fighters in the city will be allowed to leave with their families if put down their weapons but opposition groups have dismissed the offer as ""trickery"". The Syrian regime has made it a key aim of recapturing Aleppo and a stronghold of anti-Assad sentiments. Russia has carried out airstrikes on the city and recently built up its forces in Syria following the collapse of the recent ceasefire which broke following the bombing of an aid convoy. Moscows air campaign in Syria has drawn heavy international criticism including accusations of war crimes. On Tuesday the UK Parliament convened in an emergency debate on the humanitarian situation in Aleppo. This meeting saw several British lawmakers call for alleged Russian war crimes to be investigated. ""The case against Russia and Syria is clear and backed by firm evidence. The UK government must add its weight to calls already being made by France and the US for an ICC [International Criminal Court] investigation"" said Welsh nationalist MP Hywel Williams. ""Plaid Cymru voted against bombing Syria. We were told that such bombing would be carefully controlled to exclude danger to civilians but it is clear that neither Russia nor Syria are taking such precautions. ""Indeed it seems as though they specifically target civilians. Taking them before the ICC for such actions would therefore be consistent with UK policy on air strikes."" Read Also",alaraby,10/11/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102906,Eleven killed in Syrian-regime controlled area of Aleppo,"Date of publication 7 October 2016 Shelling in West Aleppo left 11 people dead on Friday with reports of armed clashes between pro-regime and opposition forces in several neighbourhoods of the war-torn city Tags Syria Aleppo UN De Mistura Fatah al-Sham Eleven people including a woman and child were killed in Syrian rebel shelling of a regime-held neighbourhood of Aleppo on Friday. Another 65 people were injured some critically in the attack on Jameliaiah in West Aleppo according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights with the death toll expected to rise. Elsewhere the Syrian Observatory reported that air raids have taken place in al-Inzarat - a rebel-held neighbourhood of East Aleppo - and numerous towns in the Aleppo countryside including Urum al-Kubra where a deadly attack on an aid convoy took place on 19 September. Clashes also broke out in several districts of Aleppo where pro-regime forces have started an offensive and are advancing on Salahuddin and Bureij. On Thursday Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued an ultimatum to rebels in East Aleppo stating that unless they agreed to a ""reconciliation"" deal pro-regime forces would continue the fight with the rebels until they leave Aleppo.... theres no other option"". Assads comments made during an interview with Danish broadcaster TV2 came following an earlier statement on Thursday by Staffan de Mistura during which the UNs envoy to Syria pleaded with the al-Qaeda linked Fatah al-Sham to leave East Aleppo. The continued presence of Fatah al-Sham in Aleppo had been used as justification by the Syrian regime and its Russian backers for its ongoing bombardment of the city. But activists and Syrians say that Fatah al-Shams presence in the city is minimal and the group is being used as a pretext for Russia to carpet bomb civilian areas and hit the citys infrastructure. Speaking on Thursday De Mistura said that if fighting continued in Aleppo at its current pace the historic city would be ""totally destroyed"" by the end of the year. Read Also",alaraby,10/7/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102909,Air raid kills 19 Syrians in IS-held village,"Date of publication 5 October 2016 An air raid has hit a village controlled by the IS group killing civilians including three children close to an area where Turkish forces are advancing. Tags Syria Islamic State Group Three children were among at least 19 civilian killed in an air raid on a village held by the Islamic State group in northern Syria on Wednesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was unclear who had carried out the strike which took place in an area where rebels backed by Turkish forces are advancing against IS. Turkey began its operation inside Syria dubbed Operation Euphrates Shield on 24 August. Ankara said it is targeting IS but also the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) which Turkey considers to be a ""terrorist"" group despite their common opposition to IS. According to the observatory the strike hit the village of Thalthana in northern Aleppo province. Thalthana lies near the key IS stronghold of Al-Bab and is just 12km southeast of IS-held Dabiq which Turkish-backed rebels have been pushing towards in recent days. Dabiq holds symbolic importance for IS because of their belief in a prophecy that states it will be the site of an apocalyptic battle between Muslims and Christians. Read Also",alaraby,10/5/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102911,Suicide attack on Syria wedding kills 32,"Date of publication 4 October 2016 The bomber blew himself up late Monday in the village of Tall Tawil in the Hassakeh province where a Kurdish party official was getting married. Tags Syria Hassakeh Kurds Suicide Attack SDF Islamic State A suicide bomber struck a wedding in northeast Syria as the bride and groom were exchanging vows killing 32 people and wounding dozens. The bomber blew himself up late Monday in the village of Tall Tawil in the Hassakeh province where a Kurdish party official was getting married. Rows of seats in the wedding hall were still covered in blood on Tuesday morning according to an AFP photographer at the scene. ""As the bride and groom were exchanging their vows I saw a man wearing a thick black jacket pass beside me"" a witness named Ahmad said. ""I thought he looked strange and a few seconds later there was an enormous explosion. ""People had fallen on the ground and I saw bodies torn to bits."" About 100 people were wounded according to the medical source in the city who gave the updated toll. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a British-based monitoring group gave a slightly lower toll of 31 people killed. 	 	 The Islamic State (IS) group said in a statement that one of its fighters had fired on a ""large gathering"" of Kurdish fighters near the city before blowing himself up. The claim which did not mention a wedding said 40 people had been killed. Both the groom and bride were safe but the grooms father and brother were killed in the attack a relative told AFP. ""The grooms wounds are light and he and his new wife are staying at a relatives home. He doesnt want to see anyone"" he said. ""They are really shaken up by this."" The groom Zaradesht Mustafa Fatimi hails from a prominent family deeply involved in the autonomous administration run by Kurdish factions in Syrias north. According to an official from the autonomous administration Fatimi works for a local Kurdish party. The Observatory said he is also a member of the Syrian Democratic Forces an Arab-Kurdish coalition battling IS in northern Syria. Hassakeh city is almost entirely held by Kurdish forces but Syrias regime still holds some districts. The city has often been targeted by IS militants.",alaraby,10/4/2016,hasakeh,0,,,,
1923102912,Suicide attack on Kurdish wedding in Syria kills 22,"Date of publication 4 October 2016 At least 22 people were killed Monday in an attack targeting a wedding party in the northeastern Syrian province of Hassakeh the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and medics said. Tags Syria Hassakeh Kurds Suicide Attack SDF Islamic State A suicide bomber killed at least 22 people Monday in an attack targeting a party in the northeastern Syrian province of Hassakeh the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and medics said. ""A suicide bomber blew himself up inside a hall in Tall Tawil village during the wedding of a member of the Syrian Democratic Forces killing at least 22 civilians"" Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. The SDF is an Arab-Kurdish coalition battling the Islamic State (IS) group in northern Syria. A witness named Ahmad who was wounded in the head in the blast described the moment the bomber struck. ""As the bride and groom were exchanging their vows I saw a man wearing a thick black jacket pass beside me"" he said. ""I thought he looked strange and a few seconds later there was an enormous explosion. ""People had fallen on the ground and I saw bodies torn to bits."" The Observatory and local Kurdish officials initially said the groom was among the dead but one of his relatives told AFP that both bride and groom were safe and well. A hospital source in Hassakeh city said there were ""more than 20 dead and dozens wounded"". A source in the Asayesh security forces in the self-administered Kurdish territories also said a suicide bomber had blown himself up in the wedding hall a few kilometres (miles) north of Hassakeh. IS said in a statement that one of its fighters had fired on a ""large gathering"" of Kurdish fighters near Hassakeh city before blowing himself up. The claim which did not mention a wedding said 40 people had been killed. The Islamic State group has often targeted the Kurdish-controlled city. Read Also",alaraby,10/4/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1923102913,Two killed in Qatar Red Crescent Syria clinic bombing,"Date of publication 3 October 2016 An attack on a clinic managed by the Qatar Red Crescent Society has killed two patients injured eight others and left the building 50 percent damaged. Tags Qatar QRCS Syria Aleppo MSF hospitals airstrikes An attack on a clinic serving thousands of Syrians in Aleppo has left two patients dead and eight others injured the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has announced. ""Two patients killed and eight injured due to four bombs dropped from a helicopter on QRCS medical facility"" the charity said in a statement. Managed by QRCS the health centre in al-Sakhoor area went out of service due to 50 percent damage to the building as a result of the bombing on Saturday. A local ambulance and other medical facilities supported by international NGOs were also affected by the attack. The charity condemned the attack and called on the international community to ""intervene and put an end to such direct attacks on medical and health facilities in Syria"". Dr. Hashem Darwish head of QRCSs health program in Turkey described the attack as a ""war crime"" and a violation of international accords that recognise the importance of protecting the Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies and humanitarian aid organisations in areas of conflict. Medical facilities and humanitarian professionals in Syria have not been spared the deadly scourge of the five-year conflict with ongoing attacks on hospitals and aid convoys that have left hundreds dead and others injured. Airstrikes targeting a UN-Arab Red Crescent aid convoy in the Aleppo suburb of Orum al-Kubra last month signalled the end of a US-Russian brokered ceasefire for Syria and consequent bombardment by Syrian regime and Russian warplanes on rebel-held districts of east Aleppo has seen two hospitals rendered out of service in the last week. On Friday Doctors Without Borders [MSF] released a statement ""demanding"" that the Syrian regime and its international allies stop their bombing campaigns in the city. 	 	Two patients killed and eight injured due to four bombs dropped from a helicopter on QRCS medical facility. - QRCS	 	 Between 21 and 26 of September the Directorate of Health in east Aleppo reported that those hospitals still functioning in the area had received more than 822 wounded and more than 270 dead bodies of which at least 96 were children. Last week MSFs international president condemned the United Nations for failing to take action over hospital bombings in Syria. Desperately needed health facilities had been ""horrifically transformed"" to places of death Dr Joanne Liu told the UN Security Council on Wednesday. Addressing the council Liu said Resolution 2286 passed in May by members to protect civilians and medical services they need to survive has ""plainly failed to take any effect on the ground"". ""This endeavor has failed due to a lack of political will - among member states fighting in coalitions and those who enable them"" she said. ""There can be no more waiting. Make your pledges operational."" Read Also",alaraby,10/3/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923102915,Syrian refugee camp hit with missiles and bombs,"Date of publication 2 October 2016 Russian or Syrian regime war planes bombed a refugee camp inside rebel-held Idlib province killing five women and a child. Tags Idlib Syria refugee camp Russian war planes air raid Syrian regime Five women and a child have been killed after Russian or Syrian regime war planes targeted a refugee camp in rebel stronghold Idlib province. Bombs and missiles struck the camp situated in southern Idlib province close to the village of al-Khwyn. The victims are thought to be refugees from elsewhere in Syria who fled to the rebel stronghold of Idlib. Frequent bombing by regime and Russian war planes have seen numerous massacres in Idlib province and have included refugee camps. In May a suspected Russian air raid on Sarmada refugee camp in Idlib province left dozens dead. The UN said it was unlikely that the attack was an accident and that the bombing could amount to a war crime. Last month nearly 1200 Syrian civilians were killed the Syrian Network for Human Rights claimed including 192 children and 163 women - mostly from air raids. ""Regime and Russian forces have violated human rights law that guarantee the right to life"" the Syrian Network for Human Rights commented. Aleppo has also witnessed massive air raids in recent weeks one of the most ferocious aerial assaults since the start of the war. with hundreds of civilians killed since the breakdown of a ceasefire last month. Russian war planes have killed 4000 civilians since it first intervened in Syria just over a year ago. Read Also",alaraby,10/2/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1923102918,Aleppo Scores killed in airstrikes targetting UN aid convoy,"Date of publication 19 September 2016 Airstrikes in Aleppo province killed at least 22 Red Crescent [SARC] volunteers Monday including a senior official as well a number of civilians local sources said. Tags Syria Assad US Russia ceasefire Aleppo Suspected Syrian regime and Russian airstrikes in Aleppo province killed at least 22 Red Crescent [SARC] volunteers including a senior official as well as killing and injuring a number of civilians local sources said late on Monday. The strikes also damaged trucks carrying supplies. The attack was later confirmed by the UN. The renewed regime bombardment of rebel-held parts of Aleppo broken earlier by The New Arab and described by sources as relentless follows the collapse of a fragile ceasefire in place since Monday. ""Russian warplanes targeted an international aid convoy escorted by SARC killing 22 volunteers"" local activist Mohammad al-Halabi told The New Arab. Halabi confirmed the dead included SARCs chief in Aleppo province. According to Reuters the aid convoy was struck while traveling to Orem in Aleppo governorate. The agency quoted a United Nations spokesman late on Monday. The spokesman could not confirm if it was an airstrike. Syrian or Russian warplanes bombed aid trucks near Aleppo late on Monday after a fragile week-long ceasefire ended the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported. The aid convoy of at least ten trucks was believed to have been carrying tonnes of much-needed humanitarian supplies and food from the UN. Reports suggest the aircraft doubled back after attacking the convoy and targeted rescue workers arriving on the scene. 	 	Syrias army announces the end of the freeze on fighting that began at 7pm (1600 GMT) on September 12 2016 in accordance with the US-Russia agreement	 	 Regime renews onslaught Elsewhere airstrikes have targeted at least five neighbourhoods in the rebel-held east of Aleppo city after the Syrian regime declared the end of the ceasefire. The bombing on Monday evening has trapped civilians in destroyed buildings and the ""White Helmets"" civil defence volunteers are searching for survivors under the rubble a resident told The New Arab. Artillery shelling was also reported to the south of the city. The freeze on fighting brokered by the United States and Russia lasted a week. Syrias armed forces on Monday blamed rebel groups for its failure. ""Syrias army announces the end of the freeze on fighting that began at 7pm (1600 GMT) on September 12 2016 in accordance with the US-Russia agreement"" the statement carried by state news agency SANA said. It said rebel groups ""did not commit to a single element"" of the deal. A contributor to The New Arab based in Aleppo reported at least five regime air raids in the space of ten minutes at around 800pm not long after the end of the ceasefire was announced. The truce had come into force on the evening of September 12. The main battlefronts subsequently saw a marked reduction in violence but clashes broke out late last week in the central provinces of Hama and Homs as well as east of Damascus. The deal was further strained by US-led coalition strikes on Syrian army positions in the east that killed dozens of government soldiers which Washington said was not intentional. On Sunday the cessation of hostilities was hanging by a thread after a fresh wave of air raids hit rebel-held districts of the battleground city of Aleppo killing one woman. These images sent from east Aleppo earlier on Monday by journalist Zouhir al-Shimale show eerily deserted streets as the Syrian armed forces declared the end of the ceasefire. Zouhir told The New Arab that residents who have been under regime siege despite the ceasefire see ""no clear vision for the near future in the city"". Just two hours later the bombing began again in earnest. Agencies contributed Read Also",alaraby,9/19/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102920,First civilians killed in Aleppo since start of ceasefire,"Date of publication 16 September 2016 Two civilians including a child have been killed in Aleppo city in the first deaths reported in areas covered by a US-Russian-brokered ceasefire since it began this week. Tags Syria Aleppo ceasefire truce civilian casualties sniper fire. An adult and a child have been killed in Syrias Aleppo city in the first deaths in areas covered by a US-Russian-brokered ceasefire since it began this week. Mohammad Alaa Mesouti was killed in a rebel-held area on Thursday while a child whose name has not yet been released was killed in a regime-held area of the divided city local activists and monitoring groups said. ""Regime snipers positioned the al-Izaa district fired into the besieged Zabadieh district killing civilian Mohammad Alaa Mesouti and wounding three others"" media activist Mohammad al-Halabi told The New Arab. Halabi added that a further two civilians were wounded in the Bustan al-Qasr district after regime troops shot into the rebel-held neighbourhood. An opposition source said that this was the first civilian casualty in Aleppo since the cessation of hostilities took effect three days ago. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has confirmed the civilian casualty in rebel-held Aleppo adding that a child was also killed in the regime-held al-Masharfeh district of the city by sniper fire. On Thursday 23 civilians including nine children were killed in regime air raids on a town in eastern Syria held by the Islamic State group [IS]. The truce does not include areas where IS and the former al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat Fath al-Sham are present. US President Barack Obama will meet with security aides on Friday amid deep unease over the ceasefire deal. Barely a week since the US and Russia agreed to halt bombing and let humanitarian aid into Aleppo the deals shaky implementation looks set to dominate the meeting which was ostensibly about countering IS. The agreement has somewhat quieted the bombs over Syrias second city but aid convoys have not been allowed to reach the roughly 250000 civilians besieged by regime forces in the rebel-held east. Basic resources in rebel-held East Aleppo are beginning to run low according to The New Arabs correspondent in the city. ""People are running out of fuel and there are scarce options in the market to buy. Every day its the same people think that aid convoys are going to just to enter and bring relief"" reported Zouhir al-Shimale. Read Also",alaraby,9/16/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102921,Syrian children killed in missile attack on school,"Date of publication 16 September 2016 Syrian air raids targeted several civilian sites in an area outside the ceasefire zone killing nine children and 14 others local activists have reported. Tags Syria Syrian Network for Human Rights Syrian Observatory of Human Rights ISIS Al-Mayadin Deir az-Zour Missile strikes on schools and urban areas killed 23 Syrian civilians on Thursday activists reported on Friday morning. Airstrikes hit a school a bakery and a castle in the small town of al-Mayadin near Deir az-Zour an area outside the agreed ceasefire zone tweeted the Syrian Network for Human Rights. Regime aircraft were believed responsible for the attacks on the area believed to be held by Islamic State group fighters. The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR) referenced seven local sources saying the majority of casualties occurred when regime forces attacked a school being used as a shelter for families displaced by the fighting. A spokesperson for the UK-based monitor said the organisation no longer collected photographic evidence after IS militants killed one of their activists for taking photos. The Syrian regime withdrew a number of fighter planes from its airbase in al-Qamishli north east Syria on Monday after the United States issued ""serious threats"" to Damascus.",alaraby,9/16/2016,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1923102926,Five dead in Syria airstrikes ahead of planned ceasefire,"Date of publication 11 September 2016 Aerial bombardment on a residential neighbourhood controlled by Syrias rebels killed at least five civilians on Sunday as the world anticipates the implementation of a ceasefire. Tags Syria Airstrikes Truce Ceasefire Assad Rebels Aleppo At least five civilians were killed in aerial bombardment targeting a rebel-controlled neighbourhood east of Aleppo on Sunday as the opposition continued to mull over a US-Russia truce deal due to take effect on Monday. Dozens were injured when ""government helicopters targeted the residential area"" activist Mansoor Hussain told The New Arab noting that ""Qabr al-Engleezi was also hit by warplanes."" The reports come just a day after more than 100 civilians were killed in regime-bombardment on Idlip and Aleppo while five others were killed on the outskirts of the capital. ""People were shopping before the Eid al-Adha next week which is why the toll is so high"" said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman after Saturdays strikes. SOHR added that many of wounded are in severe condition and many others remain unaccounted for which is likely to increase the death toll. The Army of Conquest - led by the Fateh al-Sham Front which changed its name from al-Nusra Front after renouncing ties with al-Qaeda - is regularly bombarded by pro-government forces. Close to 500000 people have been killed since Syrias conflict first erupted in March 2011 and several attempts at securing a long-lasting truce have faltered. State news agency SANA on Saturday reported that Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government ""approved the agreement"" brokered between US and Russia. Key regime ally Iran welcomed the plan on Sunday and called for ""comprehensive monitoring"" of the truce particularly along Syrias volatile borders. ""The continuation and sustainability of a ceasefire relies on the creation of a comprehensive monitoring mechanism in particular control of borders in order to stop the dispatch of fresh terrorists as well as weapons and financial resources for the terrorists"" he said. But Syrias main opposition group the High Negotiations Committee - which brings together political dissidents with armed rebel factions - had yet to formally respond. Read Also",alaraby,9/11/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923102934,Syria Regime kills 25 civilians in Hama airstrikes,"Date of publication 1 September 2016 At least 25 civilians have been killed in regime airstrikes on Hama on Thursday after rebels launched an offensive to retake the parts of the central province. Tags Syria Hama airstrikes civilian casualties Maardes Jund al-Aqsa Jaish al-Fatah At least 25 civilians have been killed by government airstrikes in Syrias central province of Hama as government forces responded to a major rebel offensive in the area. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights [SOHR] the deaths occurred during overnight raids on a road near the town of Latamina. Syrian state media claimed that government forces had killed 50 ""terrorists"" in ""concentrated strikes"" in the area. Hamas recent upsurge in violence follows the launch of a major offensive by the Western-backed Free Syrian Army and other rebel groups including Jaish al-Fatah and Jund al-Aqsa to push regime forces out of the central province. SOHR also reported more rebel gains were made in Hama where the rebels have seized control of 14 villages in four days. The gains are predominantly to the north of Hama province including the towns of Suran and Halfaya. ""They are about 10 kilometres from the [Hama] airport"" said SOHRs director Rami Abdel Rahman. Hama city was briefly in rebel hands at the start of Syrias revolution but was subject to a siege by the regime who later recaptured the city. The city was also the centre of an Islamist uprising in 1982 which was brutally supressed by the Syrian army with as many as 40000 people - mostly civilians - dying in the bombardment. Read Also",alaraby,9/1/2016,hama,0,,,,
1923102938,Hundreds dead as fresh airstrikes hit Syrias Aleppo,"Date of publication 26 September 2016 Supplies in the city under siege are swindling as Russian and Syrian air forces renew their raids on Aleppos opposition-controlled areas leaving hundreds dead. Tags Syria Aleppo Russia airstrikes US ceasefire Hundreds of people including civilians have been killed as Russian and Syrian jets continued on Monday to pound rebel-held areas of Syrias Aleppo for the fourth day in a row. The death toll reached 330 overnight civil defence sources told The New Arab as airstrikes targeted the citys opposition-controlled areas after midnight on Sunday. ""Hospitals that are still in service are under a lot of pressure due to the significant number of wounded in recent days and the major shortage of blood"" one medic told AFP. ""Because of this serious injuries are requiring immediate amputations."" The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights placed the death toll lower saying ""at least 128 people"" nearly all civilians had been killed in the raids since Thursday. Among the dead were 20 children and nine women said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. At least 36 civilians including 11 children and five women were killed in raids targeting rural areas of Aleppo province he said. 	 	Hospitals that are still in service are under a lot of pressure due to the significant number of wounded in recent days.	 	 Hospitals in rebel-held east Aleppo are struggling to deal with a huge number of casualties as supplies dwindle. Monday was the fourth day of intense air raids on the city after a defiant Syrian regime launched a new assault to retake the entirety of the city following the collapse of a short-lived ceasefire brokered by Russia and the United States. With Aleppo again under siege - regime forces fully surrounded the city in early September - residents have to deal with food shortages and skyrocketing prices as well as the increased violence. 	 	In pictures Click here for Zouhir al-Shimales photoessay on East Aleppos empty marketplace The price of a portion of bread had risen to 500 Syrian pounds ($1) from 350 Syrian pounds last week and food is becoming increasingly difficult to find. Several charity kitchens that had distributed food in eastern districts have also stopped operating due to the danger of airstrikes. Aleppo divided since mid-2012 between government control in the west and rebel control in the east has seen some of its worst fighting over the past week raising widespread international concern. The UN Security Council met in an emergency session on Sunday to address the fighting with Britain France and the United States demanding Russia rein in its Syrian ally. Agencies contributed to this report. Aleppo residents say that white phosphorus is being used in civilian areas Read Also",alaraby,9/26/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102941,Deadly Aleppo convoy attack threatens aid distribution in Syria,"Date of publication 21 September 2016 The United Nations has suspended aid distribution in Syria after an attack on an aid convoy in Urum al-Kubra but has vowed to continue working in the war-torn country. The targeting of an aid convoy in Aleppo early this week has resulted in international condemnation forced the United Nations to suspend their aid operations inside Syria and threatened aid distribution within the war-torn country. On Monday evening a convoy of 31 lorries carrying supplies for 78000 people including vitamins and blankets books and pencils for children and medicine to treat burns and diabetes was targeted by purported airstrikes in the town of Urum al-Kubra a town in the western Aleppo Governorate northwestern Syria. 	 	 In the attack 18 of the 31 lorries were destroyed and 20 civilians were killed. The dead included Omar Barakat head of the local branch of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC). Barakat is said to have died of his wounds as emergency services tried desperately to reach the area. On Tuesday SARC the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Crescent Societies released a joint statement expressing ""outrage"" at the ""horrific attack"". ""Were devastated by the deaths of so many people including one of our colleagues. He was a committed and brave member of our family of committed staff and volunteers working relentlessly to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people"" said SARC President Dr Abdulrahman Attar. Speaking to The New Arab Mona Kurdi a spokesperson for SARC noted that the attack on the convoy occurred in the vicinity of a SARC distribution centre. ""It was just a warehouse everyone knew this"" said Kurdi. Laila Kiki a media spokesperson for The Syria Campaign which networks with aid groups inside Syria including Syrian Civil Defence or ""White Helmets"" units expressed similar dismay. Read more on The Syria Campaign here ""Aid distribution points like Urum al-Kubra are known locations they are communicated to all parties in the conflict."" 	 	A convoy of 31 lorries carrying supplies for 78000 people including vitamins and blankets books and pencils for children and medicine to treat burns and diabetes was targeted by purported airstrikes	 	 End to US-Russian brokered ceasefire? Humanitarian groups including Human Rights Watch have since called for investigations into the attack. The attack appeared to signal the end of a Russian-US brokered ceasefire that came into force in Syria on the evening of September 12. But on Tuesday morning US Secretary of State John Kerry speaking alongside his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during an interval from a bleak meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) ministers in New York insisted the ceasefire was ""not dead."" Later in the day Reuters reported that preliminary conclusions reached by US officials based on their intelligence pointed to Russian responsibility. Videos recorded on the ground at the time show a dark still night sky interrupted by bright red-orange bursts of flame accompanied by loud reverberating bangs with panic stricken voices relaying that aid cars have been hit. One media activist who spoke to BBC Arabic and witnessed the attack said that the first strike against the convoy occurred at around 7 pm local time on Monday evening when a helicopter dropped a number of barrel bombs. Later attacks the media activist said saw rocket and machine gun fire from aircraft. 	 	Videos recorded on the ground at the time show a dark still night sky interrupted by bright red-orange bursts of flame accompanied by loud reverberating bangs with panic stricken voices relaying that aid cars have been hit	 	 Russia deny responsibility However Russia has denied any responsibility. On Tuesday Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that videos recorded at the scene showed no evidence of ""munitions hitting the convoy"" and instead attributed the destruction to ""a fire"". UN officials say that the convoy travelling to Urum al-Kubra had received necessary clearances and all parties had been notified of its journey and agenda. The organisations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed in a statement on Tuesday that it first became aware the aid convoy had come under attack at 8.15 pm local time. A matter of hours earlier Syrian state media published an article stating that the Syrian Army had declared the ceasefire over citing 300 violations committed by rebel groups who had used the agreement a pretext to ""mobilise and re-assemble."" In the immediate aftermath of the attack confusion spread over whether the aid convoy hit in Urum al-Kubra had travelled to Aleppo from the Turkish border. Last week a convoy of 20 aid trucks carrying enough supplies to feed 185000 people in rebel-held east Aleppo for a month remained stuck awaiting necessary clearances. However an informed source within the UN told The New Arab that the targeted convoy had travelled to Urum al-Kubra from a UN hub in government-controlled west Aleppo. ""The convoy waiting at Bab al-Hawa never left"" said the UN source. 	 	 Warplanes return to Aleppo skies On Tuesday in the aftermath of the attack the familiar yet deadly sight of government helicopters and warplanes patrolling the skies after a week of relative calm returned to rebel-held east Aleppo. Civilian casualties from government bombardment were reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in areas including the al-Sekkari and al-Merja neighbourhoods and Janah al-Salama in the countryside east of Aleppo. ""It was calmer last week but today there was shelling at seven in the morning and it continued during the day"" said Mohamad Abu Rajab a nurse based in a hospital in eastern Aleppo supported by the Syrian American Medical Association. ""We lack equipment like CT scans and other things to treat the injured and there is nowhere for people here to go. ""There is no way out"" continued Abu Rajab explaining that he often worked 20 hour shifts rarely left the hospital and was forced to work in a basement to avoid the devastating effects of aerial munitions routinely dropped on the city. ""The people civilians they want to live in peace"" said Abu Rajab noting that supplies of fuel for stoves and basic food were running low in the city leading prices to skyrocket. 	 	We lack equipment like CT scans and other things to treat the injured and there is nowhere for people here to go - Mohamad Abu Rajab medic in opposition-held east Aleppo	 	 Aid distribution threatened On Tuesday Kevin Kennedy OCHAs regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria said that the attacks in Urum al-Kubra were inexcusable showed a ""blatant disregard for the lives of humanitarian workers"" and constituted a violation of ""all basic principles of law and humanity."" The attacks have cast serious questions about how vital aid will be distributed to communities within Syria such as the estimated 300000 strong community of rebel-held east Aleppo. Despite temporarily suspending operations in Syria OCHA has reaffirmed its commitment to aid distribution within Syria stating ""United Nations humanitarian agencies are needed now more than ever and will stay and deliver for the people of Syria regardless of where they are in the country."" Laila Kiki of The Syria Campaign noted with concern that that the humanitarian situation in rebel-held east Aleppo would only worsen if aid went undelivered. ""This attack seems like a new low. It is so sad when we speak to Syrian children these days and ask them what they want to be when they grow up... they say they want to be either humanitarian workers or civil defence members or man checkpoints as soldiers or be airplane pilots. They have grown up amongst war"" said Kiki with a sigh. 	 	It is so sad when we speak to Syrian children these days and ask them what they want to be when they grow up... they say they want to be either humanitarian workers or civil defence members or man checkpoints as soldiers or be airplane pilots. They have grown up amongst war - Laila Kiki The Syria Campaign	 	 On Tuesday night as international aid organisations still in shock came to terms of with events in Urum al-Kubra the Union of Syrian Medical Organisations reported that four medics had been killed in yet another attack on the town of Khan Tuman on the outskirts of Aleppo city. ""The situation will get worse"" said Kiki ""Humanitarian aid is not a privilege."" Read Also",alaraby,9/21/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102942,Four medics killed in strike on clinic near Aleppo,"Date of publication 21 September 2016 Four staff of the Union of Syrian Medical Relief Organisations were killed when an airstrike hit a clinic in a village near Syrias second city Aleppo. Tags Syria Aleppo humanitarian aid airstrikes Four medics were killed and a nurse critically wounded when an airstrike hit a clinic in a village near Syrias second city Aleppo late Tuesday just days after dozens of aid workers were killed. The four staff of the Union of Syrian Medical Relief Organisations were in two ambulances that had been called to the clinic to take some patients for more specialised treatment the group said. The clinic in the village of Khan Tuman was completely levelled and more dead were feared to be buried under the rubble the group added. The attack comes a day after all aid convoys to Syria were temporarily suspended after a deadly airstrike on Monday killed 12 aid workers and drivers and destroyed at least 18 trucks carrying aid to Aleppo. Its ""a very very dark day... for humanitarians across the world"" Jens Laerke spokesman for the UN humanitarian aid agency OCHA said. An infuriated United Nations warned Monday nights attack could amount to a war crime. In a statement late on Tuesday the Syrian Civil Defence confirmed that Russian and regime warplanes were behind the ""deliberate attacks"" that targeted the convoy. But Russia has denied its aircraft or those of its Syrian government allies were involved in the incident. The strike appeared to deal a fatal blow to Syrias fragile week-old ceasefire. Read Also",alaraby,9/21/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102943,Syrian Civil Defence US Russia regime attacked aid convoy,"Date of publication 21 September 2016 Russian and regime warplanes confirmed by Civil DefenceUS officials as behind the ""deliberate attacks"" that targeted a UN-Red Crescent [SARC] convoy on Monday night killing scores of volunteers and civilians. Tags White Helmets SARC war crimes UN aid convoy Urum al-Kubra Aleppo Russian and regime warplanes were behind the ""deliberate attacks"" that targeted a UN-Red Crescent [SARC] convoy on Monday night killing scores of volunteers and civilians the Syrian Civil Defence confirmed in a statement late on Tuesday. The planes struck the convoy as trucks unloaded aid in the town of Urum al-Kubra west of Aleppo city then struck again as Civil Defence crews arrived on the scene the statement added. Fifteen SARC volunteers were killed in the ""double-tap"" strike said the Civil Defence also known as the White Helmets who were among the first responders and more than 25 were injured. The strikes also destroyed most of the aid. The statement described the attack as a crime insisting the whereabouts of the convoy were known to all parties. Earlier the UN decided to suspend all aid convoys in Syria pending the re-evaluation of the security situation following the attack on the convoy in Urum al-Kubra. Reuters quoting US officials said on Tuesday that two Russian Sukhoi SU-24 warplanes were in the skies above an aid convoy in Syria at the precise time it was struck on Monday. The officials were citing US intelligence that has led them to conclude Russia was to blame. According to a CNN report the US has reached the preliminary conclusion that Russian warplanes bombed an aid convoy and warehouse belonging to SARC. ""All the evidence we have points to that conclusion"" one of the officials said. The White House meanwhile said that Russia holds responsibility for the strike regardless of whether it was their planes that attacked. ""All of our information indicates clearly that this was an airstrike. That means there only could have been two entities responsible"" Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said on Tuesday night naming Moscow and the Syrian regime. He didnt specify which countrys planes carried out the strike. ""We hold the Russian government responsible for airstrikes in this airspace given their commitment under the cessation of hostilities was to ground air operations where humanitarian assistance was flowing"" Rhodes said referring to the terms of a recent ceasefire brokered between the US and Russia. Russia has denied its aircraft or those of its Syrian government allies were involved in the incident in which 18 trucks from a 31-vehicle convoy were destroyed. The strike appeared to deal a fatal blow to Syrias fragile week-old ceasefire. Read Also",alaraby,9/21/2016,damascus,1,,,,
1923102944,Syrian regime repels rebel offensive near Aleppo killing 40,"Date of publication 20 September 2016 Syrian regime forces backed by Russian air support repel a rebel offensive on the northern fringes of Syrias Aleppo on Tuesday killing 40 attackers Russias defence ministry said. Tags Syria Aleppo airstrike truce Russia rebels Handarat Mogambo aid convoy Syrian regime and Russian airstrikes pounded multiple battlefronts in Syria into the early hours of Tuesday repelling a rebel-led offensive on northern Aleppo Russian sources reported. At least 40 people were killed in the strikes RIA news agency quoted Russias Defence Ministry as saying. Air raids and artillery fire hit rebel-held districts until approximately 200 am [2300 GMT Monday] after the Syrian army declared a fraught week-long ceasefire over. Fire resumed in the early hours of Tuesday as loud booms were heard intermittently across the city. At least 39 civilians were killed in overnight bombardment of Aleppo and the surrounding province the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said and fresh clashes had erupted on the southern edges of the city. Those killed overnight included 12 people mostly humanitarian workers who died on a raid on a joint United Nations Red Cross and Red Crescent convoy delivering assistance to the town of Orum al-Kubra in Aleppo province In the government-held west of the city an AFP correspondent reported the sound of shelling in the Mogambo district. Meanwhile the rebel-held Handarat district just a few miles north of Aleppo also came under fire The New Arab correspondent reported. Residents spent the night huddled together in their apartments sharing news about the collapsing truce by messenger. Aleppo like other major front lines in Syria had been relatively calm for the first few days after the truce brokered by Moscow and Washington came into effect on September 12. Violence slowly escalated late last week culminating at the weekend in deadly airstrikes on Aleppo and a US-led raid that killed scores of Syrian soldiers fighting the Islamic State group in the east. Fighting also intensified in the rebel-held eastern suburbs of Damascus where the army announced a major military operation on Monday just hours before declaring the ceasefire over. Artillery fire also hit the rebel-held central town of Talbisseh activist Hassaan Abu Nuh said. In the northwestern province of Idlib activist Nayef Mustafa said that planes had circled over the town of Salqin which is held by Syrias former al-Qaeda affiliate in alliance with Islamist rebels. ""Its calm now but there was machinegun fire by military aircraft overnight"" Mustafa told AFP. ""The ceasefire has collapsed and people are getting ready to be hit by barrel bombs. This is our situation."" The US-Russia truce deal had been billed as the best chance to put an end to more than five years of conflict in which more than 300000 people have been killed. The army declared an end to its ceasefire on Monday evening. Hours later a convoy delivering aid to besieged civilians in Aleppo province was hit by an airstrike which killed 12 Red Crescent volunteers and drivers and destroyed at least 18 trucks. A convoy delivering aid to besieged civilians in Aleppo province was hit by an airstrike killing 12 Red Crescent volunteers and drivers and destroying at least 18 trucks [AFP] Agencies contributed to this report Read Also",alaraby,9/20/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102946,Syrian regime offensive in northern Aleppo leaves 70 dead,"Date of publication 30 June 2016 At least 70 Syrian regime and rebel fighters have been killed in 24 hours of battle in Aleppo province the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday. Tags Syria Aleppo al-Nusra Front al-Maleh Russia Rebels Bashar al-Assad At least 70 Syrian regime and rebel fighters have been killed in the past 24 hours of fighting following a failed pro-government assault in northern Aleppo province a monitor said Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 regime and 39 rebel fighters have been killed in battles around al-Maleh north of Aleppo since Wednesday afternoon. Fighters from the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda al-Nusra Front were also killed said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman who did not provide a precise number. The regime of President Bashar al-Assad has been attempting to seize al-Maleh for more than two years. His forces have been trying for months to surround Aleppo by cutting supply lines between rebel-held districts of the province and nearby Turkey which supports opposition forces. For nearly a week regime troops backed by Syrian and Russian war planes have been battling for control of al-Maleh. Assads regime is also attempting to cut the Castello Road a key supply route from the Turkish border to rebel-held eastern suburbs of Aleppo. 	 	[Click to enlarge] The pro-regime website al-Masdar News reported that the Syrian army withdrew from the farms of al-Maleh as they faced a rebel counter-offensive led by the al-Nusra Front. It said rebels attacked government forces with two suicide car bombs. The Observatory said two children were killed by regime bombs in a rebel-held area of Aleppo. The majority of Aleppo province is controlled by al-Nusra and its allies while the city - the countrys pre-war commercial capital - has been divided since July 2012 into rebel-held and regime-held areas. Five civilians including three children were also killed by regime bombs that landed on eastern Ghouta the Observatory reported on Thursday. The conflict in Syria which has lasted five years has killed more than 280000 people. Read Also",alaraby,6/30/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102948,Unicef confirm 25 children among Deir Ez-Zor dead,"Date of publication 27 June 2016 Civilian massacre in Syrian province with a heavy Islamic State presence took place over the weekend. Russian and Syrian regime airstrikes killed 25 children on Saturday in a densely populated town in eastern Syria the United Nations childrens agency (UNICEF) has said. Citing news from its local partners in Syria UNICEF have said that the bodies of children were pulled from the rubble in the Islamic State group-dominated town of al-Quria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the airstrikes on Saturday with an initial death toll of 47. This was later updated to 82 on Sunday including 58 civilians. ""Three attacks reportedly hit heavily crowded areas including a mosque during prayer time"" UNICEF said in a statement. ""UNICEF deplores these attacks and calls on all parties to the conflict to keep children out of harms way."" Deir Ez-Zor province links the IS group stronghold of Raqqa to their territory in neighbouring Iraq. Syrian government forces backed by Russia are currently attempting to drive militant groups out of their Syrian strongholds however dozens of civilians have been killed in this effort in recent days. In recent days experts have also suggested that Russia may be using thermobaric bombs which are the most powerful explosives apart from nuclear weapons and are potentially detrimental for civilians if detonated near urban areas. Read Also",alaraby,6/27/2016,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1923102950,Scores of civilians killed in airstrikes on Raqqa,"Date of publication 22 June 2016 At least 25 civilians have been killed as international militaries converge on the Islamic State groups de factor Syrian capital. Tags Raqqa airstrikes IS Syria airstrikes Overnight airstrikes on the Islamic State groups de facto Syrian capital Raqqa killed 25 civilians a monitoring group said on Wednesday. Of those killed six were children. ""Dozens more were wounded some of them critically"" said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Activists were not immediately able to determine who carried out the Tuesday night raids. The airstrikes came after IS dealt a significant blow to Russian-backed Syrian government forces driving them out of Raqqa province after they came within just 20km (12 miles) of the Euphrates River and the countrys largest dam. Damascus lost more than 40 troops and militia in the militant counter-attack on Sunday and Monday the UK-based Observatory said. Read Also",alaraby,6/22/2016,raqqa,0,,,,
1923102951,Heavy regime losses in Islamic States Raqqa counteroffensive,"Date of publication 20 June 2016 An Islamic State counteroffensive in Raqqa has left 40 government soldiers dead on Monday in a major blow to a regime advance launched earlier this month. Tags Syria Raqqa Russia ISIS IS ISIL Islamic State Daesh The Islamic State launched a counteroffensive in Syrias Raqqa province on Monday killing 40 government forces and expelling many others a monitoring group said. Militants retaliated to a government offensive that began on June 3 with the aim of recapturing the de-facto IS capital Raqqa as well as the countrys largest dam in Tabqa the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. ""Daesh has managed to drive out regime troops from the administrative borders of Raqqa province after a fierce counteroffensive"" the London based monitor said using an Arabic acronym for IS. Hundreds of reinforcements were sent to battle regime forces resulting in the deaths of dozens of soldiers. ""More than 40 members of the pro-regime forces were killed"" said the Observatory which relies on a vast network of sources on the ground for its information. Earlier on Monday pro-regime fighters backed by Russia air power surged towards Tabqa and an adjacent air base held by the Islamic State [IS] group. ""There are fierce clashes now and at least nine pro-government fighters were killed"" said the Observatorys Rami Abdel Rahman. Government fighters have been stuck at about 15 kilometres [10 miles] from the airport for more than a week. The government assault was accompanied by a heavy aerial campaign on the town which allowed them to make advances on Sunday. Fighter jets struck the town of Tabqa with cluster munitions killing at least 10 civilians activist group Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently said. The war in Syria which began with the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations in 2011 has killed more than 280000 people and displaced millions. 	 	 Read Also",alaraby,6/20/2016,raqqa,1,,,,
1923102952,Three children killed in regime airstrikes on Homs,"Date of publication 19 June 2016 Regime airstrikes on Saturday on the besieged city of Rastan in Homs province have killed three children from the same family and injured many others local sources have said. Tags Homs Syria Regime Airstrikes Children Civilians Three children from one family were killed and five others were wounded on Saturday in an Syrian regime airstrike on the city of Rastan in Homs province. ""A regime warplane launched four raids on civilian homes in Rastan city centre killing three children from one family and wounding five others"" said media activist Yaarab Dali. Dali added that the wounded were transferred to a hospital in the city to receive treatment. Civil defence and ambulance teams took several hours to retrieve dead bodies from under the rubble of the destroyed homes according to Dali. ""The city suffers from a lack of equipment to remove rubble and the regime prevented the entry of any materials into the city for around two years"" Dali said. ""The city hospital is also suffering from a shortage of medicine and supplies"" he said saying that medical aid was removed from humanitarian convoys before they entered the city. Another civilian was killed and one was wounded in regime bombing on the town of Hirbanfsah in South Hama and Talaf south of Homs city. Read Also",alaraby,6/19/2016,homs,1,,,,
1923102955,Four Hizballah members killed fighting in Syria,"Date of publication 15 June 2016 Four Hezbollah members have been killed in Syria amid reports that dozens of fighters were killed in clashes outside Aleppo. Tags Aleppo Syria Hizbollah Four Hizballah members were reportedly killed in Syria amid reports dozens of ""fighters"" were killed in less than 24 hours of fierce clashes between pro-regime forces and rebels in Syrias Aleppo province. Local media named the killed Hizballah members as Hassan Ali Tirmus Mohammed Hakim Ali Muraay and Kamel Hassan Beez. Pro-regime fighters - backed by regime and Russian air strikes - retook the villages of Zaytan and Khalasa to the southwest of Aleppo city after losing control of them hours earlier the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. But Al-Nusra Front Syrias Al-Qaeda affiliate launched a counterattack to retake Khalasa on Wednesday morning Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. ""Khalasa is on a high hill overlooking large parts of the south of Aleppo province"" he said. The area overlooks the regimes supply road around the south of Aleppo city linking the government-held Nayrab airport to the citys southeast and areas controlled by regime troops to its west he said. 	 	Pro-regime fighters - backed by regime and Russian air strikes - retook the villages of Zaytan and Khalasa to the southwest of Aleppo city after losing control of them hours earlier	 	 Rebel held areas in the south of Aleppo province faced heavy strikes and shelling overnight said the Britain-based monitor which relies on a network of sources inside Syria to gather its information. The regime also pounded a key supply route and areas north of Aleppo city overnight the Observatory said. The Al-Watan newspaper which is close to the regime reported Russian airstrikes on the province on Wednesday. ""Russian fighter jets resumed their missions in Aleppo with force targeting positions of Al-Nusra Front and allied militias"" it said. Moscow launched air strikes in support of the Damascus regime in September. Aleppo was once Syrias commercial powerhouse but it has been a battleground since 2012 when rebels seized the east of the city confining the army to the west. In western Aleppo rebel shelling killed two people and injured another three on Wednesday official news agency SANA reported. Analysts estimate that Syrias war has killed more than 400000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011. Read Also",alaraby,6/15/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102956,Dozens dead after suspected Russian strike on Idlib marketplace,Date of publication 12 June 2016 Dozens of civilians have been killed after Russian airstrikes targeted a busy market place in rebel-held Idlib northern Syria. Tags Idlib Russia Syria Anti-government activists say airstrikes have hit a market and other targets in the northwestern Syrian city of Idlib killing at least 12 people. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which relies on a network of activists on the ground says at least 12 people were killed when several airstrikes struck the insurgent-held city on Sunday. It says the number of casualties is likely to rise. The Local Coordination Committees another anti-government monitoring group says the airstrikes killed 13 and wounded 29 with most casualties occurring in a vegetable market. Idlib is controlled by a coalition of Syrian rebel groups that includes Al-Qaedas local branch Nusra Front. Dozens of civilians including children were killed in air raids on a market in eastern Syria last Monday the first day of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. The attack was most likely carried out by Russian warplanes according to local sources. Read Also,alaraby,6/12/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1923102957,Airstrikes in Syria kill dozens at start of Ramadan,"Date of publication 6 June 2016 At least 17 civilians have been killed by a suspected Russian air raid in the market in the town of al-Asharah in the Deir Az-Zour province. Tags Syria air strike SOHR ISIS Deir az-Zour al-Asharah civilians Ramadan. Seventeen civilians including eight children were killed in air raids on a market in eastern Syria on Monday the first day of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights [SOHR] said the strikes on al-Asharah a town held by the Islamic State group [IS] in Deir Az-Zour province. ""The market was overcrowded on Monday because people were shopping for Ramadan"" SOHR chief Rami Abdel Rahman said in a televised interview. He said many of those killed were from the same family and that the death toll was likely to rise because of the serious condition of some of the wounded. Local activist Amir al-Huwaidi told The New Arab that the attack was most likely carried out by Russian warplanes. Heavy air raids hit IS-held areas in and outside the divided city of Deir Az-Zour from early on Monday. IS controls more than 60 percent of the city besieging an estimated 200000 people there. The Islamic militant group also controls most of the surrounding oil-rich province by the same name. The SOHR relies on a network of sources inside Syria to gather its information on the five-year conflict which has killed more than 280000 people and displaced millions. It says it determines whether strikes were carried out by Syrian Russian or US-led coalition aircraft based on the location of the raids flight patterns and the types of planes and munitions involved. Russia began carrying out strikes in Syria in September 2015 one year after the United States began its air campaign there. Regime air raids killed at least 15 civilians in the IS-held area of Boleel outside Deir az-Zour city on Friday. Read Also",alaraby,6/6/2016,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1923102958,Dozens of Syrian regime air raids on rebel-held Aleppo,"Date of publication 5 June 2016 Air strikes by Syrian regime war planes in Aleppo on Sunday have killed around 32 civilians in a rebel-held district a human rights monitor said. Tags Aleppo Syria human rights barrel bombs Syria war air raids Dozens of Syrian regime air strikes on Aleppo killed at least 16 civilians on Sunday a monitor said with barrel bombs causing huge damage to one rebel-held district. Local activists put the death toll higher saying that around 32 have been killed. The crude unguided explosive devices hit the Qaterji neighbourhood where an AFP photographer saw a street strewn with rubble as residents ran for safety while a rescuer rushed a bloodied child into an ambulance. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said nine civilians were killed in Qaterji and two others - including a child - died in the Mayssar neighbourhood of the northern city. Another five civilians were killed in two other districts and on the citys outskirts. In Qaterji a man stood in the middle of a road surrounded by debris and shouting angrily ""There are only civilians here there are no rebels!"" Further down the street two women and two children scrambled for safety past the mangled iron shutters of shops and buildings badly damaged by the barrel bomb the AFP photographer said. The rescuer his hair covered in white dust carried a child with a blood-covered face to an ambulance in which another wounded child already lay. A truce agreed by Russia and the United States in February has been violated nearly continuously around Aleppo where the regime and rebel groups have fought for control since 2012. Around 200000 people lived in rebel-held eastern parts of Aleppo and the only route out of those areas has been cut following fierce fighting that erupted on Thursday. More than 300 civilians have been killed in Aleppo since April. Analysts estimate that around 400000 people have been killed and millions displaced since Syrias war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. Read Also",alaraby,6/5/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102959,Syrian regime airstrikes kill dozens in and around Aleppo,"Date of publication 3 June 2016 Syrian regime air raids killed more than 30 people in and around the city of Aleppo on Friday as a main road leading out of the city faces intense bombardment. Tags Syria Aleppo Castello road Syrian regime Syrian Observatory for Human Rights White Helmets At least 31 people have been killed by regime raids in and around opposition-held eastern Aleppo on Friday the civil defence known as the White Helmets have said. Ten civilians were killed when regime airstrikes hit a bus travelling on a main road near the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. ""As well as the 10 civilians killed in strikes on the bus... 21 others died in intense strikes on several neighbourhoods in the east of the city since dawn"" the White Helmets said. Eight people were killed when intense airstrikes targeted Castello road the only route leading to rebel-held areas in divided Aleppo the Syrian Observatory reported. The Castello road which is the route out of Aleppo for civilians living in the area is now ""effectively cut"" Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. ""All movement is targeted be that buses or bystanders"" he added. In the past two weeks more than 200 civilians have been killed in Aleppo after regime forces responded with air raids to rebel rocket and artillery fire. The airstrikes on and around Aleppo mark another violation to the US-Russia-led truce agreed in February as regime forces and rebel groups continue to fight over control. Since the war erupted in 2011 at least 280000 people have been killed in Syria and millions displaced. Read Also",alaraby,6/3/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923102962,Airstrikes kill 28 civilians in Syria safe zone monitor,Date of publication 30 September 2017 Four children are among the 28 dead in overnight airstrikes on the town of Armanaz in Idlib province purportedly carried out by Syrian regime or Russian jets. Tags Syria Russia Idlib safe zone Turkey Assad SOHR At least 28 civilians were killed in airstrikes on northwestern Syria despite a planned safe zone. Four children were among the dead in the overnight strikes on the town of Armanaz in Idlib province near the Turkish border the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based watchdog had earlier reported 12 dead in the strikes on the town in Harem district around 20 kilometres northwest of the provincial capital Idlib. Entire apartment blocks had been flattened by the bombardment an AFP correspondent said. The Observatory said it could not immediately determine whether the strikes had been carried out by jets of the Syrian regime or its ally Russia. But they are the latest in an intensifying air campaign carried out by the two governments against jihadist fighters who control most of the province and are not party to a safe zone deal brokered by Russia Turkey and Iran. The surge in bombing raids has forced hospitals in the province to close medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Friday. They were triggered by an offensive by jihadist fighters led by al-Qaedas former Syria affiliate launched against regime-held villages in neighbouring Hama province on September 19. The jihadists control nearly all of Idlib province after driving out Islamist former allies earlier this year. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on Thursday to step up efforts to establish a safe zone in Idlib as part of a wider agreement struck in May. Three other safe zones have already been set up - in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus parts of the south and some areas of the central province of Homs. But in some of those areas too the fighting has continued. Shelling by the army killed at least 21 civilians in Eastern Ghouta on Saturday more than half of them children the Observatory said. The de-escalation agreement excludes both the Islamic State group and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham the alliance dominated by al-Qaedas former Syrian affiliate. The Islamic State group is under attack in its remaining strongholds in eastern Syria by both Russian-backed government forces and US-backed fighters. On Thursday it mounted a counterattack against government forces along their supply lines through the desert to the eastern city of Deir Ezzor. At least 128 troops and militia were killed on Thursday and Friday as the army battled to restore control the Observatory said. State media have reported the IS counterattack but have made no mention of the armys losses. Read Also,alaraby,9/30/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1923102964,US-led strike kills 18 civilians in Syrias Raqqa,"Date of publication 3 October 2017 International coalition planes targeted water wells where a group of civilians were gathered in the north of Raqqa city. the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. Tags Syria Raqqa airstrikes US-led coalition Kurds Islamic State group A US-led coalition airstrike killed at least 18 civilians on Tuesday in the Islamic State groups former stronghold of Raqqa the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. ""International coalition planes targeted water wells where a group of civilians were gathered in the north of Raqqa city killing at least 18 civilians"" Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. The Britain-based group said four children were among the dead. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters broke into Raqqa in June and has since wrested 90 percent of the city from IS. But activists say coalition strikes in support of the operation have killed hundreds of civilians and caused enormous damage. The coalitions spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon said it does ""everything within its power to limit harm to non-combatants and civilian infrastructure."" He said ""rigorous standards"" were applied to coalition targeting and ""extraordinary efforts"" taken to avoid civilian deaths. ""The coalition conducts a detailed assessment of each and every allegation of possible civilian casualties and we will do so for this allegation as well"" he added in an email to AFP. In late September the coalition acknowledged the deaths of 735 civilians in its strikes on Syria and Iraq since 2014. But activists say the toll is much higher. Read also September deadliest month for Syrians in 2017 Raqqa has faced water shortages for months because of damage to pipelines caused by suspected coalition strikes. Even in the early days of the Raqqa assault residents said they feared being caught in airstrikes or shelling when they ventured to wells or the Euphrates River that runs south of the city to draw water. The Syrian conflict began when the Baath regime in power since 1963 and led by President Bashar al-Assad responded with military force to peaceful protests demanding democratic reforms during the Arab Spring wave of uprisings triggering an armed rebellion fuelled by mass defections from the Syrian army. According to independent monitors hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed in the war mostly by the regime and its powerful allies and millions have been displaced both inside and outside of Syria. The brutal tactics pursued mainly by the regime which have included the use of chemical weapons sieges mass executions and torture against civilians have led to war crimes investigations.",alaraby,10/1/2017,raqqa,0,,,,
1923102965,Deadly twin bombings hit Damascus police station,"Date of publication 3 October 2017 The Islamic State group claims the double suicide bomb attack that hit a police station in Damascus on Monday killing at least 17 people. Tags Suicide bomb Syria Damascus Islamic State rebels police station A double suicide bomb attack hit a police station in Syrias capital Damascus on Monday state media said with a monitor saying at least 17 people were killed. The Syrian interior ministry said on Monday that the attack involved two suicide bombers one of whom managed to penetrate the police station in the southern district of Midan and reach the first floor before his explosives detonated. A monitor reported a third explosion involved a car bomb outside the police station. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based monitoring group said at least 17 people were killed in the attack among them 13 police officers. Interior Minister Mohammed Shaar told reporters that one of the attackers had managed to enter the police station and reach the first floor of the building. State television showed images of damage from inside the building with a black police uniform shirt covered in dust lying in the rubble of partially collapsed walls. Manal a 28-year-old teacher living in Midan said she heard at least two blasts on Monday afternoon. ""I was coming back from work when I heard the sound of an explosion it was around 230 pm I didnt know what it was and then there was another explosion a few minutes later and buildings shook"" she told AFP. ""Afterwards I heard gunfire which usually happens to get people to move out of the way and clear the road so ambulances can get through to retrieve the injured"" she added. IS claims attack The Islamic State [IS] group on Tuesday claimed the attack in a statement circulated on its social media accounts. The group said three of its fighters armed with guns grenades and explosives were involved in the attack in the southern neighbourhood of Midan on Monday. Damascus has also been rocked by occasional bomb blasts throughout the Syrian conflict including previous attacks on Midan a middle-class residential and shopping district. In December 2016 three police officers were wounded when a seven-year-old girl walked into the neighbourhoods police station wearing an explosive belt that was remotely detonated. Rebel groups have been gradually expelled from territory in the capital they once held though they maintain a presence in a handful of positions including the Jobar neighbourhood. They also hold territory in the Eastern Ghouta region outside the capital and have regularly launched rockets into the city. The Syrian conflict began when the Baath regime in power since 1963 and led by President Bashar al-Assad responded with military force to peaceful protests demanding democratic reforms during the Arab Spring wave of uprisings triggering an armed rebellion fuelled by mass defections from the Syrian army. According to independent monitors hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed in the war mostly by the regime and its powerful allies and millions have been displaced both inside and outside of Syria. The brutal tactics pursued mainly by the regime which have included the use of chemical weapons sieges mass executions and torture against civilians have led to war crimes investigations. Agencies contributed to this report Read Also",alaraby,10/1/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1923102966,Russian airstrike kills scores of fleeing civilians in Deir az-zor,"Date of publication 4 October 2017 A Russian airstrike killed at least 38 civilians on Wednesday as they attempted to cross the Euphrates River to escape fighting in eastern Syrias Deir az-Zour region. Tags Syria Russia Islamic State Deir az-Zour SDF US coalition A Russian airstrike killed at least 38 civilians on Wednesday as they attempted to cross the Euphrates River to escape fighting in eastern Syrias Deir az-Zour region a monitoring group said. Children were among those killed as they tried to cross the river aboard rafts to escape areas where the Syrian regime is fighting the Islamic State group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Backed by Russian airstrikes the forces of Syrias President Bashar Assad notorious for their indiscriminate targeting of civilians are pressing a battle to retake IS-controlled areas in the eastern province of Deir az-Zour. A US-led international coalition has been providing air support to a Kurdish-Arab alliance also fighting the militants in its former northern bastion of Raqqa city and Deir az-Zour. September was the deadliest month for Syrians this year with the ongoing war killing at least 3000 people including 955 civilians. The Observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type location flight patterns and munitions used. The group has reported hundreds of civilians killed in operations against IS in Deir az-Zour and neighbouring Raqqa province where the SDF is fighting with US support to capture the former IS bastion of Raqqa. On Tuesday the Observatory said a US-led coalition strike in Raqqa killed at least 18 civilians. Russia has not acknowledged any civilian deaths in its strikes since it intervened in Syrias war in 2015 and dismisses the Observatorys reporting as biased. The deaths in Deir az-Zour on Wednesday prompted outrage from the opposition Syrian National Coalition which described the incident as a ""heinous crime"". 	 	 Read Also",alaraby,10/4/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923102968,Syrian regime airstrike on Idlib market kills children,"Date of publication 8 October 2017 At least 11 civilians including two children were killed in Syrian regime airstrikes on a market in Idlib provinces Maaret al-Numan Tags Syria Khan Sheikhun Idlib airstrike Bashar al Assad Almost a dozen civilians including two children were killed on Sunday following regime air raids on a marketplace in north-western Syria a monitor has said. At least 11 were killed when bombs hit one of rebel-held Idlib provinces busiest markets inn the city of Maaret al-Numan the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The monitor believes they may have been carried out by regime forces. Observatory head UK based Syrian Rami Abdel Rahman said a ""military aircraft"" had targeted the market in Maaret al-Numan blaming the Assad regime notorious for its targeting of civilians and civilian areas in air strikes. ""At least 11 people were killed including two children"" he said. ""There are around 20 wounded and the toll of victims could rise."" Much of Idlib province including Maaret al-Numan is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) a group led by al-Qaedas former Syria affiliate. Idlib is one of four so-called ""de-escalation"" zones under a deal brokered by Moscow Ankara and Tehran in May. HTS is not party to the de-escalation agreement although Idlib province should come under the safe zone plan. The Observatory said that on Friday and Saturday at least 13 civilians died in air strikes suspected to be carried out by the regime around Khan Sheikhoun the site of the regimes deadly chemical attack in April. Despite months of relative calm in Idlib the Assad regime - along with Russian forces - have heavily bombed the province killing scores of civilians according to the Observatory. Pro-Turkey Syrian rebels are also preparing for an operation to oust HTS from Idlib province. The Syrian conflict began when the Baath regime - in power since 1963 and led now by President Bashar al-Assad - responded with military force to quell peaceful protests demanding democratic reforms in 2011. The violence triggered an armed rebellion fuelled by mass defections from the Syrian army. According to independent monitors hundreds of thousands of civilians have been killed in the war mostly by the regime and its powerful allies. Millions have been displaced both inside and outside of Syria. The brutal tactics pursued mainly by the regime which have included the use of chemical weapons sieges mass executions and torture against civilians have led to war crimes investigations.",alaraby,10/8/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1923102969,Triple suicide attack near Damascus police HQ ministry,"Date of publication 11 October 2017 Three suicide bombers blew themselves up near the main police headquarters building in Syrias capital Damascus on Wednesday. Tags Syria Damascus bombing suicide attack police Three suicide bombers blew themselves up near the main police headquarters building in Syrias capital Damascus on Wednesday killing at least one person the interior ministry said. Two of the suicide bombers detonated their explosives in front of the police headquarters on Khaled Bin al-Walid street in central Damascus the interior ministry said in a statement carried by state media. ""The terrorist suicide attackers tried to storm the police command headquarters... The guards opened fire on them forcing them to blow themselves up before they entered the building and achieved their goals"" it added. Police surrounded a third attacker behind the building who also blew himself up the statement said. The interior ministry said one person had been killed and six injured in the attack. It was the second time this month that suicide attackers targeted the police in Syrias capital after at least 17 people were killed in an October 2 attack on a police station in the southern district of Midan. That attack was claimed by the Islamic State group which said three of its fighters armed with guns grenades and explosives had targeted the station. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesdays attack. More than 330000 people have been killed in Syria since the countrys conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.",alaraby,10/11/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1923102970,Rebel shelling kills four civilians in Damascus monitor,"Date of publication 16 October 2017 Rebel shelling on the Syrian capital Damascus killed four civilians on Sunday a Britain-based monitor and a medical source said. Tags Syria Rebels De-escalation Damascus Four civilians were killed in the Syrian capital on Sunday after rebel shelling on the central district of Old Damascus a Britain-based monitor and a medical source said. Seven others were wounded in the attack according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. A doctor receiving the casualties confirmed the death toll and said most of the injured were ""gravely wounded by shrapnel"". The Observatory said shelling on Sunday hit several areas of the capital including the eastern district of Tabbaleh. Meanwhile state news agency SANA said artillery fire killed two people and wounded nine others in the Bab Sharqi area of Old Damascus. It followed a drop in violence in Damascus since the implementation in July of a de-escalation zone in a rebel-held area to its east. Eastern Ghouta is one of four such zones agreed at May peace talks on the Syrian conflict sponsored by rebel backer Turkey and regime supporters Russia and Iran. SANA said four people were wounded on Saturday when two mortar rounds hit the Absasiyeen Square in the centre of the city. More than 330000 people have been killed in Syria since the countrys conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. Damascus has been largely spared from the worst of the violence in the six-year war despite being shaken by two bomb attacks in recent weeks. On Wednesday three suicide bombers killed at least two people near the main police headquarters in Damascus in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. IS also claimed an October 2 bomb attack at a police station in the capital that killed at least 17 people.",alaraby,10/16/2017,damascus,0,,,,
1923102973,Three White Helmets workers and six children killed in Syria air,"Date of publication 18 November 2017 Heavy Syrian regime bombing has killed three emergency workers from the White Helmets while six children were also killed in Damascus air raids. Tags Syria Eastern Ghouta Douma Syrian regime bombing Siege White Helmets Three rescue workers from the Syrian Civil Defence - better known as the White Helmets - have been killed in bombing in a besieged Damascus suburb the group said on Friday. The men were killed as they provided aid to civilians injured in bombing in Syrias Eastern Ghouta region when the air strike took place. Other workers from the rescue team were also injured in the attack the group said with four children and one man killed in earlier regime shelling. ""The civil defence [White Helmets] condemns the bombing and raids on the cities and towns of eastern Ghouta which focuses on targeting civilian centres and aid workers"" the group said in a statement. ""Today the regime air force targeted [a] Syrian civil defence team [as they were] working in Douma city. Three volunteers were killed and most of the other volunteers were injured."" Siege Watch claimed the workers were targeted by a ""guided missile"" which follows routine ""double tap"" attacks on bomb sites as rescue workers attempt to save survivors. Opposition Damascus suburb Eastern Ghouta has been subject to ferocious bombing and shelling by the Syrian regime this week. At least six children were among 12 civilians killed in the district during bombing and shelling on Friday Siege Watch reported. The White Helmets said that 45 people have been killed and 307 injured in three days of regime attacks on Eastern Ghouta. These include the use of 38 banned cluster bombs drone attacks hundreds of shells and five surface-to-surface missiles. Eastern Ghouta is also subject to a horrific siege which is starving the civilian population and leaving them without desperately needed medical equipment and medicine activists and NGOs say. White Helmets volunteers are the first on the scene at sites hit by bombs and shells with scores killed in subsequent attacks. The group are believed to have saved the lives of more than 100000 Syrians injured in bombings. Read Also",alaraby,11/18/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1923102974,Civilians killed in relentless regime bombing of besieged Damascus,"Date of publication 20 November 2017 Syrian regime forces have continued bombardment of a besieged Damascus suburb killing more civilians on the sixth consecutive day of heavy bombing - and prompting a UN warning. Tags Syria Damascus Eastern Ghouta Assad UN SOHR Intense Syrian regime bombardment on rebel-held Eastern Ghouta region has killed eight civilians and wounded 25. Six days of heavy bombing have killed dozens in the region where rebel groups and regime forces are locked in a cycle of tit-for-tat attacks. Government forces have escalated their bombardment of Eastern Ghouta an opposition stronghold outside Damascus since hardline rebel group Ahrar al-Sham attacked a military base in the area last week. Since Tuesday heavy artillery fire and air strikes on Eastern Ghouta have killed at least 66 civilians including 13 children according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as well as three rescue workers from the Syrian Civil Defence - better known as the White Helmets. At least 281 people have been wounded the Britain-based monitor said on Sunday. Rebel groups meanwhile have fired rockets into Damascus neighbourhoods killing at least 16 people since Thursday the Observatory said. The toll included two people killed by rocket fire on Sunday. Eastern Ghouta is supposed to be part of a ""de-escalation zone"" under a deal between Russia Iran and Turkey aimed at reducing the level of violence. President Bashar al-Assads forces have besieged Eastern Ghouta since 2013 making humanitarian conditions in the area where some 400000 people live extremely dire. On Sunday the UNs coordinator for humanitarian and development affairs in Syria Ali al-Zaatari called on ""all warring sides to avoid targeting civilians"". ""For days there have been daily reports about civilians being killed and others being severely wounded in addition to warehouses hospitals and schools being put out of service during the exchange of shellfire particularly in Damascus and Eastern Ghouta"" Zaatari said. The Syrian conflict began when the Baath regime in power since 1963 and led by Assad responded with military force to peaceful protests demanding democratic reforms during the Arab Spring wave of uprisings triggering an armed rebellion fueled by mass defections from the Syrian army. The brutal tactics pursued mainly by the regime which have included the use of chemical weapons sieges mass executions and torture against civilians have led to war crimes investigations. Read Also",alaraby,11/20/2017,damascus,0,,,,
1923102975,Syrian regime airstrikes target besieged Eastern Ghouta Deir az-zor,"Date of publication 26 November 2017 More than 19 civilians were killed in Eastern Ghouta on Sunday as the Syrian regime stepped up its campaign to retake the last major opposition stronghold near the capital Damascus. Tags Syria Assad Russia Eastern Ghouta Douma airstrikes More than 19 civilians were killed in Eastern Ghouta on Sunday as the Syrian regime stepped up its campaign to retake the last major opposition stronghold near the capital Damascus. At least 123 civilians have been killed in the besieged suburb by airstrikes and shelling since the Syrian regime and Russian jets began an offensive nearly two weeks ago the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. A witness told Reuters that there had been drones in the sky since Sunday morning with warplanes heavily bombing the towns of Mesraba Harasta and Eastern Ghouta killing at least 19 civilians. The opposition Eastern Ghouta Damascus Countryside local council said this week that the intensifying bombardments were forcing people to seek shelter in unsuitable and unsanitary places which it feared could lead to disease outbreaks. Eastern Ghouta has been under siege by Syrian regime forces since 2013 and no food aid convoys have entered the town of Douma since wheat flour rations in August. Civilians are eating rubbish fainting from hunger and forcing their children to eat on alternate days because of the food shortage the UN World Food Programme said this week. Nearly 174500 people trapped in the town of Douma since September have been forced to adopt emergency ""coping strategies"" the UN said. WFP expects the situation to further deteriorate in the coming weeks when the current food stock is expected to be depleted completely eroding the current household coping strategies. In the east of Syria Russian air strikes on Sunday killed 34 civilians among them 15 children in a village held by Islamic State in Deir az-Zour province an activist group said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit the village of Al-Shafah on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River in the early hours of Sunday morning. The Syrian conflict began when the Baath regime in power since 1963 and led by Assad responded with military force to peaceful protests demanding democratic reforms during the Arab Spring wave of uprisings triggering an armed rebellion fuelled by mass defections from the Syrian army. The brutal tactics pursued mainly by the regime which have included the use of chemical weapons sieges mass executions and torture against civilians have led to war crimes investigations. Read Also",alaraby,11/26/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1923102976,Russian strikes kill 53 civilians in Syrias Deir az-Zour,"Date of publication 27 November 2017 At least 53 civilians including 21 children died on Sunday when Russian air strikes hit residential buildings in a village held by Islamic State militants. Tags Russia Syria Assad Deir az-Zour Islamic State SOHR At least 53 civilians including 21 children perished early Sunday morning when Russian air strikes hit ""residential buildings"" in a village held by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria a monitor said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit the village of Al-Shafah in Deir az-Zour province on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. The Observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type location flight patterns and munitions used. The monitor had initially given a death toll of 34 civilians but the number spiked after more bodies were recovered. ""The toll increased after removing the debris in a long day of rescue operation"" Rami Abdel Rahman head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP adding the strikes hit ""residential buildings"". At least 18 people were also wounded in the air raids he added. Russia is a close ally of Syrias President Bashar al-Assad and in September 2015 began a military intervention in support of his government that has gradually helped Damascus regain territory. Syrias Deir az-Zour is one of the last places IS jihadists hold territory in the country after being driven from their major strongholds including their one-time de facto Syrian capital Raqqa city. The oil-rich eastern province that borders Iraq was once almost completely under IS control but the jihadists now hold just nine percent of Deir az-Zour according to the Observatory. They have faced two separate offensives there one led by the regime with Russian backing and the other by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters. Russia in drivers seat The latest strikes come as the United Nations tries to revitalise its flagging efforts to end a six-year civil war that has left Syria devastated and huge swathes of its population refugees. Syrias Deir az-Zour [click to enlarge] On Tuesday the eighth round of UN-brokered talks will kick off. They have achieved little so far but may be bolstered by the oppositions decision to bring a unified delegation to Geneva for the first time. For progress to happen rival sides will need to overcome the hurdle that has derailed past discussions the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. He retains Moscows support but is loathed by much of Syrias rebel opposition who want him gone. Backed by Russias decisive military support Assads government has regained control of 55 percent of the country including major cities Damascus Aleppo Homs and Hama and around two-thirds of the population lives in regime-held areas. The rest is carved up between rebel factions jihadists and Kurdish forces. Some experts believe that Russia has clearly put itself in the drivers seat in recent months especially as US President Donald Trumps administration has pulled back from Syrian diplomatic front. Russia fellow regime ally Iran and rebel-backer Turkey have hosted negotiations in the Kazakh capital Astana that led to the creation of four ""de-escalation zones"" which produced a drop in violence though deadly air strikes and battles continue in some areas. And this week Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a ""congress"" of Syrian regime and opposition figures a move backed by Ankara and Tehran. The Syrian conflict began when the Baath regime in power since 1963 and led by Assad responded with military force to peaceful protests demanding democratic reforms during the Arab Spring wave of uprisings triggering an armed rebellion fuelled by mass defections from the Syrian army. The brutal tactics pursued mainly by the regime which have included the use of chemical weapons sieges mass executions and torture against civilians have led to war crimes investigations. Read Also",alaraby,11/27/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848121,10 dead after strikes on rebel-held hospitals in Syria,"10 dead after strikes on rebel-held hospitals in Syria Air strikes on two hospitals in rebel-held northwestern Syria on Thursday left 10 people dead including two babies in incubators a monitor said. They were among 19 people killed as a result of strikes across rebel-held Idlib province on Thursday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. An AFP correspondent in the village of Deir Sharqi where one of the hospitals was hit saw extensive damage and wards buried in rubble. It was the third time in less than a week that medical facilities in the province controlled by rebels and Islamist militant groups had been hit in air strikes. ""Apparently Russian aircraft... carried out four successive raids at dawn on a hospital on the outskirts"" of Deir Sharqi it said. ""Six civilians in the emergency department were killed including two babies in incubators after the destruction of the facilitys oxygen generator"" which was keeping them alive Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. The AFP correspondent saw at least one destroyed incubator rooms and corridors filled with rubble and dusty or damaged beds and equipment. In one room a wall had collapsed on a medicine shelf and in another medical supplies were strewn across the room. Later in the day four medical staff from a dispensary in Maarzita in southern Idlib province were also killed in what were likely Russian strikes the Observatory said. A further nine people including five children were killed in strikes on various other areas of Idlib province on Thursday it said. On Saturday an air raid on another hospital in Idlib had wounded five people the Observatory said but it could not say whether the raid was Syrian or Russian. Another hospital was hit Tuesday in northwestern Idlib putting it out of service Abdel Rahman said. The Britain-based Observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type location flight patterns and munitions used. Idlib is regularly bombed by the air forces of Syria and its Russian ally. More than 320000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.",ahram,4/27/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1923848124,Aleppo bomb blast kills six Syrian state,Aleppo bomb blast kills six Syrian state TV A bomb blast killed six people and injured 32 in the Salah al-Din district of Aleppo Syrian state television reported on Wednesday without giving further details. Salah al-Din is located west of Aleppos Old City in a district that was part of the last rebel enclave there until it was taken over by the Syrian army in an advance in December.,ahram,4/19/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848126,Dozens of children dead in Syria evacuees bombing,"Dozens of children dead in Syria evacuees bombing Nearly 70 children were among those killed when a suicide car bombing tore through buses carrying evacuees from besieged government-held towns in Syria a monitor said on Sunday. Saturdays blast hit a convoy carrying residents from the northern towns of Fuaa and Kafraya as they waited at a transit point in rebel-held Rashidin west of Aleppo. At least 68 children were among the 126 people killed in the attack the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said updating a previous toll of 112 dead. At least 109 of the dead were evacuees the Britain-based monitoring group said while the rest were aid workers and rebels guarding the convoy. The evacuations were taking place under a deal between Syrias regime and rebels that is also seeing residents and rebels transported out of Madaya and Zabadani towns near Damascus which are surrounded by pro-government forces. The agreement is the latest in a string of evacuation deals which the government of President Bashar al-Assad says are the best way to end the violence after more than six years of civil war. Rebels say they amount to forced relocations after years of bombardment and crippling sieges. Body parts and the belongings of evacuees - including clothes dishes and even televisions - were still strewn at the scene of the attack on Sunday an AFP correspondent said. The shattered buses were nearby as was the shell of a pick-up truck - with little left but its engine block - that was apparently used to carry out the bombing. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing though the key Ahrar al-Sham rebel group denied any involvement. The government blamed ""terrorists"" - a catch-all term for its opponents. The Observatory which relies on a network of sources inside Syria to monitor the conflict said hundreds of people were also wounded in the blast. It said a petrol station at the transit point was caught up in the explosion adding to the number of victims. The Syrian Red Crescent said three of its workers were among the wounded. Maysa al-Aswad a 30-year-old evacuee from Kafraya said she was sitting on one of the buses with her six-month-old son Hadi and 10-year-old daughter Narjis when the blast shook the parked convoy. ""Hadi was on my lap and Narjis on a chair next to me. When the explosion happened I hugged them both and we fell to the floor"" she told AFP by telephone from near Aleppo. ""I didnt know what was happening all I could hear was people crying and shouting"" she said. ""All I can think about is how we survived all the death during the last few years and then could have died just after we finally escaped."" More than 5000 people left Fuaa and Kafraya and about 2200 left Madaya and Zabadani on Friday the latest in a series of evacuations from the four towns under the agreement. The evacuation process resumed after the bombing the Observatory said with the residents of Fuaa and Kafraya eventually arriving in Aleppo Syrias second city which the government gained full control of last year. Wounded survivors including many children were taken for treatment at an Aleppo hospital. UN aid chief Stephen OBrien condemned the bombing saying in a statement ""The perpetrators of such a monstrous and cowardly attack displayed a shameless disregard for human life."" Pope Francis on Sunday also urged an end to the war in Syria as he presided over the traditional Easter mass in Rome. The pontiff said he hoped that Jesus Christs sacrifice might help bring ""comfort and relief to the civil population in Syria prey to a war that continues to sow horror and death"". The residents and rebels from Madaya and Zabadani arrived late Saturday in rebel-held territory in Idlib province where they were greeted with embraces and shots fired into the air. It was not immediately clear whether further evacuations were taking place on Sunday. The evacuation deal was brokered by Qatar a longtime supporter of Syrian opposition forces and Iran a key regime ally. Shiite-dominated Iran has repeatedly raised concerns for the residents of Fuaa and Kafraya who are mainly Shiites and were besieged by Sunni rebels. Syrias war has left more than 320000 people dead since erupting in 2011 with more than half the population forced from their homes and hundreds of thousands trapped under siege.",ahram,4/16/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848127,Death toll from Aleppo bus convoy bomb attack at least 126 Observatory,"Death toll from Aleppo bus convoy bomb attack at least 126 Observatory The death toll from a bomb attack on a crowded bus convoy outside Aleppo has reached at least 126 in the deadliest such incident in Syria in almost a year the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Sunday. Syrian rescue workers of the Civil Defence said that they had taken away at least 100 bodies from the site of Saturdays blast which hit buses carrying Shiite residents as they waited to cross from rebel into government territory in an evacuation deal between the warring sides. The British-based Observatory said the number was expected to rise. Those killed were mostly residents of the villages of al-Foua and Kefraya in Idlib province but included rebel fighters guarding the convoy the Observatory said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack which pro-Damascus media said was carried out by a suicide car bomber. Syrias main armed opposition condemned the bombing with groups fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army describing it as a ""treacherous terrorist attack"". Pope Francis in an Easter message also condemned the attack describing it as ""ignoble"" and asking God to bring healing and comfort to what he called the ""beloved and martyred Syria"". The convoy was carrying at least 5000 people including civilians and several hundred pro-government fighters who were granted safe passage out of the two Shiite villages which are besieged by rebels. Under the evacuation deal more than 2000 people including rebel fighters were granted safe passage out of Madaya a town near Damascus besieged by government forces and their allies. That convoy was waiting at a bus garage in a government-held area on Aleppos outskirts a few miles from where the attack took place. Madaya evacuees said they heard the blast.",ahram,4/16/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848128,Bombing of Syrian bus convoy kills wounds dozens outside Aleppo,"Bombing of Syrian bus convoy kills wounds dozens outside Aleppo A bomb blast hit a bus convoy waiting to cross into government-held Aleppo in Syria on Saturday killing and wounding dozens of people evacuated from two Shia villages the day before in a deal between warring sides. The agreement had stalled leaving thousands of people from both government-besieged and rebel-besieged areas stranded at two transit points on the citys outskirts before the explosion occurred. Pro-Damascus media outlets said a suicide attacker detonated a car bomb and killed at least 22 people. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the death toll was at least 24. Footage on state TV showed bodies lying next to charred buses with their windows blown out and vehicles in flames. The blast hit buses in the Rashidin area on Aleppos outskirts. The vehicles had been waiting since Friday to cross from rebel-held territory into the government-controlled city itself. The convoy was carrying residents and pro-government fighters from the rebel-besieged Shia villages of al-Foua and Kefraya in nearby Idlib province. They had left under a deal where in exchange hundreds of Sunni insurgents and their families were granted safe passage from Madaya a government-besieged town near Damascus. But a delay in the agreement had left all those evacuated stuck at transit points on Aleppos outskirts since late on Friday. Residents of al-Foua and Kefraya were waiting in the Rashidin area. The rebels and residents of Madaya near Damascus were waiting at the government-held Ramousah bus garage a few miles away. They were to be transported to the opposition stronghold of Idlib province. People waiting in the Ramousah garage heard the blast and said they feared revenge attacks by pro-government forces. They circulated a statement on social media imploring ""international organizations"" to intervene so the situation did not escalate. The evacuation deal is one of several over recent months that has seen President Bashar al-Assads government take back control of areas long besieged by his forces and their allies. The deals are unpopular with the Syrian opposition who say they amount to forced displacement of Assads opponents from Syrias main urban centers in the west of the country. They are also causing demographic changes because those who are displaced are usually Sunni Muslims like most of the opposition. Assad is from the minority Alawite sect and is supported by Shia regional allies. It was unclear who carried out Saturdays bombing attack. The exact reasons for the delay in completing the evacuation deal were also unclear. The Observatory said the delay was caused by the fact that rebels from Zabadani another town near Damascus included in the deal had not yet been granted safe passage out. FORCED DISPLACEMENT A pro-opposition activist said insurgents blamed the delay partly on the fact that a smaller number of pro-government fighters had left the Shia villages than was agreed. Earlier on Saturday at the transit point where the buses from al-Foua and Kefraya were waiting one resident said he was not yet sure where he would live. ""After Aleppo Ill see what the rest of the group is doing if there are any preparations. My house land and belongings are all in al-Foua"" Mehdi Tahhan said. A Madaya resident speaking from the bus garage inside Aleppo said people had been waiting there since late on Friday and were not being allowed to leave. ""Theres no drinking water or food. The bus garage is small so theres not much space to move around"" Ahmed 24 said. ""Were sad and angry about what has happened"" he said. Many people felt that they had been forced to leave"" he said. ""There was no other choice in the end - we were besieged inside a small area in Madaya."" Other evacuation deals in recent months have included areas of Aleppo and a district in the city of Homs. Syrias population is mostly Sunni. Assads Alawite religious minority is often considered an offshoot of Shia Islam. He has been backed militarily by Russia and by Shia fighters from Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah group in Syrias six-year-old conflict. Assad has the military advantage over rebels in the west thanks to Russias intervention in 2015 although the insurgents are still fighting back and have made gains in some areas.",ahram,4/15/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848129,Death toll in bomb attack on Syria evacuees hits 43 Monitor,Death toll in bomb attack on Syria evacuees hits 43 Monitor At least 43 people were killed Saturday in a suicide car bomb attack on buses carrying Syrians evacuated from two besieged government-held towns a monitor said in an updated toll. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said most of the dead were evacuees but they also included several rebels who had been guarding the buses at a transit point in Rashidin west of Aleppo.,ahram,4/15/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848131,40 dead in clashes between Islamist militants near Damascus Monitor,"40 dead in clashes between Islamist militants near Damascus Monitor Fierce clashes between Islamist militants near Damascus left at least 40 dead and 70 wounded on Friday a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the clashes pitted the Saudi-backed rebel faction Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) against Fateh al-Sham Al-Qaedas former branch in Syria and Faylaq al-Rahman which is backed by Qatar and Turkey. ""There were at least 15 dead among the ranks of Jaish al-Islam and 23 among its adversaries"" as well as two civilians the Britain-based Observatory said. Another 70 were wounded. Jaish al-Islam said its opponents had provoked the clashes by harassing reinforcements headed for Qabun east of the Syrian capital a front with regime forces. Faylaq al-Rahman denied the allegation. In May 2016 more than 300 people were killed in a battle between the two sides.",ahram,4/28/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1923848136,US-backed Syrian fighters pressing IS gunmen in north,US-backed Syrian fighters pressing IS gunmen in north US-backed Syrian fighters are pushing ahead in their offensive in northern Syria against members of the Islamic State group under the cover of U.S.-led coalition airstrikes. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the fighting between Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and IS members on the eastern outskirts of the town of Tabqa left at least 11 extremists dead. The SDF said on social media Monday that its fighters marched about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the eastern side of Tabqa the location of Syrias largest dam. Last week SDF fighters captured the area of Safsafeh east of Tabqa laying siege to the town. On March 22 U.S. aircraft ferried forces behind militant lines in the Tabqa area to spearhead a major assault near the extremists de facto capital Raqqa.,ahram,4/10/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1923848140,Strike kills 15 including 4 children in Syrias Idlib Monitor,Strike kills 15 including 4 children in Syrias Idlib Monitor An air strike killed 15 civilians including four children in Syrias northwestern province of Idlib on Saturday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The monitoring group said the strike on the village of Urum al-Joz was suspected to have been carried out by Russian planes which operate in support of the Syrian government.,ahram,4/8/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1923848141,One dead in raid on Syria chemical attack town Monitor,One dead in raid on Syria chemical attack town Monitor One woman was killed in an air strike Saturday on the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhun site of a suspected chemical weapons attack earlier this week a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was unclear if the strike on the rebel-held town in northwest Syrias Idlib province was carried out by Syrian planes or those of government ally Russia. The death was the first in the town since a suspected chemical weapons attack on Tuesday that killed 87 civilians including 31 children and left hundreds suffering symptoms including convulsions vomiting and foaming at the mouth. Much of the international community pointed the finger at President Bashar al-Assads government for the attack though it denied any responsibility. US President Donald Trump ordered the first direct US military action against Assads government in response to the attack launching missiles against an air base in central Syria. Khan Sheikhun has been hit several times since the Tuesday attack including in a strike in the hours afterwards on a hospital treating victims. Idlib province is largely held by an alliance of rebels including a former Al-Qaeda affiliate and is regularly targeted in Syrian and Russian air strikes. The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State (IS) militant group has also carried out rare strikes in the province. More than 320000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government demonstrations.,ahram,4/8/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1923848144,86 dead in suspected Syria chemical attack New toll,"86 dead in suspected Syria chemical attack New toll The death toll from a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held Syrian town has risen to 86 30 of them children a monitoring group said on Wednesday. ""There were also 20 women among the dead and the death toll could rise further because there are people missing"" the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The UN Security Council met Wednesday to debate a Western-drafted resolution condemning the air strike. But Moscow which holds a veto defended its Damascus ally saying that while Syrian aircraft had carried out a strike the chemicals were part of a ""terrorist"" stockpile of ""toxic substances"" that had been hit on the ground. Rebel groups led by former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front vowed revenge for Tuesdays strike in the town of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province in the northwest.",ahram,4/5/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1923848145,Shelling of rebel bastion near Syria capital kills 19 Monitor,"Tuesday 4 Apr 2017 Shelling of rebel bastion near Syria capital kills 19 Monitor At least 19 civilians were killed on Tuesday in heavy aerial bombardment of several opposition-held towns east of the Syrian capital a monitoring group said. Six children were among the dead in Eastern Ghouta the largest rebel bastion near Damascus the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. ""It was a series of air strikes throughout the day and the death toll may still rise"" the Britain-based group added. He said civilians had died in Jisreen Kafr Batna and the largest of the towns in Eastern Ghouta Douma. An AFP photographer in Douma saw half a dozen wounded children sitting on the floor of a makeshift clinic caked in dust and blood as they awaited treatment. But most of the victims - 14 - died in air strikes on an area between the opposition-held towns of Hammuriyah and Saqba. Another AFP photographer in Saqba saw residents scrambling over rubble and through clouds of dust tossing debris aside as they searched for signs of life. One man sat atop a small mountain of cinderblocks clothes and furniture with his head in his hands. The Observatory said Tuesdays bombardment brought to 49 the number killed in Eastern Ghouta in two days of attacks. ""There has been fierce artillery shelling and air strikes since yesterday and 165 people total have been wounded"" Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. Eastern Ghouta has been under a devastating government siege since 2012 and is targeted regularly by air strikes and artillery. It is the last remaining opposition stronghold near Damascus where a string of local ""reconciliation deals"" have seen villages and towns brought back under the control of President Bashar al-Assads government. Hundreds of people were killed in Eastern Ghouta in chemical weapons strikes allegedly carried out by government troops in August 2013. On Tuesday at least 58 people were killed in a suspected chemical attack on the northwestern Syrian town of Khan Sheikhun according to the Observatory. Dozens more suffered respiratory problems and symptoms including vomiting fainting and foaming at the mouth the monitor and doctors at the scene said. More than 320000 people have been killed and millions displaced since Syrias war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.",ahram,4/4/2017,damascus,0,,,,
1923848146,Suspected gas attack on Syrias rebel-held Idlib kills at least 58 Observatory,"Tuesday 4 Apr 2017 Suspected gas attack on Syrias rebel-held Idlib kills at least 58 Observatory Reuters A suspected gas attack believed to be by Syrian government jets killed at least 58 people including 11 children under the age of eight in the northwestern province of Idlib on Tuesday a war monitor and medical workers in the rebel-held area said. A Syrian military source strongly denied the army had used any such weapons. The attack caused many people to choke or faint and some had foam coming out of their mouths the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said citing medical sources who described it as a sign of a gas attack. The air strikes on the town of Khan Sheikhoun in the south of rebel-held Idlib also wounded more than 60 people said the Observatory a British-based war monitoring group. ""This morning at 630 a.m. warplanes targeted Khan Sheikhoun with gases believed to be sarin and chlorine"" said Mounzer Khalil head of Idlibs health authority adding that the attack had killed more than 50 people and wounded 300. ""Most of the hospitals in Idlib province are now overflowing with wounded people"" he told a news conference in Idlib. Warplanes later struck near a medical point where victims of the attack were being treated the Observatory said and civil defence workers said. The civil defence also known as the White Helmets - a rescue service that operates in opposition areas of Syria - said jets struck one of its centres in the area and the nearby medical point. It would mark the deadliest chemical attack in Syria since sarin gas killed hundreds of civilians in Ghouta near Damascus in August 2013. Western states said the Syrian government was responsible for that attack. Damascus blamed it on rebels. Military Denies The Syrian military source on Tuesday denied allegations that government forces had used chemical weapons dismissing the accounts as rebel propaganda. The army ""has not and does not use them not in the past and not in the future because it does not have them in the first place"" the source said. A joint inquiry for the United Nations and the global chemical weapons watchdog has previously accused government forces of toxic gas attacks. France called for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting about Tuesdays suspected attack. Reuters photographs showed people breathing through oxygen masks and wearing protection suits while others carried the bodies of dead children and corpses wrapped in blankets were lined up on the ground. Activists in northern Syria circulated pictures on social media showing a purported victim with foam around his mouth and rescue workers hosing down almost naked children squirming on the floor. Most of the towns streets had become empty a witness said. The conflict pits President Bashar al-Assads government helped by Russia and Iranian-backed militias against a wide array of rebel groups including some that have been supported by Turkey the United States and Gulf monarchies. The Russian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that Russian planes had not carried out air strikes on Idlib. Syrian and Russian air strikes have battered parts of Idlib despite a ceasefire that Turkey and Russia brokered in December according to the Observatory. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the suspected attack Turkish presidential sources said. They said the two leaders had also emphasised the importance of maintaining the ceasefire. Population Ballooned Idlib province contains the largest populated area controlled by the anti-Assad rebels - both nationalist Free Syrian Army groups and Islamist factions including the former al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. Idlibs population has ballooned with thousands of fighters and civilians shuttled out of Aleppo city and areas around Damascus that the government has retaken in recent months. U.S. air strikes since January have also hit several areas in the rural province where jihadists have a powerful presence. The United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons have been investigating whether Damascus is adhering to its commitments under the 2013 agreement which averted the threat of U.S.-led military intervention. In a report in October last year the inquiry said that government forces used chemical weapons at least three times in 2014-2015 and that Islamic State used mustard gas in 2015. Following the 2013 Ghouta attack the Syrian government joined the international Chemical Weapons Convention under a U.S.-Russian deal. The government which denied its forces were behind the Ghouta attack also agreed to hand over its declared stockpile of 1300 tonnes of toxic weaponry and dismantle its chemical weapons program under international supervision. Damascus has repeatedly denied using such weapons during the six-year war which has killed hundreds of thousands and created the worlds worst refugee crisis.",ahram,4/4/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1923848148,Barrel bomb attack kills 11 children in Syrias Aleppo Monitor,"Thursday 25 Aug 2016 Barrel bomb attack kills 11 children in Syrias Aleppo Monitor AFP Eleven children were killed on Thursday in a barrel bomb attack carried out by government forces on a rebel-held neighbourhood of Syrias Aleppo city a monitor said. ""Fifteen civilians among them 11 children were killed in a barrel bomb attack on the Bab al-Nayrab neighbourhood"" in southern Aleppo city the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. It also reported eight civilians including two children were killed Thursday in rebel fire on the government-held west of the city.",ahram,8/25/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848149,Syria regime pounds Kurdish positions for second day,"Friday 19 Aug 2016 Syria regime pounds Kurdish positions for second day AFP Syrian regime warplanes bombarded the northeastern city of Hasakeh for the second day on Friday targeting positions held by Kurdish forces a monitor and a journalist in the city said. Fresh strikes came as the Pentagon said that US-led coalition fighter jets scrambled to protect Kurdish forces working with American advisers in Syria as they were targeted by regime planes Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights - which monitors the conflict and determines which planes carry out raids according to their type location flight patterns and the munitions involved - said Fridays strikes were conducted by regime jets. The journalist in Hasakeh said eight air strikes could be heard throughout the day mostly focused in the citys southwestern neighbourhoods. Most of Hasakeh city the capital of the northeastern province by the same name is controlled by Kurdish forces while the rest is held by fighters loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. Since Wednesday clashes between the two forces have rocked the city leaving 23 civilians - including nine children - and 16 combattants dead the Observatory said. The Britain-based monitor said thousands of inhabitants had begun to flee Hasakeh where bread was running out and electricity supplies have been cut. Thursdays government raids on Hasakeh were the first time the regime had bombarded Kurdish positions from the air. The development prompted jets from the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq to intervene in order to protect Kurdish forces working alongside US advisors a Pentagon spokesman said Friday. ""This was done as a measure to protect coalition forces"" Captain Jeff Davis said. ""We did make clear that US aircraft would defend troops on the ground if threatened."" The Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) are a key US ally in the fight against IS. Washington regards them as the most effective fighting force on the ground in Syria and has provided weapons and special forces military advisers. IS controls most of the Euphrates valley to the south of Hasakeh and tensions between regime and Kurdish forces have sometimes led to armed clashes in spite of their common jihadist enemy. The Kurds who control much of northeastern and northern Syria along the Turkish border where they have proclaimed an autonomous Kurdish region recently demanded that the pro-government National Defence Forces disband in Hasakeh. A government source in the city told AFP that the air strikes were ""a message to the Kurds that they should stop this sort of demand that constitutes an affront to national sovereignty"". More than 290000 people have been killed since Syrias conflict erupted in March 2011.",ahram,8/19/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1923848150,More than 30 Syrian rebels killed in IS group suicide blast,"More than 30 Syrian rebels killed in IS group suicide blast The Islamic State militants group (IS) on Monday claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed more than 30 Syrian rebel fighters in a blast near the Turkish border. IS in a statement published on Twitter and the messaging service Telegram said a suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt among rebels ""getting ready to fight the Islamic State"". The blast on Sunday night struck the Atme border crossing between Turkey and the northern Syrian province of Idlib according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The monitoring group said the anti-regime fighters were travelling by bus to Turkey then back into Syria towards the rebel bastion of Azaz in Aleppo province. The attack killed 32 rebels as they were entering Turkey the Britain-based Observatory said updating an earlier toll on Sunday evening of 15. Its head Rami Abdel Rahman said the toll could rise further as other fighters remained critically wounded. ISs statement said the attack left ""nearly 50"" rebels dead charging they took orders from the US-led coalition fighting IS in Iraq and Syria. IS has tried to advance on rebel territory in Aleppo province - particularly the towns of Azaz and nearby Marea - for several months. A major militant offensive in May saw IS encircle Marea but rebels pushed back the assault the following month after receiving ammunition from the coalition. More than 290000 people have been killed since Syrias conflict erupted in March 2011.",ahram,8/15/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1923848151,Warplanes pound Syrias Idlib as battles rage in Aleppo,"Sunday 14 Aug 2016 Warplanes pound Syrias Idlib as battles rage in Aleppo AP Syrias rebel-held northwestern Idlib province came under heavy bombardment Sunday activists reported as rebels and pro-government forces battled for control of the nearby city of Aleppo. Much of the fighting has been marked by indiscriminate shelling missile attacks and aerial bombardment killing scores of civilians across Idlib and Aleppo. The rebels do not have an air force. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 26 airstrikes on Sunday across Idlib one of the last remaining opposition bastions. Observatory head Rami Abdurrahman said Russian and government airstrikes on the province have intensified since rebels launched a campaign from Idlib to break a government siege of Aleppos opposition districts on July 31. The strikes have killed 122 civilians he said. Another 327 civilians including 126 children have been killed in fighting in Aleppo province according to the Observatory which monitors both sides of the conflict and gathers information from a network of activists inside Syria. The toll includes 126 people killed by rebel shelling of government-held parts of Aleppo city. Tens of thousands of Syrians displaced from Aleppo have found refuge in Idlib home to a pre-war population of 1.5 million. The Local Coordination Committees an activist network said Russian jets struck the towns of Jisr al-Shaghour and Binnish while the Observatory reported strikes on the provincial capital Idlib. It was unclear how the activists identified the planes. Aleppo once Syrias largest city and commercial capital is now the focal point of the civil war and the only major city where the opposition to President Bashar Assad still has a foothold. The rebel campaign spearheaded by ultraconservative factions including the al-Qaida-linked Jaish Fatah al-Sham formerly known as the Nusra Front has drawn manpower from Idlib some 30 kilometers (19 miles) to the west. A spokesman for the ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham faction confirmed that the rebels were drawing recruits from Idlib. ""The battle for Aleppo concerns all of Syria"" said Abu Khaled who gave only his nom de guerre. At least 97 rebel fighters from Idlib have died in combat in Aleppo since July 31 according to Abdurrahman. Aleppo is still home to some 2 million people most of whom live in the government-controlled western districts. On Sunday evening rebels opened a new front sending a truck bomb into the western Zahraa neighborhood according to the Twitter account of the Islamic Front one of the factions fighting for the city. The Observatory reported fighting in the citys western and southern districts. To the east a Kurdish-led force known as the Syria Democratic Forces drove the Islamic State group out of the strategic town of Manbij on Saturday and announced a new campaign against al-Bab a nearby town held by the extremists. The U.S. has provided the SDF with air cover and American special forces are advising them on the ground. Moscow has been waging an air campaign in support of government forces for nearly a year. Russias military said six long-range Tu-22M3 bombers that took off from Russian territory carried out strikes Sunday on IS near the eastern Syrian city of Deir el-Zour. It made no mention of any strikes in Idlib. Elsewhere in Syria rebels and government forces battled around a major power plant in the central Hama province. State media reported that rebels inflicted heavy damage to the Zaara generating station while an opposition media activist in the nearby town of Aqrab said the power plant was not targeted. Obeida al-Hamawi of the activist-run Hama Media Center said government forces had launched an assault from positions near the plant to retake the village of Zaara captured by rebels earlier this year. He said electricity was still being supplied to the area. The Observatory reported heavy clashes in the area. In the south rockets set two apartment blocks on fire in a besieged opposition-held suburb of Damascus. The local council in Daraya accused the government of using incendiary weapons and posted videos showing volunteers transporting water tanks on tractors to help firefighters battle the blaze. The Observatory also reported a government rocket attack on the suburb. Following an international appeal the Syrian Arab Red Crescent evacuated a 10-year-old girl from the besieged Damascus suburb of Madaya to receive urgent care after activists say she was shot by a pro-government sniper on Aug. 2. Syrian state media said ""terrorists"" shot Ghinwa Qweider and then prevented her evacuation. Amnesty International said the government held up the request for nearly two weeks.",ahram,8/14/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1923848153,Rebel fire in Syrias Aleppo kills 14 State media,"Wednesday 10 Aug 2016 Rebel fire in Syrias Aleppo kills 14 State media AFP A barrage of rocket fire from Syrian rebels killed at least 14 people and left dozens wounded Wednesday in government-held neighbourhoods of divided Aleppo city state media said. Fighting struck the southern edges of the battered city Wednesday night as opposition fighters and regime forces gear up for a major protracted battle that could mark a turning point in the five-year war. Syrian state news agency SANA said rebel fire on the regime-controlled district of Hamdaniyeh on Wednesday killed 13 people and wounded 25 others. Rocket attacks on another government-held neighbourhood killed one person and wounded 12 others earlier in the day. SANA said Russian and government planes targeted ""terrorist"" positions in the citys south as an AFP journalist in Aleppo said intense air strikes and artillery fire could be heard. But it was unclear if the major push for control of the city had begun. An estimated 1.2 million people live in zones controlled by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo with about 250000 people in the rebel-held eastern districts. Residents across the city have been living in fear of competing sieges since fighting surged in late June over rival access routes into Aleppo. Russias military announced a three-hour daily halt of fighting starting on Thursday to allow humanitarian convoys to reach Aleppo but the UNs top aid official said it would not be enough. The United Nations has called for a fully-fledged ceasefire or at least 48-hour weekly pauses for aid deliveries. Once Syrias economic hub Aleppo has been ravaged by fighting since mid-2012 just one year after the countrys conflict erupted.",ahram,8/10/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848154,Air raids kill 10 near Syria hospital Monitor,Saturday 6 Aug 2016 Air raids kill 10 near Syria hospital Monitor AFP A barrage of air strikes on Saturday near a hospital in northwestern Syria killed at least 10 civilians said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The monitor said the raids targeted the town of Milis in Idlib province which borders Turkey and is controlled by a rebel alliance led by Al-Qaedas former Syrian branch. The Britain-based monitor said three children and two women were among the dead adding that the raids were carried out by either Russian or regime warplanes. The Idlib Media Center which publishes news on developments in the province said a hospital was hit in the raid by unidentified aircraft and that at least six people had been killed. The World Health Organisation said Syria was the most dangerous place for health care workers to operate last year with 135 attacks on health facilities and workers in 2015. In late July four makeshift hospitals and a local blood bank in Syrias battered Aleppo city were hit by air raids in a single day. More than 280000 people have been killed since Syrias conflict erupted in 2011 and millions have been forced to flee including around five million who have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.,ahram,8/6/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1923848159,Barrel bombs kill at least 15 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor,Saturday 27 Aug 2016 Barrel bombs kill at least 15 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor AFP At least 15 civilians were killed in a barrel bomb attack on a rebel-held district of Syrias Aleppo city on Saturday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The Britain-based group said the strikes hit Maadi district in eastern Aleppo near a tent where relatives of people killed in a barrel bombing earlier this week were receiving condolences.,ahram,8/27/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848160,10 civilians dead in air strike on Syria rebel town Monitor,"Friday 29 Jul 2016 10 civilians dead in air strike on Syria rebel town Monitor AFP At least 10 civilians were killed including five children in air strikes Friday on the rebel-held town of Atareb in Aleppo province of northern Syria a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said three strikes targeted the main road and centre of the town warning the death toll could rise because of a large number of seriously wounded. It was unclear if Syrian regime warplanes or aircraft of its Russian allies carried out what the Observatory called ""a new massacre"" that left children dismembered.",ahram,7/29/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848163,Syria regime bombing kills 16 in rebel-held Aleppo Monitor,Wednesday 27 Jul 2016 Syria regime bombing kills 16 in rebel-held Aleppo Monitor AFP Syrian government air strikes and artillery fire killed at least 16 civilians on Wednesday in rebel-held neighbourhoods in the east of Aleppo city a monitor said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the toll could rise because people were still trapped under the rubble.,ahram,7/27/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848164,Double bomb attack kills 31 in Syrian Kurdish city state TV,Wednesday 27 Jul 2016 Double bomb attack kills 31 in Syrian Kurdish city state TV AFP Print Tweet Views 729 Related IS group claims responsibility for attack on Syrian town Double bomb attack kills 31 in Syrian Kurdish city state TV -A double bomb attack killed 31 people in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria on Wednesday Syrian state television reported. In a breaking news alert it said rescue workers were still retrieving victims of the blasts and that at least 170 people had also been wounded.,ahram,7/27/2016,hasakeh,0,,,,
1923848165,Syrian state TV says 22 killed in car bomb in northern Syria,Wednesday 27 Jul 2016 Syrian state TV says 22 killed in car bomb in northern Syria AP Syrias state TV has raised the death toll from a car bombing in a predominantly Kurdish town in the countrys north saying 22 people died and dozens were wounded. The TV says the car blew up on the western edge of the town of Qamishli near the Turkish border on Wednesday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the explosion targeted a center of the local Kurdish police and a nearby government building. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but the Islamic State group has carried out several bombings in Kurdish areas in Syria in the past. The predominantly Kurdish U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces have been the main force fighting IS group in northern Syria and have captured wide areas from the extremists.,ahram,7/27/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1923848166,Aleppo rebel tunnel blast killed 38 regime forces monitor,AFP Friday 22 Jul 2016 Aleppo rebel tunnel blast killed 38 regime forces monitor Print Tweet Views 1430 Related Syrias Assad says Turkeys Erdogan exploiting coup 43 civilians dead in bombardment of Syria rebel-held areas Monitor UN pleads for weekly 48-hour truce in Syrias Aleppo Nearly 40 Syrian soldiers and pro-regime fighters were killed when rebels blew up a tunnel under a government position in Aleppo city a monitor said Friday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 38 members of government forces were killed in the blast on Thursday which brought down a building used by the regime in Aleppos Old City.,ahram,7/22/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848168,US-led strikes kill 56 civilians in Syria Monitor,"Tuesday 19 Jul 2016 US-led strikes kill 56 civilians in Syria Monitor AFP Children were among at least 56 civilians killed in strikes by a US-led coalition early on Tuesday near a Syrian village held by the Islamic State (IS) group a monitor said. ""There are at least 56 dead including 11 children and dozens more wounded including some in critical condition"" said Rami Abdel Rahman director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The monitor said that the civilians were hit as they were fleeing fighting in the Aleppo province village of Al-Tukhar and that they had apparently been mistaken for IS group fighters. The Observatory - which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information - says it determines what planes carried out raids according to their type location flight patterns and the munitions involved. Asked about the incident the coalition had no immediate comment but said it was looking into the reports. Al-Tukhar lies 14 kilometres (nine miles) north of the town of Manbij a key IS group stronghold that has been repeatedly targeted in raids by the US-led coalition. On Monday the Observatory said 21 civilians had been killed in coalition raids in the area 15 in a northern district of Manbij and another six in Al-Tukhar. Manbij sits on ISs main supply route between Syria and neighbouring Turkey and has been the target of a US-backed offensive by a Kurdish-Arab alliance of fighters since May 31. In June the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance broke into western districts of the town but their advance has been slowed in the past month because of landmines planted by the jihadists and ongoing suicide attacks. Near Aleppo government forces sought to tighten their siege of rebel-held districts of the battleground second city. Clashes erupted around Handarat a largely deserted Palestinian refugee camp north of the city after government forces seized parts of the only remaining supply route into rebel-held eastern districts effectively severing them from the outside world. The capture of the Castello Road has raised fears of a lengthy siege of east Aleppo where residents have already reported food shortages and rising prices. The Observatory said fierce clashes were underway around Handarat Camp which is less than two kilometres (barely a mile) from the northern outskirts of the city. ""If the regime takes Handarat it will be able to completely asphyxiate the rebels in east Aleppo and they will be unable to launch counter-attacks to retake the Castello Road"" Abdel Rahman told AFP. Analysts have warned that the government advances around Aleppo could be ""devastating"" for the rebels. And the United Nations has raised concern about the fate of the more then 200000 people still living in rebel-held districts. It said relief supplies had already been stockpiled in the city but ""further life-saving aid is needed urgently.""",ahram,7/19/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848169,Coalition raids kill 21 civilians in IS stronghold in Syria Monitor,Coalition raids kill 21 civilians in IS stronghold in Syria Monitor Air strikes by the US-led coalition killed at least 21 civilians in and around a stronghold of the Islamic State group in northern Syria on Monday a monitor said. At least 15 civilians were killed in raids in a northern district of Manbij while six others were killed in a village near the city according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The militant bastion has faced a more than month-long US-backed offensive by Kurdish and Arab fighters that has caused thousands of civilians to flee.,ahram,7/18/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848170,Air raids kill 18 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor,"Air raids kill 18 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor AFP Saturday 16 Jul 2016 Air raids on rebel-held districts of Syrias battleground second city of Aleppo killed 18 civilians on Saturday a monitor said. ""Eleven civilians including four children were killed by air raids after midnight in the Bab al-Nasr area of Old Aleppo and seven others including a baby were killed in Fardous neighbourhood"" the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.",ahram,7/16/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848171,Air raids kill 11 civilians in east Syria Monitor,"Air raids kill 11 civilians in east Syria Monitor AFP Friday 15 Jul 2016 ""At least 11 civilians - among them four women and four children - were killed in Syrian or Russian air raids on the Al-Boulil region that is controlled by the Islamic State group in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor"" the Britain-based monitor said. The area is some 30 kilometres (18 miles) southeast of the provincial capital Deir Ezzor city which has been largely under IS control since 2013. Syrias state news agency SANA reported that government aircraft destroyed ""two sites containing weapons and military equipment of the Daesh (IS) terrorists"" southeast of Deir Ezzor. IS has been trying to take the entire province where part of the capital and the military airport are still under the control of government forces. On Thursday the jihadist group said it had shot down a regime MiG warplane south of the provincial capital killing its pilot. It said the jet had attacked several villages before being targeted and crashing. The Observatory - which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information - said the plane downed on Thursday was the fourth shot down by IS since April.",ahram,7/15/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848172,Air strikes kill 12 in rebel-held areas of Syrias Aleppo Monitor,Air strikes kill 12 in rebel-held areas of Syrias Aleppo Monitor AFP Thursday 14 Jul 2016 Air strikes kill 11 including children in Syrias Idlib monitor Turkey PM says aims to develop relations with Syria Iraq Air strikes killed at least 12 civilians including children in two rebel-held neighbourhoods of Syrias Aleppo city on Thursday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitoring group said it was unclear whether the strikes were carried out by Syrian government or Russian warplanes.,ahram,7/14/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848173,Air strikes kill 11 including children in Syrias Idlib monitor,Air strikes kill 11 including children in Syrias Idlib monitor AFP Wednesday 13 Jul 2016 At least 11 civilians including three children were killed in air strikes on a rebel-held town in Syrias northwestern Idlib province on Wednesday a monitor said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said it was unclear if the strikes on the town of Ariha in Idlib province were carried out by Syrian government or Russian war planes. The town is controlled by the Army of Conquest a rebel alliance of mainly Islamist groups including Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front that holds almost all of Idlib province. Video uploaded by activists purportedly showed the aftermath of the strikes with residents and civil defence workers picking though debris looking for survivors. Idlib has regularly been targeted by both Syrian government air strikes and raids carried out by its Russian ally. A longtime backer of the government in Damascus Moscow stepped up its support for President Bashar al-Assad on September 30 when it began an air campaign aimed at bolstering regime positions. Elsewhere in the country the Observatory said at least eight people were killed on Wednesday in the town of Rastan in central Homs province. Five of them died in air strikes on the towns market place which also wounded dozens of people. Another three were killed in shelling earlier Wednesday.,ahram,7/13/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1923848174,Coalition air strikes Turkish army kill 8 IS group militants Report,Coalition air strikes Turkish army kill 8 IS group militants Report Reuters Sunday 10 Jul 2016 Ten IS group targets were hit in the strikes which also destroyed one building used by the militants as a base the agency said. It said Turkish army howitzers fired on the militants as they were preparing to open fire on Turkey on Saturday from the areas of Baragitah Tel Ahmar and Shabaniye in northern Syria. Turkey and the coalition have carried out regular strikes against IS group in the area in recent months after rocket attacks by the militants on the Turkish border town of Kilis. Kilis just across the frontier from an IS group-controlled region of Syria has been hit by rockets more than 70 times this year. More than 20 people have been killed.,ahram,7/10/2016,quneitra,1,,,,
1923848175,Rocket attacks kill at least 30 in Syrias Aleppo,Rocket attacks kill at least 30 in Syrias Aleppo AP Saturday 9 Jul 2016 Syrian pass burnt-out vehicles the day after shelling on the regime-held Furqan neighbourhood of the northern divided Syrian city of Aleppo on July 9 2016 (Photo AFP) Syrian state media says 30 people have been killed in rocket fire overnight in Aleppo the countrys largest city and the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in Syrias civil war now in its sixth year. SANA says rebel groups targeted residential neighborhoods in the government-held area of the divided city hammering them with rocket fire Friday night. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 34 people were killed 6 of them women or children. It says a further nine among them eight women and children were killed in presumed Russian or Syrian government airstrikes and rocket attacks on the opposition-held side of the city. A government offensive made the last supply route to the opposition side impassable Thursday. The Observatory says clashes are ongoing in the area.,ahram,7/9/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848176,Motorbike bomber kills 16 outside bakery in Syrias Hasakeh,"Motorbike bomber kills 16 outside bakery in Syrias Hasakeh AFP Tuesday 5 Jul 2016 A motorcycle bomber killed at least 16 people and wounded 40 Tuesday in a suicide attack on a Kurdish-populated district of the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh an official said. A Kurdish police source confirmed the death toll to an AFP correspondent and said the assailant blew himself up in front of a bakery. ""A suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up in the Salihiah neighbourhood of Hasakeh city"" said Rami Abdel Rahman head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights adding that 15 of the wounded were in critical condition.",ahram,7/5/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1923848177,43 killed in Syria army shelling of rebel town Monitor,"43 killed in Syria army shelling of rebel town Monitor AFP Sunday 3 Jul 2016 Fierce government bombardment of an opposition-controlled Syrian town has killed 43 people among them children and medical staff a monitoring group said Sunday in a new toll. Hours of air strikes and shelling on Saturday struck Jayrud 60 kilometres (35 miles) northeast of Damascus according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said two medics were among the dead as well as women and children. One of those killed was Amjad al-Danaf head of Jayruds medical centre. Activists mourned him online and said he was killed in an air raid as he was trying to treat residents wounded in the attacks. The bombardment - the first on Jayrud in at least two years - began after Syrias armed forces said Islamist militants killed a government pilot when he was forced to eject from his plane on Friday. In a statement the military had pledged that the attack on its pilot ""will not go unpunished"". Early Sunday Abdel Rahman said prominent figures in Jayrud had reached an agreement with government officials that rebel fighters would leave the town and hand over the pilots body in exchange for a halt to the shelling. A Facebook page run by Jayrud activists that publishes news about the town said rebels began withdrawing from their bases around the town overnight. Anti-regime factions in Jayrud include the Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) the hardline Ahrar al-Sham and Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. A truce between the regime and local representatives had kept the town calm for over two years. Dozens of similar agreements have been brokered among the myriad of armed groups fighting in Syrias complex war. But a broader ceasefire between government forces and non-jihadist rebels brokered by the United States and Russia in February has been repeatedly violated by both sides. More than 280000 people have been killed and millions have been displaces since Syrias conflict broke out in March 2011.",ahram,7/3/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1923848178,2 medics among 31 dead in Syria army reprisal for slain pilot,"2 medics among 31 dead in Syria army reprisal for slain pilot AFP Saturday 2 Jul 2016 Syrian government shelling of a rebel-held town killed 31 people including two medics on Saturday as a two-year local truce broke down after suspected Al-Qaeda militants killed a captured regime pilot. The bombardment struck the town of Jayrud 60 kilometres (35 miles) northeast of Damascus where the army says Islamist rebels killed the pilot after he was forced to eject on Friday. In its statement about the incident the military said the attack ""will not go unpunished."" The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturdays attack was the first bombardment of the town in at least two years. ""Prominent figures in Jayrud have had a local truce with the regime for at least two years and neither fired on each other"" Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. He said at least 31 people were killed including two medics. It was not immediately clear how many of the rest were civilians. Activists in the town said the head of the local medical centre and several colleagues were killed. ""There have been at least 45 air strikes today. The towns medical centre was hit and its director Amjad al-Danaf was killed"" activist Abu Malek al-Jayrudi told AFP via the Internet. He said the town is home to some 60000 people and that the bombardment had not stopped since early Saturday. Rebel groups in Jayrud include the Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) the hardline Ahrar al-Sham and Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. Jaish al-Islam spokesman Islam Alloush said on Friday that Al-Nusra Front had executed the air force pilot. Several government aircraft have been shot down by rebels or crashed because of technical faults since the civil war erupted five years ago. According to the Observatory three Syrian officers were killed on Friday when their helicopter crashed in the south near territory held by the Islamic State jihadist group. Abdel Rahman said government forces had managed to recover the bodies of the victims of the crash the cause of which remained unclear. ""We dont know if it was a technical issue or not but the bodies are with the regime"" Abdel Rahman said. Dozens of local truces have been brokered between the myriad of armed groups fighting in Syrias increasingly complex civil war. But a nationwide ceasefire between government forces and non-jihadist rebels brokered by Moscow and Washington in February has been repeatedly violated by both sides. US officials have accused Russia of not doing enough to rein in its ally President Bashar al-Assad. Moscow has countered that rebel groups that have failed to break ranks with Al-Qaeda and continue to fight alongside it are legitimate targets. The civil war which began with peaceful protests in 2011 has killed more than 280000 people and driven millions from their homes.",ahram,7/2/2016,damascus,1,,,,
1923848179,Syria air raids kill 25 civilians Monitor,Syria air raids kill 25 civilians Monitor AFP Friday 1 Jul 2016 Separate air raids in northern Syria by regime aircraft and warplanes of the US-led international coalition killed at least 25 civilians on Friday a monitoring group said. President Bashar al-Assads air force attacked a crowded market in Aleppo citys rebel-held district of Tariq al-Bab killing 11 people the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Another five people were killed in an air raid on the southern rebel-held neighbourhood of Sheikh Said it said. The Britain-based monitor said rebel bombardment of government-held districts killed two civilians in the city that has been divided since July 2012. It also said a coalition raid on the northern city of Manbij where US-backed fighters are battling the Islamic State jihadist group killed two women and their seven children. Kurdish and Syrian Arab fighters have been advancing on Manbij an important waypoint between the Turkish border and Raqa the jihadists de facto capital. The conflict in Syria has killed more than 280000 people over the past five years and displaced millions from their homes.,ahram,7/1/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848180,18 dead in IS attack on Kurd-held Syria town Monitor,18 dead in IS attack on Kurd-held Syria town Monitor AFP Thursday 30 Jul 2015 At least 18 people were killed Thursday when Islamic State group jihadists attacked a town in northern Syria recently captured by Kurdish forces a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said several IS fighters infiltrated Sarrin in Aleppo province and attacked a school being used as a base by the Kurds. A first attacker blew himself up with the rest then opening fire the Britain-based monitor said. At least 10 Kurdish fighters were killed in the blast and subsequent gun battle along with eight IS members including the bomber the Observatory said. Kurdish forces captured Sarrin Monday after several weeks of intense clashes with IS. The town lies along the M4 highway which IS uses to transport fighters and supplies between Aleppo province and the groups de facto Syrian capital of Raqa in the east. Its capture cut off ISs main access route to parts of Aleppo province where the jihadists are fighting both Kurdish forces and rebel groups.,ahram,7/30/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848181,Syria rebel rocket kills five children,Syria rebel rocket kills five children AFP Sunday 26 Jul 2015 Rebel rocket fire on a government-held area of Syrias second city Aleppo killed five children four of them brothers a monitoring group said on Sunday. The Saturday evening rocket struck the Shahba al-Jadida district in the west of the city where loyalist forces have held out since rebels seized the east in 2012 the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Civilian casualties have been high in Aleppo where both sides are accused of indiscriminate bombing.,ahram,7/26/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848182,Turkish air strikes kill 9 IS fighters in Syria Monitor,"Turkish air strikes kill 9 IS fighters in Syria Monitor AFP Friday 24 Jul 2015 Turkish warplanes killed nine fighters of the Islamic State group in strikes on jihadist positions in Syria on Friday a monitor said. ""Turkish aircraft carried out three strikes on IS positions in northwestern Aleppo province killing nine... and wounding 12"" said Rami Abdel Rahman head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.",ahram,7/24/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848183,12 civilians dead in Syrian raid on IS-held village Monitor,"12 civilians dead in Syrian raid on IS-held village Monitor AFP Wednesday 22 Jul 2015 At least 12 civilians including four children and a pregnant woman were killed Wednesday in Syrian regime air raids on a jihadist-held village in the northern province of Aleppo a monitor said. ""The air force dropped barrel bombs this morning on the village of Qasr el-Breij"" held by the Islamic State (IS) group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Dozens of people were also wounded in the village which lies more than 60 kilometres (35 miles) from the city of Aleppo. Rami Abdel Rahman the Observatorys director said the regime was ""trying to distance the jihadist threat from sectors of Aleppo province held by the army"" but killing scores of civilians in the process. Barrel bombs are crude weapons - containers packed with explosives and scrap metal that are typically dropped from helicopters. President Bashar al-Assad has denied government forces use the weapons which rights groups say kill indiscriminately in their battle against rebels. Since July 11 regime bombardment of IS-held towns and villages in Aleppo has cost the lives of 136 civilians northeast of the city especially in Al-Bab which lies near a military airport said the Observatory which takes its information from a vast network of sources on the ground.",ahram,7/22/2015,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848184,Missile kills 18 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor,"Missile kills 18 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor AFP Tuesday 21 Jul 2015 A missile fired by Syrian forces killed at least 18 civilians on Tuesday in a residential neighbourhood of the old quarter of Aleppo city a monitoring group said. (reuters) A missile fired by Syrian forces killed at least 18 civilians on Tuesday in a residential neighbourhood of the old quarter of Aleppo city a monitoring group said. ""The missile struck when people were still inside their homes in the Maghayir district. It killed 18 civilians including one child and wounded dozens of others"" said Rami Abdel Rahman director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. ""There are many people still stuck in the rubble and ambulances are going back and forth transporting people"" Abdel Rahman said. Photos published by his Britain-based monitoring group showed crumbling walls surrounded by a sea of dusty cinderblocks. Groups of men some wearing the white helmets of civil defence volunteers trudged through the rubble. More than 35 homes were destroyed the Observatory said. Once Syrias commercial hub Aleppo is divided between rebel groups entrenched in the east and government troops in the western neighbourhoods. It has suffered devastating damage as each side tries to dislodge the other. Rights groups have criticised both sides for indiscriminate attacks on civilians including with the regimes notorious barrel bombs. The Observatory said running water was restored Tuesday in Aleppo after a cut of more than three weeks apparently after an understanding between the regime and Al-Qaedas affiliate in Syria Al-Nusra Front. Al-Nusra which controls the pumping station in a rebel-held district had cut off supplies to pressure the government to restore electricity to areas under its control. The rebels turned the water back on after the regime caved in and restored electricity supplies according to the Observatory. Elsewhere in the war-battered country the Syrian army and its allies from Lebanons Shiite militia Hezbollah captured more territory inside Zabadani the last rebel-held town on the two countries border the Observatory said. They seized the Sahel district driving out the rebels under heavy bombardment. The two-week-old battle for Zabadani has cost the lives of at least 63 rebels and 21 Hezbollah fighters according to the Observatory which has not given a toll for the army. Syrias conflict which began in 2011 with anti-government protests has degenerated into a multi-front civil war that has killed more than 230000 people.",ahram,7/21/2015,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848186,Barrel bombs kill 11 civilians in IS town in Syria,"Barrel bombs kill 11 civilians in IS town in Syria AFP Thursday 16 Jul 2015 At least 11 civilians among them three children were killed Thursday in regime barrel bomb attacks on a jihadist-held town in northern Syria a monitoring group said. Government helicopters dropped the crude and indiscriminate weapons on Al-Bab which lies in the northern province of Aleppo and is held by the extremist Islamic State group according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Since Saturday at least 68 civilians have been killed in aerial attacks on the town. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP the ""intensified air attacks by regime forces on Al-Bab are aimed at foiling IS efforts on multiple fronts"" including the nearby Kweyris military airport which IS has besieged for more than a year. Al-Bab is strategically important because it is one of ISs closest positions to regime-held parts of Aleppo he said. In May more than 60 civilians were killed by barrel bomb attacks on the town. Syrias embattled regime has heavily bombarded areas in Aleppo province that have fallen out of its control. To the west in Idlib province an alliance of rebels and Islamist fighters carried heavily shelled the provinces last two regime-held Shiite villages for the second consecutive day. The ""Army of Conquest"" an opposition coalition that includes Al-Qaedas Syria affiliate Al-Nusra Front began its assault on Fuaa and Kafraya on Wednesday. ""Dozens of shells fell overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning on Fuaa and Kafraya which are largely inhabited by Shiite Muslims"" the Observatory said. Abdel Rahman said there were casualties but had no immediate toll. The Army of Conquest said Wednesday its attack was a response to an offensive by the army and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah on Zabadani the last rebel-held bastion along the Syrian-Lebanese border. Clashes in Zabadani raged on Thursday according to the Observatory which has documented heavy shelling on the town since early July. At least 230000 people have been killed in Syrias multi-front conflict which began in 2011 with anti-government protests but devolved into a civil war.",ahram,7/16/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848187,13 civilians killed in regime air raids on northern Syria,"13 civilians killed in regime air raids on northern Syria AFP Wednesday 15 Jul 2015 Thirteen civilians among them seven children were killed in aerial attacks by Syrias government Wednesday on the northern province of Aleppo a monitoring group said. ""A woman and her three children as well as another child were killed when helicopters dropped a barrel bomb on the village of Taduf"" said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Taduf which lies in the northeast of Syrias Aleppo province is controlled by the Islamic State group. In the provinces west ""eight civilians including three children were killed when regime warplanes struck the village of Daret Izza"" held by Islamist fighters and other rebels. ""Regime forces are continuing to kill civilians through aerial attacks with barrel bombs or shells indifferent to the international resolutions on this matter"" said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. He said the attacks amounted to ""war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by regime forces on a daily basis."" Abdel Rahman told AFP the bombing campaign was an effort by the regime ""to turn civilians against the opposition factions or against IS with the reasoning that the aerial attacks are a result of the presence of fighters inside their towns and villages."" The regime has stepped up air attacks in Aleppo province in recent days killing at least 57 civilians when it dropped ""container bombs"" on the IS-held town of Al-Bab at the weekend.",ahram,7/15/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848188,Huge regime bombs kill 28 in IS-held Syria town Monitor,"Huge regime bombs kill 28 in IS-held Syria town Monitor AFP Saturday 11 Jul 2015 Syrias regime killed at least 28 people mostly civilians on Saturday when its warplanes dropped massive makeshift bombs on a town held by the Islamic State group a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the ""container bombs"" used in the attacks on Al-Bab in the northern province of Aleppo were three times bigger than crudely constructed barrel bombs that have already drawn widespread international condemnation.",ahram,7/11/2015,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848189,Bomb rockets kill 19 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor,"Bomb rockets kill 19 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor AFP Thursday 9 Jul 2015 At least 19 civilians including five children were killed by a Syrian regime barrel bomb attack and rebel rocket fire in Aleppo a monitoring group said on Thursday. Fifteen of the dead among them four of the children came in the barrel bomb strike on a rebel-held district of the divided northern city the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. ""The children were aged under 10"" said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman adding that a pregnant woman was also among Wednesdays dead. The crude explosives-filled container hit a building in the northeastern neighbourhood of Karam al-Beik as residents were sitting down to the iftar meal which breaks the daytime fast observed during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The other four civilians were killed by rebel rocket fire on the government-held district of Midane the Observatory said. For the past three years Syrias pre-war economic hub has been divided between a government-held western sector and a rebel-held eastern one. The rebels launched a major offensive in the first week of July to try to advance the front line. More than 220000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011 that were met with a bloody crackdown.",ahram,7/9/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848191,9 dead as new Islamist alliance attacks Syrias Aleppo Monitor,"9 dead as new Islamist alliance attacks Syrias Aleppo Monitor AFP Thursday 2 Jul 2015 At least nine people were killed and dozens wounded on Thursday as a new Islamist opposition alliance including Al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate attacked government-held parts of Aleppo city a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four civilians had been killed and more than 70 wounded in a massive multi-district assault by the rebel coalition. Another five rebel fighters were killed in the clashes that erupted with government forces in western Aleppo. Rebels fired several hundred rockets and projectiles into at least seven government-held neighbourhoods with the army returning fire and regime aircraft carrying out raids Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. He described the clashes as some of the fiercest yet in the government-held parts of the city particularly in the district of Zahra already partly under opposition control and home to an air force intelligence base. The new alliance calling itself Ansar Sharia including various Islamist factions and the jihadist Al-Nusra Front Al-Qaedas affiliate in Syria. Online a statement announcing the grouping pledged ""victory for the Muslims of Aleppo"". Control of Aleppo once Syrias economic powerhouse has been divided between government and rebel forces since shortly after fighting began there in mid-2012. The regime largely controls the west of the city with rebels from different factions present in the east. The situation is largely reversed in the countryside surrounding the city and both government and rebel forces have at times sought to encircle their opponents and besiege them. In recent months Al-Nusra has allied elsewhere with Islamist rebels to win large swathes of territory from the regime particularly in northwestern Idlib. Most of that province is now under rebel control after a grouping named the Army of Conquest which includes Al-Nusra and its allies seized the provincial capital and most remaining government strongholds. More than 230000 people have been killed in Syria since the countrys conflict began in March 2011.",ahram,7/2/2015,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848192,Air strikes in Syria kill at least 20 Islamic State fighters Monitor,Air strikes in Syria kill at least 20 Islamic State fighters Monitor US-led air strikes killed at least 20 Islamic State fighters in northeastern Syria near the border with Iraq an organisation monitoring the conflict said on Friday. Rami Abdulrahman who runs the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 19 explosions were heard during the air strikes in al-Shadadi in the northeastern province of Hasaka on Thursday. One civilian was also killed in the air strikes he said. The US-led alliance started bombing Islamic State targets in Syria in September as part of a strategy aimed at rolling back the groups territorial gains in Syria and Iraq. Jordanian war planes participating in the alliance carried out bombing raids against Islamic State targets on Thursday Jordanian state TV reported without giving the location of the air strikes.,ahram,2/13/2015,hasakeh,1,,,,
1923848193,Syria regime air strikes kill 15 near Damascus Monitor,Syria regime air strikes kill 15 near Damascus Monitor AFP Monday 9 Feb 2015 At least 15 people were killed and dozens wounded on Monday in government air strikes on an area outside the capital Damascus the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. There were no immediate details on the breakdown of those killed in the strikes which are the latest to hit the town of Douma in the rebel stronghold of Eastern Ghouta. The opposition bastion east of Damascus came under a massive government aerial assault on Thursday after rebels fired more than 120 rockets and mortar rounds into the capital. The rebel barrage killed 10 people in Damascus including a child while the government air strikes and surface-to-surface missiles fired at Eastern Ghouta killed at least 82 people among them 18 children. Eastern Ghouta has been under government siege for nearly two years as the army tries to break the rebel hold over the area. The siege has created medical and food shortages exacerbating dire humanitarian needs created by regular government bombardment of the area. More than 210000 people have been killed in Syria since the beginning of the countrys conflict in March 2011.,ahram,2/9/2015,damascus,0,,,,
1923848194,Syrian air strikes kill 70 people after rebel rocket attack Monitor,"Syrian air strikes kill 70 people after rebel rocket attack Monitor Reuters Friday 6 Feb 2015 Syrian air force strikes killed at least 70 people in an opposition district outside Damascus following rocket attacks by rebels that had hit the government-controlled centre of the Syrian capital a monitoring group said on Friday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which monitors violence in Syria said the air force conducted 60 strikes on the Eastern Ghouta district on Thursday and during the night. Twelve children and 11 fighters were among the dead it said. High death tolls from air force attacks are not rare but the Observatory said the focused barrage was a response to rocket attacks by Islam Army insurgents on Thursday which killed 10 people in Damascus. A message on Thursday on a Twitter account thought to belong to Islam Army chief Zahran Alloush said Thursdays rocket attack was a taste of what the Syrian military had done to Eastern Ghouta. Alloush described Damascus as a ""military zone"" and said his group would respond to any air force strikes. Islam Army was formed by a merger of rebel factions in 2013 and has received backing from Saudi Arabia. The U.N. says 200000 people have been killed since 2011 in Syrias civil war which started with peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad. The protests became an armed uprising after Assads forces cracked down on demonstrators.",ahram,2/6/2015,damascus,0,,,,
1923848195,Syria strikes kill 45 after rebel fire on Damascus Monitor,"Syria strikes kill 45 after rebel fire on Damascus Monitor AFP Thursday 5 Feb 2015 At least 45 people were killed in Syrian government air strikes on opposition areas around Damascus Thursday after rebels fired dozens of mortar rounds at the capital a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least six children were among those killed in nearly 40 air raids on parts of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province. The Britain-based group said at least 140 people were wounded adding that government forces had also fired surface-to-surface missiles at the area. The assault came after rebels fired at least 70 rockets and mortar rounds at the capital killing seven people including a policeman. The barrage left usually busy parts of the city deserted. ""Within minutes our busy street was empty"" said a resident of the Baramkeh neighbourhood adding that the headteacher of a local school had been forced to take her students to a shelter. The middle class district is home to several university buildings as well as the headquarters of state news agency SANA. In the city centre traffic was light and many people stayed home from work. Rebel group Jaysh al-Islam (Army of Islam) warned two days ago that it would launch a barrage of missiles at the capital in response to deadly air strikes on rebel-held Douma in Eastern Ghouta. Its leader Zahran Alloush said Damascus was now considered a ""military zone"" and a target for the rebels. The group has carried out such barrages before including on January 25 when it fired dozens of rockets after a similar warning killing six. In Douma the government air strikes brought chaos with an AFP photographer reporting civilians streaming into a makeshift clinic. Medics overwhelmed by the number of arrivals were forced to treat some on the floor. Among them was an infant his red and white striped sweater lifted up to allow medics to apply a defibrillator to his bloodied chest. Eastern Ghouta is a key rebel bastion on the outskirts of Damascus and has been under siege for nearly two years. Since mid-2012 the government has conducted frequent air raids on rebel-held areas. It is accused by human rights groups of indiscriminately killing both civilians and insurgents. More than 200000 people have died in the conflict which began with anti-government protests in March 2011 and escalated into a civil war that brought jihadists streaming into the country.",ahram,2/5/2015,damascus,1,,,,
1923848197,Syria air strikes kill 32 Monitor,"Syria air strikes kill 32 Monitor AFP Monday 2 Feb 2015 Syrian government air strikes on opposition-held towns across the country killed at least 32 people on Monday and wounded dozens more a monitoring group said. In Jassem in the southern province of Daraa 15 civilians were killed in four air strikes while 25 others were wounded said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The strikes in response to a major rebel offensive that has been underway in southern Syria for months. ""As usual the regime is striking populated areas in order to make civilian supporters of opposition fighters turn against them"" Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. Rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad have suffered a spate of defeats at the hands of his forces but they still have the upper hand in Daraa. ""Opposition fighters are making steady progress in Daraa province. The vast majority of the west of the province has completely fallen out of government control and that is where Jassem is located"" Abdel Rahman said. Rebel fighters in the area benefit from ""the fact that supply lines from Jordan are still open"" he added. The involvement of experienced fighters of Syrias Al-Qaeda affiliate the Al-Nusra Front has also helped the rebels to gain territory in Daraa. Elsewhere air strikes on Douma the besieged rebel-held town east of Damascus killed at least six civilians and wounded dozens more the Observatory said. An AFP photographer in Douma said the strikes hit residential areas and that most of the wounded were children. At Khan Sheikhun in the northwestern province of Idlib 11 people were killed including a former army officer who had defected from the loyalist army to join opposition forces said the Observatory. The regime first deployed warplanes in the Syrian war in July 2012. Now nearly four years into the conflict there are air strikes every day despite repeated warnings from the international community that such tactics fail to discriminate between civilian and military targets. On a separate front Syrian Kurds fighting the Islamic State group made fresh advances near Kobane seizing a new string of villages a week after the flashpoint town was recaptured from the IS jihadists. ""The Kurds now control an area stretching across 14 kilometres (nine miles) southwards from Kobane 10 kilometres to the east and 10 to 12 kilometres to the west"" said Abdel Rahman. The Observatory director also said Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) backed by Syrian rebels killed 10 IS members in the past 24 hours. The Syrian conflict began as a peaceful uprising in March 2011 but escalated into a civil war after the government unleashed a brutal crackdown on dissent. More than 200000 people have been killed and nearly half of the population has fled their homes.",ahram,2/13/2015,daraa,0,,,,
1923848198,Seven dead 20 wounded in central Damascus blast Monitor,Seven dead 20 wounded in central Damascus blast Monitor AFP Sunday 1 Feb 2015 At least seven people were killed and 20 wounded when a blast ripped through a bus in a central district of the Syrian capital on Sunday a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not immediately clear what had caused the blast in the Souq al-Hamadiyeh neighbourhood of Damascus. The explosion was also reported by Syrian state media with the official SANA news agency saying at least four people had been killed and 19 wounded. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said the bus was reportedly carrying Shiite Muslim pilgrims visiting religious sites in the capital. Parts of Damascus have remained relatively unscathed by the fighting raging in much of Syria since an uprising erupted in March 2011. But rebels regularly fire rockets into the capital from rear bases in the surrounding countryside and the city has also been hit by bombings. More than 200000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict started and around half of the countrys population has been displaced.,ahram,2/16/2015,damascus,1,,,,
1923848199,Syria fighting kills 132 Islamic State fighters Monitor,Syria fighting kills 132 Islamic State fighters Monitor Reuters Wednesday 25 Feb 2015 At least 132 Islamic State militants have been killed since Saturday in fighting with Kurdish fighters backed by US-backed air strikes in the northeastern Syrian province of Hasaka a group monitoring the conflict said. The Kurdish YPG forces which drove Islamic State from Kobane last month with the help of US-led air strikes had seized 70 villages in the offensive the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported overnight. The northeastern corner of Syria is strategically important in the battle against Islamic State because it borders territory controlled by the group in Iraq.,ahram,2/15/2015,hasakeh,0,,,,
1923848200,Suicide bomber kills 4 in Assad clans hometown,"Suicide bomber kills 4 in Assad clans hometown AFP Sunday 22 Feb 2015 A suicide bomber killed four people in a hospital on Sunday in an attack that took Syrias civil war to the ruling Assad clans hometown for the first time a monitoring group said. The attack came as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that troops had executed 48 people earlier this week in a northern village among them 10 children. ""The explosion that hit the town of Qardaha... was caused by a suicide bomber driving a car along with another person"" said the Observatory adding that the passenger likely an accomplice also died in the blast. ""Two women and two soldiers were killed in the attack"" said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. Earlier state television had reported the blast but did not specify the nature of the attack. The attack the first explosion to hit the heart of the western town since the outbreak of Syrias civil war in 2011 took place in the parking of Qardaha hospital. The outskirts of Qardaha have previously come under rocket fire while Latakia province - where the town is located - has seen several rounds of heavy fighting. A mausoleum containing the graves of President Bashar al-Assads father and predecessor Hafez and brother Bassil is located in Qardaha. The clan has ruled Syria with an iron fist for more than 40 years. Syrias war began in March 2011 as a pro-democracy revolt seeking Assads ouster. It morphed into a conflict after the regime unleashed a brutal crackdown on dissent. Meanwhile the Observatory said 10 children and 13 rebels were among 48 people executed by government forces in the northern village of Rityan earlier this week. The killings took place after troops entered the town Tuesday during an offensive aimed at cutting rebel supply lines to the Turkish border. Abdel Rahman said all the dead were from six families. ""There was no resistance except in one house where a rebel opened fire at troops before being executed along with his family."" The brief seizure of Rityan was part of an abortive army offensive this week to encircle the rebel-held east of Aleppo and relieve two besieged Shiite villages to its north. By Friday all but one of the villages taken by government forces had been recaptured by the rebels who include fighters from Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. The heavy fighting claimed the lives of 129 loyalists and 116 rebels including an Al-Nusra commander according to an Observatory toll. While the ground offensive failed warplanes kept pounding rebel areas of Aleppo city and other parts of the country. On Saturday two women and two children were among eight people killed when a barrel bomb hit a building in an opposition-held area of Aleppo city once Syrias commercial capital. Six people were also reported killed in rebel shelling of regime-held areas of the city. The air force also killed at least 10 people in rebel areas east of Damascus Saturday the Observatory said. According to the group they were the latest of more than 7000 people killed across Syria since the UN Security Council passed a resolution last year ordering an end to sieges and indiscriminate use of weapons in populated areas. The Observatory ""has documented the killing of 5812 civilians including 1733 children 969 women and 3110 men in barrel bombings and (other) air raids"" over the past year. Meanwhile rebel fire on regime-held areas killed 1102 people said the Observatory adding that 234 of them were children. And 313 people died in areas under army siege in the past year as a result of food and medical shortages despite the fact that the resolution also ordered the lifting of sieges.",ahram,2/22/2015,lattakia,0,,,,
1923848201,Syria forces execute 10 children of alleged rebels Monitor,"Syria forces execute 10 children of alleged rebels Monitor AFP Saturday 21 Feb 2015 Ten children were among at least 48 people killed in a Syrian village earlier this week as regime forces executed the families of five alleged rebels a monitoring group said Saturday. The killings took place in the village of Rityan north of second city Aleppo which regime forces entered on Tuesday during an offensive aimed at cutting rebel supply lines to the Turkish border the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitoring group said that villagers had discovered the bodies of those killed when they returned to their homes after the regime forces pulled back on Wednesday. The wives of the five alleged rebel fighters were also among the dead. ""The troops and militiamen knew exactly where they lived thanks to the informers who accompanied them"" Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. ""There was no resistance except in one house where a rebel opened fire at troops before being executed along with his family"" he added. Activist Mamun Abu Omar said some of the bodies of the dead had been mutilated. The brief seizure of Rityan was part of an abortive offensive launched by the army this week to try to encircle the rebel-held east of Aleppo and relieve two besieged Shiite villages to its north. By Friday all but one of the villages taken by government forces in the initial fighting had been recaptured by the rebels who include fighters of Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. The heavy fighting claimed the lives of 129 regime loyalists and 116 rebels including an Al-Nusra commander according to an Observatory toll.",ahram,2/21/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848202,35 IS jihadists killed in clashes with Syria Kurds Monitor,"35 IS jihadists killed in clashes with Syria Kurds Monitor AFP Sunday 15 Feb 2015 At least 35 Islamic State jihadists were killed on Sunday in clashes with Syrian Kurdish fighters around the flashpoint town of Kobane a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the deaths came in three separate clashes around the town in Aleppo province of northern Syria. At least 22 of the jihadists were killed in fighting on the border between Aleppo and Raqa province where IS has its de-facto capital. That battle marked the first time in months that fighters from the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) have expanded their attacks to the edge of Raqa province. Four YPG fighters were killed in those clashes with the Kurdish forces capturing the strategic Tal Baghdaq hilltop the Observatory said. The other jihadist deaths came in clashes to the west and south of Kobane the key border town that Kurdish forces recaptured on January 26. IS fighters began advancing on the town last September and at one point looked poised to overrun it cementing their grip on a long stretch of the Syria-Turkey border. But YPG ground forces backed by US-led air strikes were able to repel the IS fighters. Since the towns recapture YPG forces have been expanding their control from Kobane into the surrounding countryside where they have largely encountered little resistance from the jihadists. But the Observatory said the fighting around Tel Baghdaq on the Aleppo-Raqa border was some of the heaviest in the region since Kobane fell. The group said the US-led coalition fighting IS had also carried out air strikes in the region on Sunday but there was no initial information on casualties in the raids. The IS group has declared an Islamic ""caliphate"" in territory it controls in Syria and Iraq with the provincial capital of Raqa province serving as its effective capital. More than 210000 people have been killed in Syria since the countrys conflict began with anti-government demonstrations in March 2011.",ahram,2/15/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848203,Suicide bomber kills six in Syria restaurant Reports,"Suicide bomber kills six in Syria restaurant Reports Suicide bombing in Aleppo restaurant at student graduation celebration kills six and wounds 19 some in critical condition says monitoring group AFP Friday 23 Aug 2013 A suicide bombing in a restaurant in Syrias second city Aleppo killed six people including a journalist from pro-government television state media and a monitoring group said Friday. The blast struck as a group of youths celebrated the graduation of a student who was one of those killed in the attack in the dining area of Mogambo on Thursday said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. ""The attack also wounded 19 people including some in critical condition"" said the Britain-based organisation. The official SANA news agency also reported the attack and singled out the death of the journalist it identified as Al-Ikhbariya TV correspondent Hassan Muhanna. The attack occurred in a part of Aleppo controlled by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad which has been fighting an armed uprising for more than two years in a conflict that has killed more than 100000. On May 27 another Al-Ikhbariya journalist was killed by a sniper in the then rebel stronghold of Qusayr. Prior to his death media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said 23 journalists had been killed in Syria since the countrys conflict erupted in March 2011.",ahram,8/15/2013,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848204,17 dead as Al-Qaeda attacks Syria Kurd town,"17 dead as Al-Qaeda attacks Syria Kurd town After Kurdish militia expelled jihadists in Ras al-Ain last month Al-Qaeda counters by killing 17 and sending residents pouring into Turkey AFP Saturday 17 Aug 2013 Al-Qaeda loyalists attacked a mainly Kurdish town in northeastern Syria sparking fighting in which 17 people were killed two of them ambulance crew a watchdog said on Saturday. The assault on the strategic border town of Ras al-Ain from which the jihadists were expelled by Kurdish militia last month sparked an exodus of civilians into neighbouring Turkey an activist said. The attack on the town was part of a wider offensive by Al-Qaeda against several Kurdish majority areas of northern and northeastern Syria that began on Friday and was continuing on Saturday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Four Kurdish militiamen and 11 jihadists made up the rest of the dead the watchdog said. Syrian Kurd activist Havidar said civilians had fled ""in waves into villages in Turkey."" ""Intermittent clashes are continuing to take place till now in the Asfar Najjar area and the outskirts of Tal Halaf"" Havidar told AFP via the Internet. Government troops pulled out of majority Kurdish areas of Syria last year leaving Kurdish militia to fend for themselves. Elsewhere in Syria rebels attacked a pro-regime militia checkpoint in a majority Christian area of Homs province killing six civilians and five militiamen the Observatory said. State news agency SANA said all those killed were civilians and described the attackers as ""terrorists"". Homs has seen some of Syrias worst violence since the outbreak of the conflict in March 2011. Meanwhile Amnesty International said prominent Syrian artist Youssef Abdelke and another opponent of the Damascus regime had been ""subjected to enforced disappearance."" Abdelke and Adnan al-Dibs were arrested on 18 July in the Mediterranean coastal city of Tartus and have not been seen since.",ahram,8/17/2013,hasakeh,0,,,,
1923848206,20 dead in air raids in Syrias Latakia province NGO,"20 dead in air raids in Syrias Latakia province NGO At least 20 Syrian people including 10 civilians are reportedly killed by air strikes in the province of Latakia AFP Saturday 10 Aug 2013 Air strikes by the Syrian military killed at least 20 people in the northwestern province of Latakia overnight the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights group said on Saturday. ""The toll in several air strikes on the town of Salma in Jabal Akrad rose to at least 20 people"" Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Abdel Rahman said 10 of those killed were believed to be civilians although many of the bodies were so badly disfigured that it was not immediately possible to identify them. At least six of those killed were Syrian rebel fighters while four were foreign volunteers he added. ""The number of deaths is expected to rise because of the number of wounded and those in serious condition among them"" he said. Latakia province is a stronghold of the Alawite minority of President Bashar al-Assad. In recent days rebel forces have captured a number of villages in the Jabal Akrad a mountainous district in the north of the province. The army has hit back sparking fierce fighting that has left dozens dead on both sides according to the Observatory. In Aleppo province further east government troops stormed a village overnight killing 12 people the Observatory said. Fierce fighting also erupted during the night between government troops and rebels in the Barzeh neighbourhood of Damascus the Britain-based watchdog said. The army shelled both Barzeh and the Jubar district of the capital it added.",ahram,8/10/2013,lattakia,0,,,,
1923848207,Syrian army kills 62 rebels east of Damascus Monitoring group,Syrian army kills 62 rebels east of Damascus Monitoring group Syrias state news agency did not give a death toll for the ambsuh Reuters Wednesday 7 Aug 2013 sixty-two rebel fighters were killed in a Syrian army ambush at dawn on Wednesday near the town of Adra east of Damascus said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a monitoring group opposed to President Bashar al-Assad. The state news agency SANA did not give a death toll for the ambush but said the rebels were from the al Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front. It said all the rebels were killed and machineguns and rocket-propelled grenades were confiscated.,ahram,8/15/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1923848208,Bomb kills 18 in Damascus suburb state TV,Bomb kills 18 in Damascus suburb state TV Syrian state media reports that at least 18 people killed in bomb Damascus the latest in spate of blasts to hit the mainly Christian and Druze district AFP Tuesday 6 Aug 2013 A bomb killed 18 people in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana on Tuesday the latest in spate of blasts to hit the mainly Christian and Druze district state media said. The car bomb in the suburbs Siouf square also wounded 56 people the state SANA news agency said. It said three children were among the dead. The explosion struck at around 715 pm (1615 GMT) when traffic was heavy as Muslims headed home for the iftar meal that breaks the daylight fast observed during the holy month of Ramadan. State television aired footage of wrecked shopfronts around the square and dozens of burned out vehicles. A similar bombing in the same square on July 25 killed at least seven people and wounded more than 60. In August last year another car bomb killed at least 27 people in the southeastern suburb. Syrias Christian and Druze minorities have mostly sought to remain neutral in the conflict wracking the country since March 2011. But many hardline Islamists suspect them of loyalty to the government of President Bashar al-Assad.,ahram,8/18/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1923848211,At least 40 killed in Syrian weapons depot blast,"At least 40 killed in Syrian weapons depot blast Rocket attacks strike government-held districts in the central Syrian city of Homs Thursday killing 40 people and wounding 120 says Syrian Observatory for Human Rights AP Thursday 1 Aug 2013 Rocket attacks struck government-held districts in the central Syrian city of Homs on Thursday setting off successive explosions in a weapons depot that killed at least 40 people and wounded dozens an opposition group and residents said. The blasts sent a massive ball of fire into the sky causing widespread damage and panic among residents many of whom are supporters of President Bashar Assad. One resident said the explosions were so strong they cracked the walls of some buildings. Thick smoke and dust could be seen from a distance as explosions shook the ground. A video posted online by activists showed a huge ball of fire over Homs neighborhoods. The explosions in Homs reflected the see-saw nature of the conflict. It showed that despite significant advances by Assads military rebels could still strike back. An official at the governors office in Homs said about 10 rockets slammed into the neighborhood of Zahra and the nearby sports stadium sparking a large fire and causing several casualties. He said the explosions caused massive destruction and wounded at least 130 people. He didnt offer a number for those killed. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations. He did not give a casualty figure. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which closely monitors the fighting in Syria said 40 people were killed and 120 were wounded some critically when rockets struck an arms depot igniting the fire. A resident of Homs corroborated that account saying he heard blasts for more than an hour after the first explosion. He said they could be heard from the overwhelmingly pro-regime districts of Wadi Dahab and al-Walid where the regime is known to keep arms depots. ""Rockets were falling on the area ... when the arms depot began to explode but we dont know if the rockets triggered the blasts"" he said speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. He said the explosions were so strong that ""they shook parts of the city."" They also shattered all windows in the area and cracked walls he added. He said he spoke with Syrian Arab Red Crescent paramedics who told him that at least 22 bodies were taken to hospitals. The explosions in Homs coincided with a rare trip by President Bashar Assad to a former rebel bastion near the capital Damascus to mark Army Day. Assads visit to Daraya is his first known public trip outside the capital his seat of power in more than a year. He visited the battered Baba Amr district in the central city of Homs after troops seized it from rebels in March 2012. It also is the latest sign of confidence from Assad whose troops have been on the offensive and scored significant gains against rebels in recent months. Assad pledged victory over troops fighting to topple him. More than 100000 people have been killed since the uprising against the Assad familys four-decade rule began in March 2011. The revolt later escalated into a civil war which has uprooted millions of people from their homes.",ahram,8/3/2013,homs,0,,,,
1923848213,Syria regime raids kill 10 in camp for displaced NGO,"Syria regime raids kill 10 in camp for displaced NGO AFP Wednesday 29 Oct 2014 Syrian regime aircraft killed at least 10 people when they dropped barrel bombs on a camp housing displaced persons Wednesday in the northeastern province of Idlib a monitor said. The strikes came as a car bomb wounded at least 37 people including children in a government-controlled neighbourhood in the central city of Homs state television reported. Two barrels bombs were dropped on the camp near the Habeet area killing 10 people and wounding dozens the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Most of those at the camp were displaced from the central province of Hama the Britain-based group added. In Homs state television initially said people were killed and wounded by the car bomb in Al-Zahraa district. But it later said that only wounded were among the casualties with at least 37 hurt including children who were ""in serious condition"" and that the blast had caused major damage. The Observatory reported that one person had been killed in the attack. The majority of Al-Zahraas residents are Alawite the same sect to which President Bashar al-Assad belongs. The bombing is the latest in a series of attacks targeting government-controlled areas of Homs. In early October a double bombing at a school in another Alawite neighbourhood killed 52 people among them 48 students. Afterwards angry parents and residents staged demonstrations calling for the resignation of senior security officials. Two officials were reassigned though Homss governor denied the move was related to the demonstrations. Homs was once known as the ""capital of the revolution"" because of the strength of anti-government activity there after Syrias uprising began in March 2011. But most of the city is now back under regime control with the exception of the northwestern Waer district.",ahram,10/3/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848214,IS attack on Syria oil field kills 30 Monitor,"IS attack on Syria oil field kills 30 Monitor AFP Wednesday 29 Oct 2014 Islamic State group jihadists have attacked an oil and gas field in Syria killing at least 30 pro-regime gunmen and security guards a monitoring group said Wednesday. ""IS managed to control parts of the field"" the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which relies on a wide network of sources in the war-torn country said after Tuesdays assault at Shaer in Homs province. An unknown number of jihadists were also killed Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. An earlier attack by IS fighters on Shaer in July left 270 people dead including soldiers and pro-regime fighters. Most were reportedly executed at gunpoint after being taken prisoner. IS has targeted oil and gas facilities in Iraq and Syria as it seeks funds for its fight to seize territory for a self-proclaimed Islamic ""caliphate"".",ahram,10/3/2014,homs,0,,,,
1923848215,Syria air strikes kill 10 children 5 women in Aleppo monitor,"Syria air strikes kill 10 children 5 women in Aleppo monitor AFP Friday 24 Oct 2014 Ten children and five women have been killed in Syrian government air strikes in the northern province of Aleppo a monitoring group said Friday. The children aged from four to 10 and women were killed Thursday ""in barrel bomb strikes by regime helicopters on a home and public hall in the village of Tal Qarrah in the north of Aleppo"" the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The bombing also destroyed civilian property and wounded several people some of them critically the Britain-based Observatory added. President Bashar al-Assads air force has carried out near-daily strikes against areas under rebel control in the northern province since last December killing several hundred people mostly civilians. Rights groups have repeatedly criticised the use of barrel bombs which they say fail to discriminate between civilian and military targets. In July Human Rights Watch accused the regime of defying a UN Security Council resolution ordering all sides in Syrias war to stop indiscriminate attacks. Syrias multi-front war began as a peaceful movement demanding democratic change but morphed into an all-out civil war after Assads regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against dissent. More than 180000 people have been killed since March 2011 and nearly half the population have fled their homes.",ahram,10/24/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848216,10 Syrian troops killed in clashes with IS Monitor,10 Syrian troops killed in clashes with IS Monitor AFP Tuesday 14 Oct 2014 IAt least 10 Syrian soldiers were killed on Tuesday in clashes with Islamic State group jihadists in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor a monitor said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the deaths came in fighting in Hawijat Sakr on the Euphrates River. The clashes took place not far from Deir Ezzor military airport a key remaining post for the Syrian army in the oil-rich province. The Islamic State controls the majority of the province but parts of the provincial capital Deir Ezzor city are still in government hands along with the airport. Deir Ezzor has been a key target of strikes against IS by the US-led coalition fighting the jihadist group in Syria and Iraq. When the raids began IS withdrew from several of its positions and there have been few reports of active clashes involving the group in the province since. Elsewhere in Syria the Observatory reported at least 12 people killed in Syrian regime air strikes on the Ain Tarma area outside the capital Damascus. Among the dead were three children the Observatory said. The neighbourhood to the east of Damascus is under rebel control and is one of the areas regime forces have been battling to recapture from the opposition around the capital. Although government forces control Damascus rebels often fire missiles into the city from several strongholds on its outskirts. On Tuesday the regime also carried out air strikes against Irbin another rebel-held area east of Damascus the Observatory said. The strikes killed five people although the group said the toll was likely to rise because several of the wounded were in serious condition.,ahram,10/14/2014,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848217,Syria regime bombing kills 21 including 8 children,Syria regime bombing kills 21 including 8 children Syrian regime bombardment and air strikes killed at least 21 civilians eight of them children in the south and northeast of the country AFP Friday 10 Oct 2014 The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based monitoring group said Friday 19 people including five children were killed by air strikes and surface-to-surface missiles on the Hara area in southern Daraa province. Hara is less than two kilometres (one mile) from a strategic hill in Daraa province that Al-Nusra Front jihadist rebels seized on October 5 in a battle that cost the lives of 30 regime forces and 29 insurgents. Meanwhile in northeastern Idlib province the Observatory said three children were killed and another five injured in air strikes on Tel Minis in the south. More than 180000 people have been killed in Syria since an uprising against President Bashar al-Assads regime began in 2011 escalating into a multi-sided civil war that has drawn thousands of jihadists from overseas.,ahram,10/5/2014,daraa,1,,,,
1923848218,Twin blasts kill 30 Kurdish fighters in Syria Monitor,"Twin blasts kill 30 Kurdish fighters in Syria Monitor AFP Monday 6 Oct 2014 ""At least 30 members of the YPG and asayesh were killed when two Islamic State suicide bombers detonated their trucks at the northern entrance to Hasakeh"" Syrian Observatory for Human Rights chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. The IS bombers targeted two YPG and asayesh positions including a training camp in Hasakeh capital of the Kurdish-majority province of the same name. Control of the town is split between Kurdish forces and those loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Mondays twin bombings came as IS fighters press their assault on the embattled Kurdish town of Kobane on the border with Turkey. The jihadists have been trying since September 16 to conquer the town which would complete their control over a lengthy stretch of Syrias border with Turkey.",ahram,10/6/2014,hasakeh,0,,,,
1923848219,US-led strikes on Syria kill 35 jihadists overnight Monitor,US-led strikes on Syria kill 35 jihadists overnight Monitor AFP Saturday 4 Oct 2014 At least 35 jihadists from the Islamic State group were killed in air strikes by a US-led coalition overnight in northern and northeastern Syria a monitor said Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 jihadists were killed around the town of Shadadi in northeastern Hasakeh and another five outside the embattled town of Kobane on the border with Turkey in northern Aleppo province.,ahram,10/4/2014,hasakeh,0,,,,
1923848226,US-led raids on Syria killed 14 jihadists 5 civilians,"US-led raids on Syria killed 14 jihadists 5 civilians AFP Thursday 25 Sep 2014 A series of strikes in Syria overnight by a US-led coalition killed 14 jihadists from the Islamic State group and five civilians a monitoring group said on Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the militants were killed in strikes in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor and the civilians died in raids in northeastern Hasakeh. The strikes largely targeted oil facilities captured by the Islamic State group (IS) though Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said at least one IS checkpoint was among the targets hit during the night. Among the civilians killed in Hasakeh was a child he added. On Wednesday Pentagon officials announced that the US and Arab allies had resumed bombing raids that began a day earlier hitting oil facilities held by IS. Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told CNN that the raids focused on 12 targets he described as ""modular oil refineries"". IS militants have seized a series of oil facilities and fields and are believed to sell oil on the black market to bring in revenue. The overnight strikes involved aircraft from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates members of the US-led coalition Pentagon officials said.",ahram,10/17/2014,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848227,US strikes kill 50 Qaeda fighters in Syria Monitor,"US strikes kill 50 Qaeda fighters in Syria Monitor AFP Tuesday 23 Sep 2014 US air strikes killed 50 Al-Qaeda militants and eight civilians including children in northern Syria on Tuesday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Most of the 50 fighters killed in the attacks west of the second city Aleppo were foreigners and the civilians included three children and one woman the Britain-based monitoring group said. The strikes came in addition to separate raids carried out by a US-led coalition including Arab nations that hit the Islamic State jihadist group in north and east Syria. In Washington the Pentagon confirmed eight US strikes against ""seasoned Al-Qaeda veterans"" in Aleppo province. ""The United States has also taken action to disrupt the imminent attack plotting against the United States and Western interests conducted by a network of seasoned Al-Qaeda veterans - sometimes referred to as the Khorasan Group"" it said in a statement. The group it added has ""established a safe haven in Syria to develop external attacks construct and test improvised explosive devices and recruit Westerners to conduct operations"". ""These strikes were undertaken only by US assets"" the statement added unlike the strikes against IS. The Khorasan Group is believed to refer to an initiative by Al-Qaedas central command in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region to establish a group in Syria of some of its veteran militants to focus on attacks against the West. Its members cooperate with Al-Nusra Front Al-Qaedas Syria affiliate using the groups resources and bases according to experts. Al-Nusras focus however has so far been on the fight against President Bashar al-Assads regime and its members are largely Syrian citizens.",ahram,10/10/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848229,US-led strikes hit Qaeda in Syria as well as IS Monitor,US-led strikes hit Qaeda in Syria as well as IS Monitor AFP Tuesday 23 Sep 2014 US Arab partners launch first strikes on IS in Syria A US-led coalition carried out air strikes against positions of Al-Qaedas Syria affiliate Al-Nusra Front on Tuesday as well as the Islamic State group a monitoring organisation said. The strikes hit an area in western Aleppo province killing at least seven people both militants and civilians the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.,ahram,10/14/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848230,US-led strikes in Syria kill more than 20 jihadists Monitor,"US-led strikes in Syria kill more than 20 jihadists Monitor AFP Tuesday 23 Sep 2014 US-led strikes on the northern Syrian province of Raqa killed more than 20 Islamic State (IS) jihadists in two positions alone early Tuesday a monitoring group said. ""More than 20 members of IS were killed in strikes on two of the organisations positions in Raqa province. The strikes completely destroyed the two positions as well as vehicles stationed there"" said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which relies on a broad network of activists and doctors on the ground.",ahram,10/21/2014,raqqa,1,,,,
1923848231,Syria air strikes kill 42 including 16 children Monitor,"Syria air strikes kill 42 including 16 children Monitor AFP Monday 22 Sep 2014 Syrian government air strikes killed at least 42 people including 16 children in Idlib province in the northwest the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday. The air raids on Sunday afternoon and evening killed 19 people including six children outside the city of Saraqeb and another 23 people among them 10 children in the town of Ehsim the monitoring group said. The province is largely under rebel control outside its capital Idlib city. The strikes outside Saraqeb hit an area where civilians were sheltering after fleeing repeated government air strikes on the city the Observatory said. Footage of the aftermath of the attack in Ehsim posted on YouTube by activists showed desperate civilians trying to dig out a man buried up to his neck in the rubble of a collapsed building. Another video showed the lifeless body of a child naked and covered in grey dust lying on top of shattered breeze blocks. Young men recovered the body and carried it away in a black shroud shouting ""God is greater.""",ahram,10/22/2014,idlib,1,,,,
1923848232,18 IS jihadists killed fighting Syria Kurds Monitor,"18 IS jihadists killed fighting Syria Kurds Monitor AFP Saturday 20 Sep 2014 At least 18 jihadists from the Islamic State group were killed in overnight clashes with Kurdish fighters in northern Syria near a strategic border a monitoring group said Saturday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the 18 militants reportedly including one of Chinese nationality were killed in fighting near the town of Ain al-Arab known to the Kurds as Kobane. The Observatory said Friday that Islamic State jihadists had seized 60 Kurdish villages near the Turkish border in a lightning two-day campaign as they close in on Ain al-Arab. The town in Aleppo province is Syrias third largest Kurdish town and would give IS control of a long stretch of the countrys northern border with Turkey. The fighting in the area has prompted an exodus of residents many of whom have sought to cross into Turkey which opened its border on Friday. The Observatory said the fighting was continuing on Saturday and reported ""heavy clashes"" in the area around Ain al-Arab.",ahram,10/7/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848233,Syria air strikes kill dozens in rebel town Monitor,"Syria air strikes kill dozens in rebel town Monitor AFP Wednesday 17 Sep 2014 Syrian air strikes on a besieged rebel town in the heart of the country have killed nearly 50 people over the past two days a monitoring group said on Wednesday. ""On Tuesday 25 people including seven women and a child were killed in air strikes on Talbisseh in Homs province"" the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said adding that a rebel commander was also among the dead. On Monday air strikes killed 23 people in the town which has been under siege by the army ever since rebels seized it two year ago. Activists appealed for help on Facebook. ""The towns hospital has received a large number of wounded patients. The hospital has no more medicines or bandages"" said one activist from Talbisseh. A security source in Damascus confirmed the air strikes. ""There are a large number of armed terrorist groups. On Tuesday Talbissehs most important terrorist and his brother were killed"" the source said using the regimes standard term for the rebels. He identified the dead commander as Abu Hatem al-Dahik head of the rebel Al-Iman Brigade. ""We will continue to target the terrorists in all their hideouts"" the source told AFP on condition of anonymity. The Observatory said that rebels in Talbisseh had shelled regime positions around the nearby rebel-held town of Umm Sharshuh as fighting raged around it. The towns are among a number that the rebels still hold in Homs province after their withdrawal from Homs city earlier year. The Observatory meanwhile updated to 18 its toll for the number of rebels killed in an abortive attempt to infiltrate the heart of Damascus on Monday. Two pro-regime militiamen were also killed. One person was killed in central Damascus on Wednesday by rebel fire from its outskirts the state SANA news agency reported. Some 191000 people have been killed since an uprising against President Bashar al-Assads rule erupted in March 2011.",ahram,10/4/2014,homs,1,,,,
1923848234,Workers dig out dead after Syria regime strike on Aleppo,"Workers dig out dead after Syria regime strike on Aleppo AFP Tuesday 30 Sep 2014 At least eight people were killed on Tuesday among them four children when Syrian regime helicopters dropped explosives-packed barrel bombs on a district of northern Aleppo a monitoring group said. The attack between the neighbourhoods of Sakhur and Sheikh Khodr caused widespread damage levelling several buildings and shearing the facades off others. Civil defence members in the rebel-held east of the city rushed to the scene using bulldozers and pickaxes to clear rubble and twisted metal. Some local residents also pitched in to help as others could only looked on dazed at the destruction. The emergency crews partly unearthed one body which appeared to be that of a teenager clad in pink trousers visible under thick dust. Not far away they worked to remove rubble from around another body a small arm that appeared to be that of a child emerging from the shattered brickwork. ""The strike here was this morning. Can you show me even one person here from the Free Syrian Army (rebel fighters)?"" asked Jihad who survived the bombing. ""The people here were all women and children who were sleeping"" he said. Shuhud al-Hussein a member of the civil defence forces said his team had rushed to the scene after hearing the sound of the barrel bomb explosion. ""A helicopter dropped two barrels"" he said. ""This area doesnt have any military groups in it at all its just residents women and children"" Hussein said. ""Were trying to help the people here we were able to pull two children out alive thank God"" he added.",ahram,10/30/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848235,UPDATED Regime air raids kill 42 near Syria capital New toll,"UPDATED Regime air raids kill 42 near Syria capital New toll AFP Friday 12 Sep 2014 Syrian government air raids on a rebel-held area near Damascus killed 42 people including seven children a monitoring group said Friday giving an updated toll. Thursdays air strikes were carried out in Douma a satellite suburb northeast of the capital that has been under siege for more than a year ""The toll from regime air raids on Douma has risen to 42 dead including seven children and two women"" said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which on Thursday had given a death toll of 17. Among those killed were an unspecified number of rebels who have been fighting to oust the regime of President Bashar al-Assad for more than three years said the Britain-based group. Activists posted videos on YouTube showing the destruction caused by the raids in Douma a frequent target of deadly strikes. People could be seen carrying the charred remains of victims amid scenes of panic as firefighters battled to put out blazes in several buildings. The Observatory says more than 180000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict since it erupted in March 2011 while the United Nations puts the figure at 191000. Opponents of Assad took up arms in response to a bloody crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy protests inspired by the Arab Spring uprisings.",ahram,10/5/2014,damascus,0,,,,
1923848237,American among 18 jihadists killed in Syria raid NGO,"American among 18 jihadists killed in Syria raid NGO AFP Friday 5 Sep 2014 The death toll from a Syrian government raid on an Islamic State stronghold in eastern Syria has risen to 18 including an American fighter with the jihadist group a monitor said Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesdays strike destroyed a building being used as a headquarters and a prison by IS militants in Deir Ezzor province. The strike on the village of Ghareebeh killed ""at least 18 jihadist fighters and leaders most of them non-Syrians and including an American"" the Britain-based Observatory said. On Wednesday the Observatory reported that at least five IS militants had been killed in that attack and that the raid enabled some of the jails prisoners to escape. IS jihadists control most of the oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor since routing government troops in July.",ahram,10/5/2014,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848239,Syria army kills 32 rebels in Daraa province ambush NGO,"Syria army kills 32 rebels in Daraa province ambush NGO AFP Sunday 24 Aug 2014 Syrian troops killed 32 rebels in an ambush in the southern province of Daraa in the early hours of Sunday morning a monitoring group said. The ambush was also reported by Syrian state television which said ""tens of terrorists"" had been killed in the attack in the west of the province.",ahram,8/11/2014,daraa,0,,,,
1923848240,Syria bombs jihadist positions in Raqa for second day,"Syria bombs jihadist positions in Raqa for second day AFP Monday 18 Aug 2014 Syrian war planes bombed positions belonging to the jihadist Islamic State group in the northern province of Raqa for a second day on Monday a monitoring group said. On Sunday regime planes killed 31 jihadists and eight civilians in an unprecedented wave of aerial bombardment against the group in its Raqa bastion. The bombing continued on Monday according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights with at least 14 raids against jihadist positions. There was no immediate death toll in the renewed bombing. Three raids targeted the area around the town of Tabqa in western Raqa and four hit near the Tabqa military airport the only remaining regime-held position in the province. The other seven strikes hit sites inside Raqa city the provincial capital. The raids involved the use of precision weapons rather than the explosive-packed barrel bombs that the regime has deployed to deadly effect in Aleppo province and elsewhere. Barrel bombs have been criticised for being indiscriminate and killing civilians. The Syrian raids come as the United States carries out air strikes against the Islamic State just across the border in neighbouring Iraq. The US strikes are intended to limit the advance of IS militants who have seized large swathes of territory in both Iraq and Syria declaring an Islamic ""caliphate."" The group emerged from Al-Qaedas one-time Iraq affiliate but has since broken with that organisation and grown into a cross-border militant group. It has been battling rival opposition fighters in Syria since early January after a backlash because of the groups abuses against civilians and rebels and its bid to dominate captured territory.",ahram,8/5/2014,raqqa,1,,,,
1923848241,32 killed in Syrias Daraa Aleppo NGO,"32 killed in Syrias Daraa Aleppo NGO Friday 15 Aug 2014 Print Tweet Views 458 Related Lebanon charges 43 Syrians with belonging to terrorist groups 2000 Syria refugees stranded in Lebanon mountains Nun Morocco busts jihadist Iraq Syria recruitment network At least 22 people were killed Friday when a car bomb exploded in front of a mosque in Daraa province of southern Syria the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Among the dead in the blast in the rebel-controlled town of Namar were a woman and a child the Britain-based monitoring group said. In northern Syria the Observatory reported 10 people killed when regime helicopters dropped explosive-packed ""barrel bombs"" on Aleppo city. The attacks targeted the Bab al-Nairab district of the Old City and the southern Salahin neighbourhood. North of Aleppo city the Observatory said jihadists from the Islamic State (IS) group extended their advances seizing Baghaydin village near the border with Turkey. On Wednesday IS fighters captured eight villages in the area between Aleppo and the border from rival rebel groups. Those advances came after clashes that killed at least 40 fighters from rebel groups as well as 12 IS fighters according to the Observatory. The successes open the way for IS to move towards two strategic prizes - Aazaz and Marea. Marea is a stronghold of the Islamic Front a coalition of Islamist groups that is among those fighting against IS. Aazaz sits next to a border crossing with Turkey which would be a valuable asset as IS seeks to expand its self-declared ""caliphate"" in the territory it holds in Syria and neighbouring Iraq. IS emerged from Al-Qaedas one-time branch in Iraq and initially fought alongside Syrias opposition including more moderate rebels and Al-Nusra fighters. But its abuses and harsh brand of religion prompted a backlash from rebel groups that pushed it out of many opposition-held areas earlier this year. Since then it has staged a comeback bolstered by weaponry obtained in advances across the border in Iraq. One analyst warned Friday that the fate of Syrias ""Western-backed opposition in northern Syria hangs quite literally on a knife-edge"" as IS advances in northern Aleppo and regime forces advance in Aleppo city. In an opinion piece published on CNNs website Charles Lister of the Brookings Doha Centre said Syrias rebels were facing an ""existential threat"". Lister said IS was likely to move into Aazaz cutting rebel supply lines to Syria and into Marea from which it could launch attacks on rebel-held parts of Aleppo city. Aleppo has been divided between rebel control in the east and regime control in the west since shortly after fighting began there in mid-2012. In the face of regime advances around the eastern outskirts of the city coupled with IS advances farther north the remaining rebels inside Aleppo are increasingly beleaguered. Fighting in the province has left civilians there ""living in appalling conditions"" the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Friday. The ICRC said it was working with Syrias Red Crescent to deliver medical aid to all parts of the province in both rebel- and regime-held territory. ""Stepping up aid distributions in the governorate has been the ICRCs priority ever since we established a permanent presence in the city over a year ago"" it said. More than 170000 people have been killed in Syria since the beginning of its conflict in March 2011 according to the Observatory.",ahram,8/5/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848242,Air raids kill 31 jihadists in Syrias Raqa NGO,"Air raids kill 31 jihadists in Syrias Raqa NGO At least 31 Islamic State militants were killed in Syrian air force raids Sunday in the northern province of Raqa a stronghold of the jihadist fighters a monitoring group said. ""The regime carried out 13 raids on the city of Raqa and 11 on the town of Tabqa in Raqa province killing at least 31 jihadists and wounding dozens of them"" said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.",ahram,8/17/2014,raqqa,0,,,,
1923848244,Syria troops kill at least 50 jihadists near Lebanon Monitor,Syria troops kill at least 50 jihadists near Lebanon Monitor AFP Saturday 2 Aug 2014 At least 50 jihadists from the Islamic State and Al-Nusra Front were killed overnight by Syrian troops backed by Lebanese Hezbollah fighters near the Lebanese border a monitor said Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the jihadists clashed throughout Friday night and into Saturday morning with the regime troops and allied forces in the Qalamun region by the Lebanese border.,ahram,8/16/2014,homs,1,,,,
1923848245,Syria air strike on jihadist camp kills 18 New toll,Syria air strike on jihadist camp kills 18 New toll AFP Sunday 14 Sep 2014 A Syrian air strike on an Islamic State (IS) training camp in the jihadist-held east killed 17 militants and a child a monitoring group said in a new toll Sunday. The Saturday strike hit dormitories in the camp in the Euphrates valley town of Tibni in Deir Ezzor province the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The child who was killed had been visiting his elder brother who was training with IS the Observatory said. President Bashar al-Assads regime has stepped up its air campaign against the jihadists in recent weeks carrying out near-daily air strikes against areas under their control. The air force also hit jihadist targets in neighbouring Hasakeh province late Saturday the Observatory said. IS fighters have been battling both government troops and Kurdish militia in the northeastern province which has a large Kurdish population. US President Barack Obama announced on Wednesday that he had authorised the expansion to Syria of the US air campaign against IS he launched in early August. There have been no US strikes so far but Obamas announcement which was made in defiance of the Syrian government drew protests from Damascus and its Iranian and Russian allies.,ahram,9/14/2014,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848246,85 Syria troops killed in jihadist advance Monitor,"85 Syria troops killed in jihadist advance Monitor AFP Saturday 26 Jul 2014 At least 85 Syrian army troops were killed as the jihadist Islamic State advanced on a regime position in the northern province of Raqa a monitoring group said Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the fate of around 200 other soldiers remained unknown as the IS assault forced the army to pull back late on Friday. The Division 17 base has fallen from army control but ""the jihadists have not moved into the site for fear of air strikes"" said the Britain-based groups director Rami Abdel Rahman. The IS lost at least 28 jihadist fighters he said. The Observatory said more than 50 troops were summarily executed 19 more were killed in a double suicide attack and at least 16 others had died in the IS assault launched early Thursday. ""Hundreds of troops surviving withdrew on Friday to safe places - either to nearby villages whose residents oppose IS or to nearby Brigade 93 - but the fate of some 200 remains unknown"" said Abdel Rahman. ""Some of the executed troops were beheaded and their bodies and severed heads put on display in Raqa city"" stronghold of the feared IS he said. The assault on Division 17 comes less than two weeks after IS killed 270 security guards employees and members of the paramilitary National Defence Forces during a jihadist assault on a gas field in Homs central Syria. On Friday the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria said IS fighters accused of atrocities are expected to be added to a UN list of possible war crime indictees.",ahram,7/3/2014,raqqa,1,,,,
1923848248,Syria air raids kill 20 Islamic State militants monitor,"Syria air raids kill 20 Islamic State militants monitor AFP Wednesday 9 Jul 2014 ""At least 20 members of IS were killed and others were injured in air strikes... targeting an IS training base in Raqa"" said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The strikes also destroyed 14 of IS military vehicles the Observatory added. IS militants are firmly in control of Raqa their stronghold and have secured large swathes of territory in eastern Syria and in neighbouring Iraq. While some in the Syrian opposition initially welcomed IS - formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) - among their ranks viewing it as a potential ally its abuses and quest for control turned the rebels against them. Rebels have been fighting IS since January. The Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad for its part has escalated its attacks against IS positions since the group spearheaded a Sunni militant offensive in neighbouring Iraq. ""From 10 June (when Mosul fell from Iraqi government control) to date the Syrian air force really stepped up its raids against IS positions and there have been strikes every day since then"" said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. ""There has been a marked escalation. The regime fears IS getting stronger especially after it brought in vehicles from Iraq"" that the militants seized from fleeing troops he added.",ahram,7/9/2014,raqqa,0,,,,
1923848249,Russian strikes kill 34 civilians in Syrias Deir Ezzor Monitor,Russian strikes kill 34 civilians in Syrias Deir Ezzor Monitor AFP Sunday 26 Nov 2017,ahram,11/21/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848250,IS car bomb kills 20 in eastern Syria State media,IS car bomb kills 20 in eastern Syria State media Reuters Friday 17 Nov 2017 Print Tweet Views 1662 An Islamic State (IS) car bomb killed 20 people and injured 30 others at a site where displaced families are located in eastern Syria near the city of Deir al-Zor Syrias SANA state news agency reported on Friday. It said the bombing took place near the al-Jafra area which is located south of the city and is controlled by the Syrian government.,ahram,11/19/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848251,At least 61 killed in air strike on Syrian market town Observatory,"At least 61 killed in air strike on Syrian market town Observatory Reuters Tuesday 14 Nov 2017 The death toll from air strikes on a Syrian town in a ""de-escalation zone"" has risen to 61 a war monitor said on Tuesday a demonstration of the fragile state of areas set up in attempt to ease the violence. Jihadist rebels blamed Russian warplanes of carrying out Mondays attack and said they would fight back against Syrian President Bashar al-Assads forces and his Russian and Iranian backers in the six-year-old conflict. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said three air strikes hit the market in Atareb west of Aleppo and killed at least 61 people. Atareb is inside what is known as a de-escalation zone under an agreement between Turkey Russia and Iran to reduce the bloodshed. But despite the diplomatic efforts fighting continues in many areas including Aleppo Idlib Raqqa Deir al-Zor and Hama. ""(The zones) did de-escalate fighting"" UN humanitarian adviser Jan Egeland told Reuters. But lately ""there has been increased fighting also."" The zones were set up under the Astana process a series of talks in the capital of Kazakhstan between Russia and Iran and the rebels supporter Turkey. They agreed in September to deploy observers on the edge of a de-escalation zone in Syrias Idlib province which is largely under the control of Islamist insurgents. Following the air strikes the Tahrir al-Sham jihadist alliance denounced the ceasefire talks and pledged to keep fighting government forces and their Russian and Iranian allies. ""This aggression and crimes confirms for us that there is no solution with the colonizers without fighting and struggling"" it said. Tahrir al-Sham includes the group formerly known as the Nusra Front which changed its name last year when it broke formal ties to al Qaeda.",ahram,11/4/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848252,Air raids kill 29 civilians in north Syria town Monitor,"Air raids kill 29 civilians in north Syria town Monitor AFP Monday 13 Nov 2017 Air strikes on a market killed at least 29 civilians including children in a town in northern Syria on Monday despite a ""de-escalation zone"" in place there a monitor said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not immediately clear whether the strikes on rebel-held Atareb had been carried out by Syrian warplanes or those of Damascuss ally Russia. The monitor said three strikes hit the towns market adding that the overall toll was expected to rise because dozens of people had been wounded or were still missing after the attack. A photographer contributing to AFP saw massive destruction at the scene with rubble from damaged buildings covering the street and panicked civilians carrying away the injured. Three men helped one of those hit in the attack his face drenched in blood and his features almost completely obscured. Nearby the body of a man in a blue shirt and dark trousers lay where he had died. Civil defence workers rushed alongside civilians to evacuate the injured with one man in a thick beanie hat carrying a wailing child in a pink sweater away from the scene. Elsewhere the bodies of at least three children were laid out on the ground partly covered by thick bolts of fabric. Atareb is in the west of Aleppo province in an area that is part of a ""de-escalation zone"" agreed under a deal earlier this year between Syrias allies Russia and Iran and rebel backer Turkey. The zone mostly covers neighbouring Idlib province which is largely held by opposition forces and a jihadist group formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda. Despite the governments recapture of Aleppo city late last year rebel groups maintain a presence in the west of the province. More than 330000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.",ahram,11/13/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848254,65 bodies of civilians found in Syrian town taken from IS group,65 bodies of civilians found in Syrian town taken from IS group AP Monday 23 Oct 2017 Syrian activists are reporting that at least 65 bodies of civilians have been found in a central town retaken by government forces from the Islamic State group. Most of the victims are believed to have been killed by IS. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the number of those killed in Qaryatayn in central Homs province is likely to rise. The Observatory says most of the dead were killed during the militant groups three-week seizure of the town. Syrian troops and allied fighters regained control of the town on Saturday. The activist-run Palmyra Coordination Committee has published the names of the killed. It says at least 35 of the victims were found shot and their bodies dumped in a shaft. IS has suffered major setbacks in recent months.,ahram,10/23/2017,homs,1,,,,
1923848256,Rebel shelling kills four civilians in Damascus Monitor,"Rebel shelling kills four civilians in Damascus Monitor AFP Sunday 15 Oct 2017 Shelling on the central district of Old Damascus killed four civilians and wounded seven others the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. A doctor receiving the casualties confirmed the death toll and said most of the injured were ""gravely wounded by shrapnel"". State news agency SANA said artillery fire killed two people and wounded nine others in the Bab Sharqi area of Old Damascus. The Observatory said shelling on Sunday hit several areas of the capital including the eastern district of Tabbaleh. It followed a drop in violence in Damascus since the implementation in July of a de-escalation zone in a rebel-held area to its east. Eastern Ghouta is one of four such zones agreed at May peace talks on the Syrian conflict sponsored by rebel backer Turkey and regime supporters Russia and Iran. SANA said four people were wounded on Saturday when two mortar rounds hit the Absasiyeen Square in the centre of the city. More than 330000 people have been killed in Syria since the countrys conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. Damascus has been largely spared from the worst of the violence in the six-year war despite being shaken by two bomb attacks in recent weeks. On Wednesday three suicide bombers killed at least two people near the main police headquarters in Damascus in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. IS group also claimed an October 2 bomb attack at a police station in the capital that killed at least 17 people.",ahram,10/15/2017,damascus,0,,,,
1923848257,At least 11 dead in Syria market air strike Monitor,"At least 11 dead in Syria market air strike Monitor AFP Sunday 8 Oct 2017 At least 11 civilians including two children were killed on Sunday in air strikes on a market in northwestern Syria a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes on the market in Idlib provinces Maaret al-Numan were probably carried out by regime forces. Much of Idlib province including Maaret al-Numan is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) a group led by Al-Qaedas former Syria affiliate. Idlib is one of four so-called ""de-escalation"" zones under a deal brokered by Russia Turkey and Iran in May. However the HTS is not party to the agreement. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said ""military aircraft"" had targeted the market in Maaret al-Numan blaming the regime for the strike. ""At least 11 people were killed including two children"" he said. ""There are around 20 wounded and the toll of victims could rise."" The Observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type location flight patterns and munitions used. The Observatory said that on Friday and Saturday at least 13 civilians died in suspected regime air strikes around Khan Sheikhun the site of a deadly April chemical attack. Despite months of relative calm in Idlib Syrian regime and Russian forces have in recent weeks carried out air raids across the province killing dozens of civilians according to the Observatory. Pro-Turkey Syrian rebels are also preparing for an operation to oust HTS militants from Idlib province. Turkish forces fired seven mortar rounds across the border into Syria on Sunday the Dogan news agency reported a day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the operation. Ankara has massed forces and tanks on its border with Syria but the assault has yet to begin in earnest monitors and sources on the ground said.",ahram,10/10/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1923848258,Russia strikes kill 120 IS group fighters over 60 foreign mercenaries in Syria,"Russia strikes kill 120 IS group fighters over 60 foreign mercenaries in Syria Moscow AFP Saturday 7 Oct 2017 Russian strikes in Syria hit rebels underground arsenal Head of Syria ex-Qaeda group critical after Russia strike Moscow Some 120 Islamic State group fighters and 60 foreign mercenaries were killed in a series of Russian air strikes in Syria over the past 24 hours the defence ministry in Moscow said on Saturday. ""A command post of the terrorists and up to 80 (IS group) fighters including nine natives of the Northern Caucasus were destroyed in the area of Mayadeen"" the ministry said adding some 40 IS fighters were killed around the town of Albu Kamal. As a result of an air strike more than 60 foreign mercenaries from the former Soviet Union Tunisia and Egypt were killed south of Deir Ezzor. The ministry said the ""large numbers of foreign mercenaries"" were coming into the Syrian border town of Albu Kamal from Iraq. Mayadeen is one of the Islamic State groups last bastions in Syria. The advances against IS group in Deir Ezzor have cost a heavy civilian death toll from Russian and coalition air raids. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Russian air strikes on Thursday night killed 14 people including three children fleeing across the Euphrates on rafts near Mayadeen. Russia has not acknowledged any civilian deaths from its strikes since it intervened in Syria in 2015 and dismisses the Observatorys reporting as biased. Moscow has been carrying out air strikes in support of its ally Damascus targeting both IS in Deir Ezzor province and rival jihadists led by Al-Qaedas former Syria affiliate in Idlib province in the northwest.",ahram,10/5/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848259,Monitors 15 killed in missile strike on eastern Syria city,Monitors 15 killed in missile strike on eastern Syria city AP Friday 6 Oct 2017 Syrian opposition activists say 15 civilians including children have been killed when a missile slammed into a government-held besieged neighborhood in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour. The DeirEzzor 24 monitoring group said the missile hit near a school Thursday evening in the Qusour neighborhood. Among those killed were three children and three women it said Friday blaming the Islamic State group for the attack. It said the attack destroyed the school and a nearby residential building. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the incident putting the number of civilians killed at 13. Syrian troops broke a nearly three-year siege on parts of Deir el-Zour last month and are fighting to liberate from IS remaining parts of the city.,ahram,10/6/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848260,US-led strike kills 18 civilians in Syrias Raqa Monitor,"US-led strike kills 18 civilians in Syrias Raqa Monitor AFP Tuesday 3 Oct 2017 A US-led coalition air strike killed at least 18 civilians on Tuesday in the Islamic State (IS) militant groups former stronghold of Raqa the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. ""International coalition planes targeted water wells where a group of civilians were gathered in the north of Raqa city killing at least 18 civilians"" Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said.",ahram,10/3/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1923848261,At least 70 killed in north of Syrias Aleppo Monitor,At least 70 killed in north of Syrias Aleppo Monitor AFP Thursday 30 Jun 2016 At least 70 regime and rebel fighters have been killed in 24 hours in a government assault and a jihadist-led counterattack in northern Syria a monitor said Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 regime soldiers and 39 rebel fighters had been killed in battles around Al-Maleh north of Aleppo since Wednesday afternoon. Jihadists fighting for the Al-Nusra Front the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda were also killed said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman who did not provide a precise number. The government of President Bashar al-Assad has been attempting to seize Al-Maleh for more than two years. His forces have been trying for months to surround Aleppo by cutting supply lines between rebel-held districts of the city and nearby Turkey which supports opposition forces. For nearly a week regime troops backed by Syrian and Russian warplanes have been battling for control of Al-Maleh. Assads regime is also attempting to cut the Castello Road a key supply route from the Turkish border to rebel-held eastern suburbs of Aleppo. The pro-regime website Al-Masdar News reported that the Syrian army withdrew from the farms of Al-Maleh as they faced a rebel counter-offensive led by the Al-Nusra Front. It said rebels attacked government forces with two suicide car bombs. The Observatory said two children were killed by regime bombs in a rebel-held area of Aleppo. The majority of Aleppo province is controlled by Al-Nusra and its Islamist allies while the city the countrys pre-war commercial capital has been divided since July 2012 into rebel-held and regime-held areas. Thirteen civilians including four children were also killed in regime missile attacks on Eastern Ghouta in the Damascus region the Observatory reported Thursday updating an earlier toll. The conflict in Syria which has lasted five years has killed more than 280000 people.,ahram,6/21/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848262,Russia regime strikes kill 47 in east Syria Monitor,"Russia regime strikes kill 47 in east Syria Monitor AFP Saturday 25 Jun 2016 Russian and regime air strikes killed 47 people most of them civilians and wounded dozens more on Saturday in a militant-held town in eastern Syria a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the raids hit the town of Al-Quriyah controlled by the Islamic State (IS) group in Syrias oil-rich Deir Ezzor province. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said 31 civilians were identified among those killed but that it was not immediately clear whether the 16 others were civilians or IS fighters. ""IS fighters have now set up a security perimeter around the residential area where the towns mosque is located"" said Abdel Rahman. The Britain-based monitor - which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information - says it determines what planes carried out raids according to their type location flight patterns and the munitions involved. Russian warplanes have been carrying out an air war in support of President Bashar al-Assad since September 2015. More than 280000 people have been killed since Syrias conflict erupted in March 2011 after a widespread protest movement evolved into a complex multi-front war that has drawn in global powers.",ahram,6/5/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848263,25 civilians killed in raids on Syria IS group bastion Raqa monitor,"25 civilians killed in raids on Syria IS group bastion Raqa monitor AFP Wednesday 22 Jun 2016 Air strikes on the Islamic State groups de facto Syrian capital Raqa killed 25 civilians six of them children a monitoring group said on Wednesday. ""Dozens more were wounded some of them critically"" the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said adding it was not immediately able to determine who carried out the Tuesday raids. The Syrian government its ally Russia and a US-led coalition have all carried out air strikes against IS in Raqa. The Observatory said there were fresh air strikes against the city on Wednesday one of which hit the town hall. It said those strikes appeared to have been carried out by the coalition. The coalition said it had carried out two strikes near Raqa on Monday hitting a bridge used by the jihadists as well as oil facilities. There are an estimated 300000 people still living in the city. Activists have accused IS of preventing civilians from leaving in order to use them as human shields against air strikes. Twin offensives aimed at severing ISs supply route to Raqa from the Turkish border have met fierce resistance from the jihadists in recent days. Near the border a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters has been encircling IS in the town of Manbij for days but has faced multiple suicide bombings by the jihadists. At least three IS suicide bombers attacked the Syrian Democratic Forces near Manbij on Tuesday the Observatory said. A separate Russian-backed offensive by government forces targeting the town of Tabqa 40 kilometres (25 miles) up the Euphrates Valley from Raqa suffered a major reverse on Monday. More than 40 troops and militia were killed in a jihadist counterattack launched on Sunday. The government forces which had advanced to within seven kilometres (four miles) of Tabqa airbase were driven back an estimated 20 kilometres (12 miles) to the west. IS has also been under attack in neighbouring Iraq. It has been driven out of the centre of its emblematic bastion Fallujah and pro-government forces have also renewed an offensive around Mosul the largest city under its control.",ahram,6/4/2016,raqqa,1,,,,
1923848264,Syria rebels kill 7 in Aleppo assault capture 3 villages Monitor,Syria rebels kill 7 in Aleppo assault capture 3 villages Monitor Reuters Saturday 18 Jun 2016 At least seven people died in rebel shelling of a neighbourhood of the Syrian city of Aleppo held by the Kurdish YPG militia at dawn on Saturday a monitoring group said as rebels took territory to the south. More than 40 people were also wounded in the attack on the Sheikh Maqsoud area the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a district next to the only way in and out of rebel-held parts of the northern city the Castello road. An escalation in air and artillery strikes in recent weeks around the road has made it virtually impassable putting hundreds of thousands of people in Aleppo under effective siege. Hundreds of people have been killed in Aleppo since peace talks broke off in April as Syrias President Bashar al-Assad seeks to regain control of what was Syrias largest pre-war city now split between rebel and government sectors. Rebels have said in the past their attacks on Sheikh Maqsoud were in response to YPG attempts to cut the Castello road. The YPG controls nearly all of Syrias northern frontier with Turkey and has been a close ally of the United States in the campaign against Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. Many rebels in western Syria do not trust the YPG because they say it cooperates with Damascus rather than fighting it an accusation the YPG has denied. Heavy Bombardment Sheikh Maqsoud has been under intense bombardment since mid-February which has killed more than 132 civilians and injured around 900 more the Observatory said. A 48-hour ceasefire in Aleppo announced by Russia on Thursday has had little impact on fighting and air strikes and shelling have continued in and around the city since then. Three people two of them children died and more than nine people were injured by barrel bombs dropped from helicopters in the city the Observatory said on Saturday. The White Helmets a group of civil defence emergency workers operating in rebel-held areas said on Twitter one of their buildings in Haritan in the north Aleppo countryside was hit by an air strike on Saturday. There were no injuries. The Observatory also said on Saturday that rebels had captured three villages south of Aleppo from government control - Zeitan Khalsa and Barna - causing significant losses among government forces and their allies. The villages are near a main highway within rebel territory linking Aleppo with the capital Damascus to the south. They lie in an area captured by government forces at the end of last year in a large offensive assisted by Iranian-backed militias and Russian air power. But the Syrian Observatory said there has been a lack of Russian air support during this weeks battle for these villages. At least 86 members of Syrian government forces and its allies - who include members of the Lebanese group Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias - were killed in fighting in the south Aleppo area in the past four days the Observatory said. The numbers could not be independently confirmed. The rebels are fighting alongside the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front which like IS group was excluded from a February ceasefire and from the Geneva peace talks.,ahram,6/18/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848267,Air strikes in Syrias Idlib kill more than 20 Monitor,Air strikes in Syrias Idlib kill more than 20 Monitor Reuters Sunday 12 Jun 2016 Air strikes carried out by Syrian or Russian warplanes killed more than 20 people in the northwestern city of Idlib on Sunday monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Areas hit included a market and at least five children were among those killed the British-based Observatory said. It said the death toll was expected to rise because of the number of people seriously wounded. It said it did not know whether Syrian or Russian jets had carried out the strikes. Both are operating in the area. Russia deployed warplanes to Syria last year to support President Bashar al-Assad against rebels seeking to end his rule and have supported Syrian government forces in a separate fight against Islamic State (IS) group further east. Idlib city and the province by the same name is a stronghold of rebel groups including the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. Air raids in the town of Maarat al-Numan about 30 km (20 miles) south of Idlib killed another six people the Observatory said. There has been heavy bombardment of areas in Idlib province in recent weeks including air strikes that killed at least 23 people last month. Fighting in Syrias five-year civil war has intensified since a February ceasefire deal which took hold in the west of the country but excluded al Qaeda and IS group but quickly began to unravel.,ahram,6/14/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1923848268,17 civilians dead in air strikes on market in east Syria Monitor,17 civilians dead in air strikes on market in east Syria Monitor AFP Monday 6 Jun 2016 seventeen civilians including eight children were killed in air strikes on a market in eastern Syria on Monday the first day of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes on Al-Shaara a town held by the Islamic State (IS) group in Deir Ezzor province were suspected to have been carried out by either Russian or Syrian government planes. The death toll is likely to rise due to the serious condition of some of the wounded Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. Residents from nearby villages typically flock to the Al-Shaara market to do their shopping Abdel Rahman said. Heavy air strikes hit IS group -held areas in and outside the divided city of Deir Ezzor from early Monday he said. IS controls more than 60 percent of Deir Ezzor city the capital of the oil-rich province of the same name most of which has been in its hands since 2013. The Observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria to gather its information on the five-year-old conflict which has killed more than 280000 people and displaced millions. It says it determines whether strikes were carried out by Syrian Russian or US-led coalition aircraft based on the location of the raids flight patterns and the types of planes and munitions involved. Regime air strikes killed at least 15 civilians in the IS-held area of Boleel outside Deir Ezzor city on Friday according to the monitor.,ahram,6/6/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1923848269,Syria regime raids on Aleppo kill 16 civilians Monitor,"Syria regime raids on Aleppo kill 16 civilians Monitor AFP Sunday 5 Jun 2016 Dozens of Syrian regime strikes on Aleppo killed at least 16 civilians on Sunday a monitor said and caused huge damage to one rebel-held district targeted by a barrel bomb. The crude unguided explosive device hit the Qaterji neighbourhood where an AFP photographer saw a street strewn with rubble as residents ran for safety and a rescuer rushed a bloodied child into an ambulance. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said nine civilians were killed in Qaterji and two others including a child were killed in the Mayssar neighbourhood of the northern city. Another five civilians were killed in two other districts and on the citys outskirts. In Qaterji a man stood in the middle of a road surrounded by debris and shouting angrily ""There are only civilians here there are no rebels!"" Further down the street two women and two children scrambled for safety past the mangled iron shutters of shops and buildings badly damaged by the barrel bomb the AFP photographer said. The rescuer his hair covered in white dust carried a child with a blood-covered face to an ambulance in which another wounded child already lay. A truce agreed by Russia and the United States in February has been violated nearly continuously around Aleppo where the regime and rebel groups have fought for control since 2012. Around 200000 people lived in eastern parts of Aleppo held by the rebels and the only route out of those areas has been cut following fierce fighting that erupted on Thursday. More than 300 civilians have been killed in Aleppo since April as rebels have pounded government-controlled neighbourhoods with rocket and artillery fire and the regime has hit rebel areas with air raids. At least 280000 people have been killed and millions displaced since Syrias war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.",ahram,6/19/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848270,Updated 31 in Syria regime strikes in and near Aleppo civil defence,"Updated 31 in Syria regime strikes in and near Aleppo civil defence AFP Friday 3 Jun 2016 UN says Syria airdrops not imminent Regime bombing raids in and around the northern Syrian city of Aleppo killed 31 civilians Friday including 10 when their bus was hit the civil defence said. ""As well as the 10 civilians killed in strikes on the bus... 21 others died in intense strikes on several neighbourhoods in the east of the city since dawn"" the organisation known as the White Helmets said. An AFP correspondent in Aleppo said Fridays bombing raids were the most intense in more than a week with dozens of barrel bombs - crude unguided explosive devices - hitting several eastern quarters of the city. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported intense strikes on the Castello road - a key rebel supply route out of divided Aleppo - giving a toll of eight dead civilians. A bus on the road was also hit on Wednesday resulting in seven civilian deaths. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said the Castello road which for civilians in rebel-held areas is the route out of Aleppo was now ""effectively cut"". ""All movement is targeted be that buses or bystanders"" he said. Abdel Rahman said rocket fire on government-held areas of the city overnight caused several casualties but he was unable to provide an exact toll. A truce agreed by Russia and the United States in February has been violated nearly continuously around Aleppo where the regime and rebel groups have fought for control since 2012. More than 300 civilians have been killed in Aleppo since April as rebels have pounded government-controlled neighbourhoods with rocket and artillery fire and the regime has hit rebel areas with air raids. At least 280000 people have been killed and millions displaced since Syrias war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.",ahram,6/3/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848271,Suicide bomber kills one in Syria regime stronghold State TV,"Suicide bomber kills one in Syria regime stronghold State TV AFP Thursday 2 Jun 2016 A suicide bomb attack killed at least one person and wounded another three in the regime stronghold of Latakia in northwestern Syria on Thursday state television said. ""A terrorist attack hit near the Khulafa al-Rashideen mosque in the Daatur district of Latakia as people emerged from afternoon prayers"" state television said adding that three people were wounded. Official news agency SANA said a motorcycle bomb was behind the attack in the coastal city. Last month bombings claimed by the Islamic State group in the nearby seaside cities of Jableh and Tartus killed at least 170 people. IS is not known to have a significant presence in Syrias coastal provinces where its jihadist rival the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front is much more prominent. But IS notorious for using deadly sleeper cells to attack its enemies suggested the creation of a ""Wilayat al-Sahel"" or Islamic province for the coastal area. At least 280000 people have been killed and millions displaced from their homes since the war started with the brutal repression of anti-regime protests in 2011.",ahram,6/3/2016,lattakia,0,,,,
1923848272,6 children among 19 dead in Syria regime bombing Civil defence,6 children among 19 dead in Syria regime bombing Civil defence AFP Thursday 2 Jun 2016 Six children were among 19 civilians killed Thursday in regime bombing of opposition-held neighbourhoods in Syrias second city of Aleppo the civil defence said. Regime air strikes and rocket attacks hit several neighbourhoods in the eastern part of the divided town a civil defence official said.,ahram,6/2/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848273,Opposition minister among 12 dead in Syria car bomb Rebels,"Opposition minister among 12 dead in Syria car bomb A ""minister"" in Syrias opposition government was among at least 12 people killed in a car bomb attack in the south of the country on Thursday the bodys spokesman said. ""Twelve people including the (opposition) provisional governments local administration minister Yaacoub al-Ammar were killed"" and dozens more were wounded Shadi al-Jundi told AFP by telephone. The attack targeted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a local police station in Inkhil in Syrias southern province of Daraa. The victims included ""opposition figures rebels and local officials"" Jundi said. The provisional government was formed in late 2013 and manages institutions in some rebel-held parts of Syria. It is led by Jawad Abu Hatab elected by the opposition-in-exile National Coalition. Daraa was the cradle of Syrias uprising in 2011 when demonstrators took to the streets to call for President Bashar al-Assads ouster. The conflict has since evolved into a brutal multi-front war that has killed more than 300000 people and forced millions to flee their homes.",ahram,9/22/2016,daraa,0,,,,
1923848274,Some 20 civilians killed in Syria aid convoy attack Red Cross,"Some 20 civilians killed in Syria aid convoy attack Red Cross AFP Tuesday 20 Sep 2016 The air raids that hit an aid convoy near Aleppo killed around 20 people including a Red Crescent staff member the humanitarian organisation said Tuesday. ""Around twenty civilians and one SARC (Syrian Arab Red Crescent) staff member were killed as they were unloading trucks carrying vital humanitarian aid"" the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a statement. Mondays raid on the convoy destroyed at least 18 of 31 vehicles as well as a Red Crescent warehouse in Orum al-Kubra in Aleppo province. ""Much of the aid was destroyed"" IFRC said stressing that ""the attack deprives thousands of civilians of much-needed food and medical assistance."" Omar Barakat who headed the SARCs sub-branch on Orum ""succumbed to his injuries and died"" IFRC spokesman Benoit Carpentier told reporters in Geneva. SARC chief Abdulrahman Attar said the organisation was ""totally devastated by the deaths of so many people"" including Barakat whom he described as ""a committed and brave member of our family."" ""It is totally unacceptable that our staff and volunteers continue to pay such a high price because of the ongoing fighting"" he said. According to IFRC Syria is one of the worlds most dangerous conflicts for humanitarian workers. A total of 54 SARC volunteers and staff have been killed on duty in the war-ravaged country since the conflict began in 2011. The war has claimed more than 300000 lives including some 87000 civilians - 15000 of them children - according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The UN humanitarian agency on Tuesday demanded an investigation into Mondays airstrikes on the convoy which had been carrying desperately needed aid for some 78000 people. ""From what we know of yesterdays attack there has been a flagrant violation of International Humanitarian Law which is totally unacceptable"" Peter Maurer head of the International Committee of the Red Cross said in Tuesdays statement.",ahram,9/5/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848275,Russia says 62 Syrian troops killed in US-led strikes,"Russia says 62 Syrian troops killed in US-led strikes AFP Sunday 18 Sep 2016 More than 60 Syrian government soldiers were killed and dozens of others injured Saturday in US-led coalition air strikes on an air base in the east of the war-torn country the Russian army said. ""Warplanes from the international anti-jihadist coalition carried out four air strikes today against Syrian forces surrounded by the Islamic State group in the Deir Ezzor air base"" the army said in a statement. ""Sixty-two Syrian soldiers were killed and a hundred others were injured in these strikes."" The Russian military said two F-16 and two A-10 jets flew into Syrian air space from neighbouring Iraq to carry out the strikes. ""Straight after the coalitions strikes IS militants launched an offensive"" said the statement adding that ""fierce fighting against the terrorists"" ensued nearby. ""If these strikes were due to an error in the target coordinates that would be a direct consequence of the US refusal to coordinate with Russia its fight against the terrorist groups in Syria"" it said. While Russian jets deployed in Syria were not operating in the area at the time of the coalition strikes they later intervened ""in support of the Syrian army by targeting IS"" Russian General Vladimir Savchenko said. ""A total of 10 strikes were carried out"" starting from 1600 GMT he said in a television briefing.",ahram,9/12/2016,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1923848276,24 killed in raids on Syrias Idlib Monitor,"24 killed in raids on Syrias Idlib Monitor AFP Saturday 10 Sep 2016 Air strikes on a market in the rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib Saturday killed 24 people a monitor said a day after Russia and the US agreed a truce for Syria. It was not immediately clear who carried out the raids that also hit several neighbourhoods in Idlib and wounded at least 90 people the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitor could not immediately confirm how many of the casualties were civilians saying some bodies ""were burned beyond recognition"". An AFP photographer in Idlib saw men clambering over rubble in just slippers or sandals to help evacuate wounded dust-covered residents and children from a collapsing building. Others tried to lift a bloodied shopper who had collapsed on the ground as a fire raged in a nearby open-air clothes market. A man his hand pressing a bloodied wound on his hand walked away clutching the hand of a barefooted boy. The raids also destroyed several shops and cars in the area. After marathon talks in Geneva US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said a ceasefire would begin Monday the first day of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha. If the deal is implemented Syrias armed forces would stop air strikes on rebel-held areas and desperately-needed aid would reach war-weary civilians. UN investigators last week said aerial bombardment by Syrian forces and their Russian ally namely in Idlib and Aleppo were causing huge civilian casualties and destroying vital infrastructure. Since spring 2015 most of Idlib province has been held by an alliance of rebels Islamists and jihadists known as the Army of Conquest. The Army of Conquest - led by the Fateh al-Sham Front which changed its name from Al-Nusra Front after renouncing ties with Al-Qaeda - is regularly bombarded by pro-government forces. More than 290000 people have been killed since Syrias conflict first erupted in March 2011 and several attempts at securing a long-lasting truce have faltered.",ahram,9/21/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1923848277,New strikes kill at least 25 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor,New strikes kill at least 25 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor AFP Saturday 24 Sep 2016 At least 25 civilians were killed in heavy Russian and Syrian strikes across the rebel-held east of Aleppo on Saturday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Among the dead were seven people killed as they queued to buy yoghurt at a market in the Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood the Britain-based monitoring group said.,ahram,9/6/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848278,Syrian army says rebel bombardment of Aleppo killed 84 in three days,Syrian army says rebel bombardment of Aleppo killed 84 in three days Reuters Monday 31 Oct 2016 Syrias army said in a statement on Monday that the Nusra Front and what it called other terrorist groups had killed 84 people mostly women and children in Aleppo during the past three days in a bombardment that included chemical weapons and rocket fire. The Nusra Front broke allegiance with al Qaeda and changed its name to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham in July and is one of the main rebel groups taking part in an offensive against government-held western Aleppo that began on Friday.,ahram,10/12/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848279,Dozens of civilians dead in rebel assault on Aleppo,"Dozens of civilians dead in rebel assault on Aleppo AFP Sunday 30 Oct 2016 Syrias regime and rebels were locked in fierce fighting Sunday on Aleppos western edges where 38 civilians have been killed in a two-day opposition offensive to break the government siege. Rebels and allied militants launched a major offensive on Friday to break through government lines and reach the 250000 people living in the citys east. Since then they have unleashed a salvo of rockets artillery shells and car bombs around the western government-controlled districts. Syrias second city Aleppo has been devastated by some of the heaviest fighting of the countrys five-year civil war which has killed more than 300000 people. Much of the once-bustling economic hub has been reduced to rubble by air and artillery bombardment including barrel bombs - crude unguided explosive devices that cause indiscriminate damage. ""Rebel fighters have launched hundreds of rockets and shells onto the western districts from positions inside the city and on its western edges"" said Rami Abdel Rahman head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Two days of such heavy rebel bombardment have killed 38 civilians including 14 children and wounded another 250. Fighting has also killed 30 regime and allied fighters as well as 50 Syrian rebels according to the Observatory. The monitor did not have an immediate death toll for foreign anti-regime fighters many of whom have joined the militants factions. About 1500 rebels have massed on a 15-kilometre front along the western edges of Aleppo since Friday scoring quick gains in the Dahiyet al-Assad district but struggling to push east since then. ""The advance will be from Dahiyet al-Assad towards Hamdaniyeh"" said Yasser al-Youssef of the Noureddin al-Zinki rebel faction. Hamdaniyeh is a regime-held district directly adjacent to opposition-controlled eastern neighbourhoods. Fighting lasted all night and into Sunday with air strikes and artillery fire along the western battlefronts heard even in the eastern districts an AFP correspondent there said. Plumes of smoke could be seen snaking up from the citys skyline. A pro-regime military source told AFP that the rebel assault was ""massive and coordinated"" but insisted it was unable to break into any neighbourhoods besides Dahiyet al-Assad. ""Theyre using Grad missiles and car bombs and are supported by foreign fighters in their ranks"" he said. Those waging the assault include Aleppo rebels and reinforcements from Idlib province to the west among them the militant Fateh al-Sham Front which changed its name from Al-Nusra Front after breaking ties with Al-Qaeda. Aleppos front line runs through the heart of the city dividing rebels in the east from government troops in the west. In late September government troops launched their own assault to recapture all of the eastern rebel-controlled territory. It was backed by fierce air strikes from Russia which launched its own air war in 2015 to back President Bashar al-Assads forces. That onslaught spurred massive international criticism of both Moscow and Damascus. Last week Russia implemented a three-day ""humanitarian pause"" intended to allow civilians and surrendering rebels to leave Aleppos east but few did so. Moscow says it will continue a halt on air strikes over Aleppo in place since October 18. The Russian military said Friday it had asked President Vladimir Putin for authorization to resume the raids. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin ""considers it inappropriate at the current moment"" adding that the president thought it necessary to ""continue the humanitarian pause"" in Aleppo.",ahram,10/30/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848281,Rebels in Aleppo attack Putin cautious on new Russian raids,"Rebels in Aleppo attack Putin cautious on new Russian raids AFP Friday 28 Oct 2016 Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi Russia Thursday Oct. 27 2016 (Photo AP) Print Tweet Views 2494 Related Russian US jets had near miss over Syria US officials Russia Syria Iran express joint stand on Syria Russia FM hosts talks with Syria Iran UN chief demands probe into Syria school attack Syrian rebels launched a major assault Friday aimed at breaking a months-long siege of opposition-held districts of Aleppo as regime ally Russia held off on renewed air strikes. Rebel groups including the powerful Ahrar al-Sham faction and former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front fired waves of rockets into government-held western Aleppo killing at least 15 civilians a monitor said. The rebels also targeted government positions east of Aleppo city and in the coastal province of Latakia including the Hmeimim military base used by Russian forces allied with the regime. Moscow says it has not bombed Aleppo since October 18 but senior Russian military official Sergei Rudskoi told a briefing Friday that the military had asked President Vladimir Putin for authorisation to resume its air strikes. ""We have appealed to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation with a request to resume air strikes"" Rudskoi said. But the Kremlin said Putin did not agree. ""The Russian president considers it inappropriate at the current moment to resume strikes on Aleppo"" Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said adding that Putin thought it was necessary to ""continue the humanitarian pause"" in the war-ravaged city. ""The Russian side retains the right in case of extreme necessity to use all the troops and facilities it has to carry out support of the Syrian armed forces at the necessary level"" he added. Fridays rebel assault comes more than three months into a government siege of eastern Aleppo where more than 250000 people live and several weeks after the army began an operation to retake the rebel east. Rebel groups ""announce the start of the battle to break the siege of Aleppo"" said Abu Yusef Muhajir a military commander and spokesman for Ahrar al-Sham. The assault ""will end the regime occupation of western Aleppo and break the siege on the people trapped inside"" he told AFP. ""The breaking of the siege is inevitable"" said Yasser al-Yusef a member of the political office of the Nureddine al-Zinki rebel group. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based monitor said at least 15 civilians including a woman and two children had been killed and more than 100 wounded in rebel fire on western Aleppo. The monitor reported fierce clashes on multiple fronts on the western and southern outskirts of west Aleppo with three suicide car bombs targeting a checkpoint in the Dahiyet al-Assad neighbourhood. Fighting was continuing in the area near a military academy it said but had no immediate toll. An AFP correspondent in east Aleppo said the assault had boosted morale in rebel-held districts with mosques broadcasting ""God is greatest"" from loudspeakers. He said residents burned tyres to create smoke and provide cover against air attack. Heavy rain put the fires out but also hampered Syrian air operations creating what one rebel dubbed ""a divine no-fly zone"". The Observatory said rebels had also fired dozens of rockets at the Nairab military airport and Aleppo international airport both east of the city and government-controlled. Rebels also fired rockets from Idlib province into the government stronghold of Latakia killing one person and wounding six. Rockets struck close to the Hmeimim military airport as well as near President Bashar al-Assads ancestral village Qardaha the monitor said. State television said ""the army has foiled an attempt by terrorists to attack Aleppo city from several axes with suicide bomb attacks and has inflicted losses on them"". State news agency SANA said government planes were carrying out air strikes south and west of Aleppo. Once Syrias economic powerhouse Aleppo has been ravaged by the conflict that began in March 2011 with anti-government protests and has since killed more than 300000 people. Aleppo has been divided between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since mid-2012 and in September the army announced an operation to recapture the whole city. The UNs aid chief Stephen OBrien this week said Aleppo had become ""a kill zone"" adding that ""nothing is actually happening to stop the war stop the suffering"". Last week Russia implemented a three-day ""humanitarian truce"" intended to allow civilians and surrendering rebels to leave the east. But few did so and a UN plan to evacuate the wounded failed because security could not be guaranteed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused UN agencies Friday of ""not being professional enough"" over Aleppo. Speaking in Moscow after meeting the Syrian and Iranian foreign ministers he said ""Their inaction allowed the medical evacuation to be sabotaged."" UN chief Ban Ki-moon meanwhile condemned an attack on a school in government-held west Aleppo on Thursday that killed at killed at least six children according to state media. ""Such attacks if deliberate may amount to war crimes"" he said in a statement.",ahram,10/7/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848282,Rebel fire kills 3 Aleppo schoolchildren state media,"Rebel fire kills 3 Aleppo schoolchildren state media AFP Thursday 27 Oct 2016 At least three children were killed and 14 injured in a rebel rocket attack on a school in the government-held west of Aleppo city on Thursday Syrian state media said. A monitoring group said a child was also among at least eight people killed in government shelling on the rebel-held town of Douma outside Damascus. ""Three children were killed and 14 students were injured in a terrorist rocket attack on the national school in the Shahba neighbourhood of Aleppo"" state news agency SANA reported. The neighbourhood is in the western outskirts of the city which has been roughly divided since mid-2012 when rebels seized its eastern half. Rebels regularly fire crude homemade rockets into the west of the city often killing civilians. Government forces backed by ally Russia have waged an aerial and ground assault since late September to recapture eastern Aleppo killing hundreds of civilians and destroying infrastructure including hospitals. The deaths came a day after the UN childrens agency UNICEF said 22 children had been killed along with six teachers in air strikes on a school in rebel-held Idlib province. The strikes carried out by either Russian or Syrian warplanes according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights hit the village of Hass prompting outrage from UNICEF director Anthony Lake. ""This is a tragedy. It is an outrage. And if deliberate it is a war crime"" he said adding that the school complex had been hit repeatedly. Outside Damascus meanwhile at least eight people were killed on Thursday in government shelling on Douma in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta region the British-based Observatory said. Douma is regularly targeted by government fire and in recent months regime forces have waged an offensive in the area which has also been under siege since 2013. More than 300000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.",ahram,10/27/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848283,Syria monitor says air strikes kill 22 in school in rebel-held Idlib,Syria monitor says air strikes kill 22 in school in rebel-held Idlib Reuters Wednesday 26 Oct 2016 The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air strikes killed at least 22 people in a village in Syrias rebel-held Idlib province on Wednesday seven of them children. The Observatory a British-based war monitor said warplanes struck several locations in the Haas village including an elementary and middle school killing at least one teacher as well as the children. A report on Syrian state TV quoted a military source as saying a number of militants had been killed when their positions were targeted in Haas but did not mention a school. Syrias civil war pits President Bashar al-Assad backed by Russia Iran and Shiite Muslim militias from Lebanon Iraq and Afghanistan against an array of mostly Sunni rebel groups including some backed by Turkey Gulf monarchies and the U.S. Idlib near Aleppo in northwest Syria contains the largest populated area controlled by rebels both nationalist groups under the banner of the Free Syrian Army and Islamist ones including the former al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. The high death toll from strikes by the Syrian military and Russian air force in rebel-held areas has prompted criticism from Western countries and international human rights groups.,ahram,10/18/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1923848284,Group IS group land mines killed wounded dozens in Syrian town,"Group IS group land mines killed wounded dozens in Syrian town AP Wednesday 26 Oct 2016 A leading international rights group says that homemade land mines planted by the Islamic State group have killed and wounded hundreds of civilians including dozens of children in a town recently freed of the militants in northern Syria. Human Rights Watch says in a report issued Wednesday that it collected the names of 69 civilians killed including 19 children by improvised mines in schools homes and on roads in Manbij during a five-day investigation this month. The victims were killed during and after the fighting for control of the town. Ole Solvang deputy emergencies director at the New York-based group says IS ""mined virtually everything including quite literally the kitchen sink before they left."" Kurdish-led forces retook Manbij in August over two years after the militants moved in.",ahram,10/6/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848285,16 dead in heavy bombardment on Syrias Idlib Monitor,"16 dead in heavy bombardment on Syrias Idlib Monitor AFP Monday 24 Oct 2016 Sixteen civilians including three children were killed on Monday in heavy bombardment across rebel-held Idlib province in northwest Syria a monitoring group said. In Khan Sheikhun a town in the provinces south air strikes killed seven people including two women and a child the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based Observatory said the raids were carried out by either Syrian or Russian aircraft. Another seven people including four women and two children were killed in raids on Kafr Takharim further north in the province. Those raids hit three residential buildings a local government building and a stadium shortly after midnight AFPs correspondent in the town said. In the morning rescue workers were still trying to pull bodies out of the rubble. ""My sisters house was standing right here. She and her daughter are dead along with another family"" Abu Mohammad told AFP. ""There was no military base here. All the military positions are outside the town"" the devastated man said. Another man and a woman were killed in rocket fire in the nearby town of Kafr Awid. Idlib province is controlled by the Army of Conquest an alliance of rebel groups and jihadists including the Fateh al-Sham Front which changed its name from Al-Nusra Front after breaking off ties with Al-Qaeda. According to the Observatory heavy bombardment has battered the northwest province in recent days. Since Thursday bombardment has killed 44 civilians including 11 women nine children and one rescue worker. Syrias conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests but it has since evolved into all-out war pitting rebels government forces Kurds and jihadists against each other.",ahram,10/24/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1923848286,Air raids kill at least 12 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor,Air raids kill at least 12 civilians in Syrias Aleppo Monitor AFP Monday 17 Oct 2016 Air strikes killed at least 12 civilians in Syrias Aleppo on Monday a monitor said bringing to 45 the number killed in 24 hours of bombardment on the battleground city. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said five children were among the dead on Monday in the rebel-held district of Marjeh in east Aleppo. Dozens more people were wounded or still trapped under rubble. Of the 45 civilians killed the highest number of dead were in Qaterji where Russian raids claimed 17 lives overnight said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. An AFP correspondent in the eastern districts said White Helmets rescuers were still working Monday morning to pull about 20 people out of the rubble in Qaterji. One civil defence volunteer said they had been unable to complete rescue missions overnight in fear of further air strikes by warplanes circling above. Both Russian and Syrian warplanes are carrying out air strikes over Aleppo in support of a major offensive by regime forces to capture rebel-held parts of the northern city. The Observatory - which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information - says it determines what planes carried out raids according to their type location flight patterns and the munitions involved.,ahram,10/17/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848287,Turkish military says 31 IS group militants killed in northern Syria,"Turkish military says 31 IS group militants killed in northern Syria Reuters Sunday 9 Oct 2016 Thirty one Islamic State (IS) group militants have been killed in clashes and U.S.-led coalition air strikes in northern Syria over the last 24 hours the Turkish military said on Sunday marking an escalation in violence in the area. Syrian rebels backed by Turkish tanks and air strikes have been pushing towards the IS group stronghold of Dabiq a village with symbolic importance to the jihadists in an operation launched in late August. Fourteen of the IS group fighters were killed as they attempted to enter the rebel-controlled villages of Akhtarin and Turkmen Bareh three kilometres (two miles) east of Dabiq the Turkish army said in a statement. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Saturday that IS group fighters had captured those villages in a counter attack near the Turkish border. Another 17 IS group fighters were killed in air strikes by coalition warplanes in the same areas the military said in its daily round-up on the operation dubbed ""Euphrates Shield"". It said two Syrian rebels had been killed and 19 wounded in the latest fighting against IS. The operation has also targeted a Kurdish militia whose presence along its border Turkey sees as a threat.",ahram,10/15/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848288,Blast at Syria-Turkey border kills 20 rebels Monitor,Blast at Syria-Turkey border kills 20 rebels Monitor AFP Thursday 6 Oct 2016 At least 20 Syrian rebels were killed in a blast at a border crossing with Turkey on Thursday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitoring group said it was unclear what caused the blast at the Atme crossing between Turkey and the northern Syrian province of Idlib adding that around 20 people had also been wounded.,ahram,10/6/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1923848289,Suicide attack on Syria wedding kills 32 Medical source,"UPDATED Suicide attack on Syria wedding kills 32 Medical source AFP Monday 3 Oct 2016 A suicide bomber has struck a wedding in northeast Syria as the bride and groom were exchanging vows killing 32 people and wounding dozens a medical source and witnesses said. The bomber blew himself up late Monday in the village of Tall Tawil in Hasakeh province where a Kurdish party official was getting married. Rows of seats in the wedding hall were still covered in blood on Tuesday morning according to an AFP photographer at the scene. ""As the bride and groom were exchanging their vows I saw a man wearing a thick black jacket pass beside me"" a witness named Ahmad said. ""I thought he looked strange and a few seconds later there was an enormous explosion. ""People had fallen on the ground and I saw bodies torn to bits."" About 100 people were wounded according to the medical source in Hasakeh city who gave the updated toll. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a British-based monitoring group gave a slightly lower toll of 31 people killed. The Islamic State (IS) militant group said in a statement that one of its fighters had fired on a ""large gathering"" of Kurdish fighters near Hasakeh city before blowing himself up. The claim which did not mention a wedding said 40 people had been killed. Both the groom and bride were safe but the grooms father and brother were killed in the attack a relative told AFP. ""The grooms wounds are light and he and his new wife are staying at a relatives home. He doesnt want to see anyone"" he said. ""They are really shaken up by this."" The groom Zaradesht Mustafa Fatimi hails from a prominent family deeply involved in the autonomous administration run by Kurdish factions in Syrias north. According to an official from the autonomous administration Fatimi works for a local Kurdish party. The Observatory said he is also a member of the Syrian Democratic Forces an Arab-Kurdish coalition battling IS in northern Syria. Hasakeh city is almost entirely held by Kurdish forces but Syrias regime still holds some districts. The city has often been targeted by IS group militants.",ahram,10/3/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1923848291,ISIL crucifies 9 men in Syrias Aleppo NGO,"ISIL crucifies 9 men in Syrias Aleppo NGO AFP Sunday 29 Jun 2014 A jihadist group in Syria has publicly executed and crucified nine men eight of them rebels fighting both President Bashar al-Assads regime and the jihadists a monitor said on Sunday. The report comes amid fierce clashes on the outskirts of Damascus between the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant which is spearheading a major offensive in Iraq and rebels the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. ""ISIL executed eight men in Deir Hafer in the east of Aleppo province"" on Saturday because they belonged to rebel groups that had fought against the jihadists as well as Assads forces it said. ISIL then ""crucified them in the main square of the village where their bodies will remain for three days"" the Britain-based monitor said. Also in Aleppo province a ninth man was executed and crucified in Al-Bab town near the border with Turkey. ISIL first emerged in Syrias war in late spring last year and was initially welcomed by some Syrian rebels who believed its combat experience would help topple Assad. But subsequent jihadist abuses quickly turned the Syrian opposition including Islamists against ISIL. Rebels launched a major anti-ISIL offensive in January 2014 and have pushed them out of large swathes of Aleppo province and all of Idlib in the northwest. However ISIL remains firmly rooted in Raqa its northern Syrian headquarters and wields significant power in Deir Ezzor in the east near the border with Iraq. Activists say the groups Iraq offensive and capture of heavy weapons - some of them US-made - appears to have boosted its confidence in Syria. East of Damascus ""fierce clashes broke out early Sunday between rebels from the Army of Islam and ISIL near the town of Hammuriyeh"" the Observatory said. The Army of Islam is a major component of the Islamic Front Syrias largest rebel coalition which has been fighting ISIL for months but such fighting in Damascus province is unprecedented. Regime soldiers and warplanes backed by Lebanons Shiite Hezbollah also pounded rebel positions near the capital with rockets and surface-to-surface missiles said the Local Coordination Committees activist network. Syrias war began as a peaceful protest movement in March 2011 demanding political change but became an armed insurgency when Assads regime unleashed a brutal crackdown. Many months into the fighting jihadists began to flock to Syria where upwards of 162000 people have been killed and millions displaced in more than three years of conflict.",ahram,6/5/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848292,At least 10 Syrian soldiers killed in Israeli raids NGO,"At least 10 Syrian soldiers killed in Israeli raids NGO AFP Monday 23 Jun 2014 At least 10 Syrian soldiers were killed in Israeli overnight air raids on positions near the Israeli-held Golan Heights the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Monday. ""At least 10 Syrian soldiers were killed in Israeli raids against military positions next to the occupied part of the Golan. Nine missiles were fired by aircraft and at least two tanks and two artillery batteries were destroyed"" the Observatory said. The Arab Israeli teenage son of a defence ministry contractor was killed on the Golan on Sunday when a blast hit the car he was travelling in with his father.",ahram,6/23/2014,quneitra,1,,,,
1923848295,Jihadists execute three Syria rebel officers Monitor,"Jihadists execute three Syria rebel officers Monitor AFP Saturday 21 Jun 2014 Jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have executed three officers of the Western and Arab-backed rebel Free Syrian Army a monitor said Saturday. The bullet-riddled bodies of the three were found on Friday two days after suspected Islamist militants kidnapped them in the oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. ISIL which grew from the ranks of Al-Qaeda before splitting with the global terror network is active in both Syria and neighbouring Iraq and seeks to set up an Islamic state that straddles both countries. But the radical group has faced a major backlash from other rebels fighting to topple the Syrian regime and from Al-Qaedas affiliate in Syria Al-Nusra Front amid accusations of atrocities in Syrias three-year war. The FSA this month called for help from ""friendly and brotherly Arab nations"" to fight ISIL in Deir Ezzor. Rebels in Syria including Al-Nusra Front militants have been battling ISIL since the start of the year in fighting that has reportedly killed more than 6000 people. The clashes have mostly raged in the north and east of the country and on Friday ISIL seized control of the areas of Hafez and Muhassen in Deir Ezzor. The FSA officers executed by the jihadists had been kidnapped in Hafez the Britain-based Observatory said. ISIL has been battling Iraqi government forces since June 9 when in launched a lightening offensive in the north of the country.",ahram,6/17/2014,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1923848296,Car bomb kills at least 34 in Syrias Hama State media - Region - World - Ahram Online,Car bomb kills at least 34 in Syrias Hama State media AFP Friday 20 Jun 2014 A car bomb killed at least 34 people on Friday in a government-controlled village in the central Syrian province of Hama state news agency SANA reported. More than 50 people were wounded in the attack in Al-Horra which was blamed on rebels fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.,ahram,6/14/2014,hama,0,,,,
1923848297,Syria air raid on displaced persons camp kills 12 NGO - Region - World - Ahram Online,"Syria air raid on displaced persons camp kills 12 NGO AFP Wednesday 18 Jun 2014 Syrian army helicopter fire killed 12 people eight of them children on Wednesday in a camp near the Jordanian border housing civilians fleeing the civil war a monitoring group said. Seven people were also wounded in the air raid on the camp near the southern village of Shajara three of them women the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. ""The victims were all civilians people who had fled the violence in other parts of Daraa province"" Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. The air raid comes amid escalating violence in Daraa province where rebels have been advancing in recent months according to activists. Nearly half of Syrias population has fled their homes since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assads rule erupted in March 2011. More than three million have found refuge abroad. But around six million more are displaced inside Syria with many living in terrible conditions in camps along the borders.",ahram,6/18/2014,daraa,0,,,,
1923848298,20 dead in Syria barrel bomb attack in Aleppo,20 dead in Syria barrel bomb attack in Aleppo NGO AFP Monday 16 Jun 2014 Print Tweet Syrian regime helicopters on Monday dropped barrel bombs on an opposition-held district in northern Aleppo city killing at least 20 people including several children an NGO said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20 people were killed and others injured including some in serious condition in the attacks on the Sukkari neighbourhood.,ahram,6/16/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848299,Syria rebel infighting kills 45 fighters in 2 days - Region - World - Ahram Online,Syria rebel infighting kills 45 fighters in 2 days AP Monday 9 Jun 2014 Activists say rebel infighting in Syria has killed 45 opposition fighters over the past two days. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the fighting flared up in eastern Deir el-Zour province on Sunday and continued into Monday. The Observatory says the clashes pitted al-Qaidas affiliate the Nusra Front against the al-Qaida breakaway Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The two jihadi groups were allies but had a falling out earlier this year and have since intermittently clashed in some of the fiercest rebel infighting in the Syrian civil war. The Observatory says a month of infighting in Dier el-Zour alone has killed nearly 300 fighters and displaced 100000 civilians. It has also weakened the Syrian oppositions resolve to overthrow President Bashar Assad.,ahram,6/15/2014,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1923848300,Car bomb in Syrias Homs kills 10 Governor - Region - World - Ahram Online,"Car bomb in Syrias Homs kills 10 Governor AFP Sunday 25 May 2014 ""Ten people were killed and 22 wounded in a car bomb attack on a collective taxi stand in Zahraa"" a district inhabited by Alawites the Shiite sect of President Bashar al-Assad said Talal al-Barazi. Barazi had earlier reported a toll of eight while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights gave a death toll of 12. A second car bomb exploded in another district of the city wounding three people but without causing more deaths said Barazi. Homs has seen some of the worst violence in Syrias more than three-year-old civil war. For almost two years anti-regime fighters and local residents were trapped in a suffocating army siege of the Old City in the heart of Homs. They were evacuated earlier this month under an unprecedented deal involving a major rebel coalition and Iran a strong backer of the regime. The end of the Old City siege brought it back under regime control leaving only the Waer district in northwest Homs in rebel hands. The Observatory and activists say a deal is being negotiated for a truce in Waer which is home to hundreds of thousands of civilians.",ahram,5/4/2014,homs,1,,,,
1923848301,21 killed as Syria rebels shell Assad election rally Monitor - Region - World - Ahram Online,"21 killed as Syria rebels shell Assad election rally Monitor AFP Friday 23 May 2014 Syrian Islamist rebels bombarded a campaign rally in support of President Bashar al-Assads re-election in a controversial June 3 poll killing at least 21 people a monitoring group said. The mortar fire hit a tent where Assad supporters had gathered in the southern city of Daraa late on Thursday and also wounded at least 30 people the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Assad faces two little known challengers in next months vote and is widely expected to clinch a third seven-year term in office despite the raging civil war. The Observatory said a child was among the dead in the attack the first of its kind on Assad supporters since campaigning got underway earlier this month. Pro-government militiamen were also among those killed in the mortar attack which was carried out by an Islamist rebel brigade the Britain-based watchdog said. It had initially given a death toll of 22. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP the attack ""is a clear message from rebels to the regime that there is not one safe area in which to hold the election."" The June 3 poll will be held only in regime-controlled areas and has been branded as a farce by the exiled opposition and its Western supporters.",ahram,5/19/2014,daraa,1,,,,
1923848302,Syrian army missile kills 23 including 8 kids - Region - World - Ahram Online,Syrian army missile kills 23 including 8 kids AP Tuesday 20 May 2014 Syrian activists say a surface-to-surface missile fired by the military has slammed into an impoverished residential area in a rebel-held town in the north killing 23 people including eight children. A local activist who uses the name Abu al-Hassan said on Tuesday that the attack on the town of Marea took place overnight while people were sleeping in their homes. He says that among the 23 killed was a family of 10 people including eight children. Al-Hassan says he wasnt aware of any fighting taking place in the area. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the attack on Marea. Rights groups and local activists say Syrian military forces often indiscriminately strike rebel-held areas with projectiles that cant be targeted properly overwhelmingly killing civilians.,ahram,5/20/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848303,Bomb in Syrias Idlib kills 30 government fighters Monitoring group - Region - World - Ahram Online,"Bomb in Syrias Idlib kills 30 government fighters Monitoring group Reuters Tuesday 6 May 2014 About 30 Syrian government fighters were killed when rebels set off a bomb in a tunnel beneath a checkpoint in a northwestern province activists said on Tuesday. Videos and images posted by opposition supporters online showed a massive plume of smoke and earth shooting into the air near a small town as men shouted ""Allahu akbar"" (God is greatest). Rebels fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad regularly carry out guerrilla attacks against his forces but the size of the blast which occurred on Monday was unusual. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based monitoring group said the blast took place outside the town of Maarat al-Numan in the northwestern Idlib province. At least two officers were among those killed when insurgents from the Islamic Front and the Shields of the Revolution Council set off tonnes of explosives in a tunnel running from the road to the checkpoint the group said. More than 150000 people have been killed in the three-year-old rebellion which started as a peaceful protest movement and turned into a civil war after a government crackdown. International powers have been deadlocked over how to resolve the conflict further complicated by infighting between rebel groups that has killed thousands of fighters this year. On Monday about 70 rebels were killed in clashes between a former al Qaeda affiliate the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and al Qaedas Syrian branch the Nusra Front and its allies in an eastern province bordering Iraq the Observatory said. The fighting which has intensified in the last few weeks centres around villages on the outskirts of the city of Deir al-Zor capital of the oil-producing province of the same name where rebel groups have been fighting each other for control of oilfields and strategic areas. The latest clashes has displaced tens of thousands of people in the area over the last few days the Observatory said. Five civilians were killed in Mondays fighting which resulted in the Nusra Front and its allies taking control of the village of al-Sabha it said.",ahram,5/6/2014,idlib,0,,,,
1923848305,11 children among 18 dead in Syria car bombings state media - Region - World - Ahram Online,"11 children among 18 dead in Syria car bombings state media AFP Friday 2 May 2014 10 children among 18 dead as air raid hits Syria school NGO Six new hopefuls announced in Syria presidential election Suicide bombers blew up two vehicles in the central Syrian province of Hama on Friday killing at least 18 people including 11 children state media reported. The bombers hit the towns of Jibrin and Al-Humeiri state television and official news agency SANA said blaming ""terrorists"" for the attacks. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 15 people had been killed. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said the two towns targeted are majority Alawite the religious community to which President Bashar al-Assad belongs. Fridays attack came after a double car bombing claimed by Al-Qaeda killed at least 100 people on Tuesday in a majority-Alawite district of the central city of Homs. The bombings come in a particularly bloody week in the Syrian conflict which also saw 33 civilians killed in the main northern city of Aleppo on Thursday when government aircraft bombed a popular market in a rebel-held district. More than 150000 people have been killed since protests against Assads rule erupted in March 2011 meeting with repression that sparked an armed rebellion. Despite the violence authorities plan to hold a presidential election on June 3 which is expected to return Assad to office.",ahram,5/4/2014,hama,0,,,,
1923848307,Car bomb rocket fire kill 45 in Syrias Homs Governor - Region - World - Ahram Online,Car bomb rocket fire kill 45 in Syrias Homs Governor AFP Tuesday 29 Apr 2014 Print Tweet Views 371 Related Syrian refugees arrive in new Jordan camp Syrias Assad to stand again for president Speaker Iraqi helicopters strike Syria jihadists ahead of vote Syria has 8% of chemical material left Monitor A car bomb and rocket attack on a government-held district of the Syrian city of Homs killed at least 45 people and wounded 85 on Tuesday the provincial governor said. Governor Talal al-Barazi told AFP the car bomb detonated in the Abbasid area of the Zahra neighbourhood in the central city killing 36 people adding that the blast was followed by rocket fire that killed nine others.,ahram,4/29/2014,homs,0,,,,
1923848308,Mortar fire in Damascus kills 12 wounds 50 State media - Region - World - Ahram Online,"Mortar fire in Damascus kills 12 wounds 50 State media AFP Tuesday 29 Apr 2014 Mortar shells slammed into central Damascus on Tuesday hitting a technical institute in a barrage that killed 12 people and wounded 50 state media reported. ""Twelve citizens were killed and 50 others wounded by terrorists who targeted the Shaghour neighbourhood in Damascus with four mortar shells"" the SANA news agency said adding that two shells hit the Badr al-Din al-Hussein technical institute.",ahram,4/29/2014,damascus,1,,,,
1923848309,21 dead in rebel fire on regime parts of Aleppo NGO - Region - World - Ahram Online,21 dead in rebel fire on regime parts of Aleppo NGO AFP Sunday 27 Apr 2014 At least 21 people were killed and 50 hurt on Sunday in a rebel mortar attack on regime-held districts of the Syrian city of Aleppo the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The city is divided between government and opposition control and clashes on the ground rebel fire and regime aerial bombardment have all increased there in recent weeks.,ahram,4/12/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848310,88 dead in two days of clashes in Syrias Daraa Monitor - Region - World - Ahram Online,88 dead in two days of clashes in Syrias Daraa Monitor AFP Saturday 26 Apr 2014 At least 88 rebel and regime forces have been killed in two days of clashes for control of strategic sites in Syrias southern Daraa province an monitoring group said Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights based in Britain said 45 opposition fighters and 43 regime forces had been killed in the fighting that began on Thursday. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP that rebel forces including fighters from Al-Qaedas Syria affiliate Al-Nusra Front had seized the strategic Tal al-Jabiyeh hill on Thursday. Clashes were continuing as the opposition fighters sought to take another hilltop nearby in a bid to connect territory they hold in Daraa and the Quneitra region alongside the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Observatory said rebel forces had seized weapons and ammunition during the clashes and that regime forces had called in support from heavy artillery and helicopters to try to retake the hill. On Saturday Abdel Rahman said the opposition was focusing its efforts on capturing Tal Jamu some five kilometres (three miles) from Tal al-Jabiyeh in a bid to link areas under its control.,ahram,4/4/2014,daraa,0,,,,
1923848311,Air raid kills 21 at Syria market Monitor - Region - World - Ahram Online,"Air raid kills 21 at Syria market Monitor AFP Thursday 24 Apr 2014 An air strike on a market on Thursday killed at least 21 people including three children in a village of the north Syrian province of Aleppo a monitoring group said. The deadly raid comes amid a massive aerial offensive targeting opposition-held areas across Aleppo city and province that began in December 15. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the bombing campaign has killed hundreds mostly civilians and forced thousands of families to flee their homes. ""The number of people killed in an air strike this morning against the market area of Atareb village has risen to 21 including three children"" said the Observatory adding the toll was likely to rise. Activists distributed video showing scenes of chaos with bodies lying amid mounds of grey rubble in what was clearly a market. The amateur footage shows a woman in a white headscarf screaming as she leaned over the body of a loved one. Another image showed a man attending to a boy whose leg had been ripped off. It was unclear whether the child was alive or dead. ""The area that was struck today is a market area thats why there were so many civilians killed"" said Aleppo-based activist Abu Omar. ""The regime is hitting back against the civilians who support the revolt"" against President Bashar al-Assad he added. Swathes of Aleppo city and province have been out of army control since 2012. Human Rights Watch has accused Syrias regime of ""wreaking disaster"" with its air strikes on the area. More than 150000 people have been killed in Syrias three-year war which broke out after the regime unleashed a massive crackdown against a protest movement demanding political change. The violence has forced nearly half of Syrias population to flee their homes.",ahram,4/24/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1923848312,Air strikes kill dozens in Syrias Aleppo Monitor group - Region - World - Ahram Online,"Air strikes kill dozens in Syrias Aleppo Monitor group Reuters Monday 21 Apr 2014 Dozens of people have been killed in air strikes on the northern Syrian city of Aleppo a monitoring group said on Monday including at least 29 people in a single neighbourhood. Also on Monday state news agency SANA said two people were killed when mortars struck central Damascus. The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air strikes killed 29 people on Sunday including women and children in the southern Al-Ferdous district of Aleppo a city that was once Syrias largest and a major commercial hub. Another 14 people were killed in the Baeedeen neighbourhood in ""barrel bomb"" attacks - strikes in which helicopters drop highly destructive improvised explosives - the group said. A further five died in barrel bomb attacks in the village of Tlajabin it added. Western powers have condemned the use of barrel bombs as a war crime but they continue to fall nearly every day in Aleppo and other parts of Syria. SANA said two people were killed in Damascus when mortars fired by ""terrorists"" - its term for rebel fighters - hit the Al-Salihiya neighbourhood of the capital and a nearby area. More than 150000 people have been killed in Syrias conflict which started as a peaceful protest movement against President Bashar al-Assads rule in March 2011 and turned into civil war after a government crackdown.",ahram,4/21/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1923848313,Twin car bombs kill 25 in Syrias Homs State media - Region - World - Ahram Online,"Twin car bombs kill 25 in Syrias Homs State media AFP Wednesday 9 Apr 2014 Two car bombs killed at least 25 people including women and children in a government-held neighbourhood of Syrias central city of Homs Wednesday state news agency SANA reported. Another 100 people were wounded in Karam al-Luz in attacks SANA blamed on ""terrorists"" the governments term for people fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. ""Twenty-five people fell as martyrs including women and children and more than 107 others were wounded after the explosion of the two car bombs"" a half-hour apart SANA said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the bombings killed 21 people in a mostly Alawite neighbourhood referring to the Shiite Muslim offshoot sect to which the Assad family belongs. Videos posted online by activists showed destroyed shopfronts and people panicking and running in all directions as rescuers struggled to extinguish a fire. Syrias uprising began as a series of peaceful protests against the Assad familys four-decade rule but escalated into a full-scale insurgency after the regime launched a devastating crackdown on dissent. More than 150000 people have been killed since the revolt began in March 2011 and nine million have been driven from their homes including 2.6 million international refugees. Homs was an epicentre of the revolt but is now almost entirely in regime hands with small pockets of rebels holding out in besieged areas in and around the devastated Old City. Earlier Wednesday troops fighting in the Qalamun region seized the town of Rankus tightening their grip on the strategic region along the Lebanese border. ""Units of the Syrian army have now accomplished their operation in the Rankus area and restored security and stability after eliminating a large number of terrorists"" state media said. The Britain-based Observatory had earlier confirmed that ""the army entered the area and is engaged in fierce fighting and heavy shelling."" The group with a network of sources inside Syria said 28 rebels had been killed in Qalamun area as well as in Eastern Ghouta elsewhere in Damascus province in fighting between Tuesday and Wednesday. Troops backed by pro-regime militiamen and Lebanons Shiite movement Hezbollah have captured most of Qalamun through which a key highway runs between Damascus and Homs. Last month the regime dealt a major blow to the opposition by seizing its last key bastion in the region the town of Yabrud. The rebels still control a few smaller villages in Qalamun but have seen their supply lines across the border with Lebanon largely severed.",ahram,4/9/2014,homs,0,,,,
1923848315,29 rebels dead in Syria premature car bomb blast NGO - Region - World - Ahram Online,"29 rebels dead in Syria premature car bomb blast NGO AFP Sunday 6 Apr 2014 At least 29 rebels died in a blast in the city of Homs in central Syria on Sunday as they primed a car bomb for an attack an NGO said. In the capital meanwhile two people were killed when mortar fire struck the Damascus Opera House. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 29 rebels were killed in the besieged Old City of Homs when a car bomb exploded. ""The death toll is likely to rise because there are dozens of people missing and body parts in the area of the blast"" the Britain-based group said. State news agency SANA also reported the blast saying a car had exploded while being loaded with explosives. The blast took place on the outskirts of the besieged Old City of Homs which is under rebel control. Some 1400 civilians were able to leave the area this year under UN supervision but an estimated 1500 people remain until the army siege. In the capital SANA said two people were killed in mortar fire by rebel fighters. ""Two people were killed and five wounded by a mortar round that hit the Damascus Opera House"" near key government and military buildings on Umayyad Square it said. The attack damaged the Opera House which was inaugurated by President Bashar al-Assad in 2004. Mortar fire also wounded three people in the Abbasids neighbourhood of northeast Damascus SANA said. On Saturday mortar rounds struck near the Russian embassy said the Syrian Observatory. The rebel fire on Damascus comes as government forces step up a campaign to crush insurgents in its eastern suburbs the Observatory said.",ahram,4/5/2014,homs,0,,,,
1923848316,Mortar fire kills two at Damascus Opera House State media - Region - World - Ahram Online,"Mortar fire kills two at Damascus Opera House State media AFP Sunday 6 Apr 2014 A mortar attack on the Damascus Opera House killed two people on Sunday state media reported as regime forces pressed a campaign against rebels on the Syrian capitals outskirts. ""Two people were killed and five others wounded by a mortar round that hit the Damascus Opera House"" near key government and military buildings on Umayyad Square the official SANA news agency said. The attack damaged the Opera House which was inaugurated by President Bashar al-Assad in 2004. Mortar fire also wounded three people in the Abbasids neighbourhood of northeast Damascus SANA said blaming the attacks on ""terrorists"" - the regime term for those fighting to oust Assad. On Saturday mortar rounds struck near the Russian embassy said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based monitor. Rebel fire on Damascus has wounded at least 22 people in recent days as government forces step up a campaign to crush insurgents in its eastern suburbs the Observatory said.",ahram,4/3/2014,damascus,1,,,,
1923848317,More than 50 Syria rebels jihadists killed NGO - Region - World - Ahram Online,"More than 50 Syria rebels jihadists killed NGO AFP Sunday 30 Mar 2014 More than 50 rebels and jihadists were killed in fighting in northeast Syrias Hasakeh province as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) overran a town bordering Iraq an NGO said Sunday. ""The number of Al-Nusra Front and rebel fighters killed in battles (Saturday) against ISIL in the strategic town of Markada in the south of Hasake province has risen to 39"" said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The group said ISIL lost 13 of its fighters as it took total control of Markada. ""Markada is important because it provides ISIL with a supply route from Iraq into the road linking Hasake to Deir Ezzor"" said the Observatory. Oil-rich Hasake and Deir Ezzor provinces border Iraq where ISIL has its roots. ISIL has been fighting a war against rebels including the Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front since January across large swathes of western northern and eastern Syria. Once allied to ISIL Syrias rebels and Al-Nusra turned against the jihadists angered by their quest for hegemony and abuses. While ISIL has withdrawn from much of the west and north of Syria it has held its ground firmly in the east near the Iraqi border. On another front fighting raged in flashpoints of Latakia province on the Mediterranean coastline where rebels and Al-Nusra Front began a surprise offensive against the army last week. Latakia is the heartland of both President Bashar al-Assads clan and his Alawite sect. Since late last week the rebels have taken over a key border crossing with Turkey at Kasab and a handful of villages. On Sunday the fighting was focused around the village of Qustul Maaf and the Nisr mountain which is surrounded by rebels. The battle in Latakia has killed some 300 fighters on both sides the Observatory said including 180 army and paramilitary troops loyal to Assads regime. More than 146000 people have died in Syrias three-year war and nearly half the countrys population have fled their homes.",ahram,3/7/2014,hasakeh,0,,,,
1923848318,Car bomb kills six in Syrias Homs NGO - Region - World - Ahram Online,"Car bomb kills six in Syrias Homs NGO AFP Monday 17 Mar 2014 Six people were killed and 20 wounded Monday by a car bomb in a Homs district that is home to members of Syrian President Bashar al-Assads Alawite sect a monitoring group said. ""At least six people were killed including women and children and 20 others wounded in a car bomb attack on the Zahraa district"" said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based group with a network of contacts inside Syria. State news agency SANA confirmed the report. Homs has seen some of Syrias worst violence since the outbreak of the revolt against Assad three years ago which was met by a brutal crackdown that spawned a civil war. Only a handful of districts in the heart of the city remain in rebel control. Besieged for nearly two years residents there survive on little more than herbs and suffer daily shelling. Fighting raged further north in Syrias second city Aleppo between rebels and regime loyalists as helicopters dropped a barrel bomb on an opposition area of the city the Observatory said. At least one man was killed by regime shelling while clashes raged on the citys front lines the group said adding that 11 troops were killed in Mondays fighting. The rebel Army of Mujahideen meanwhile detained prominent female activist Marcel Shehwaro and her friend Mohammad Khalili in Aleppo after she refused to don the Islamic headscarf according to local activists. The pair were taken to the Islamic court for questioning with activists saying they would protest at the court to demand their release. In Damascus a mortar hit the central Umayyad square killing one policeman a security source told AFP. North of the capital the army backed by its Lebanese ally Hezbollah shelled Flita as it prepared an offensive against remaining rebel enclaves in the Qalamoun mountains near the Lebanon border. The shelling comes a day after the fall of Yabrud a key opposition bastion in the Qalamoun area. More than 146000 people have been killed in Syrias war and millions more displaced.",ahram,3/11/2014,homs,0,,,,
1923848319,Car bomb blast kills 15 in Syrias Homs NGO - Region - World - Ahram Online,"Car bomb blast kills 15 in Syrias Homs NGO AFP Thursday 6 Mar 2014 At least 15 people were killed and 12 others wounded in a car bomb blast in the central Syrian city of Homs on Thursday an NGO said. ""At least 15 people were killed and 12 others injured in the Armenian district which is home to mostly Christians and Alawites"" said Rami Abdel Rahman director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syrias President Bashar al-Assad comes from the Alawite community a religious minority that stems from Shiite Islam. Syrias state news agency SANA reported a ""terrorist attack"" on the main street of the district ""which caused deaths injuries and damage."" The neighbourhood in the east of Homs is under government control. Homs once dubbed the ""capital"" of Syrias revolution for its prominent well-attended anti-government protests has been the scene of fierce fighting between the regime and rebels. Part of its Old City under rebel control has been subjected to a tight government siege that has left several thousand civilians trapped. In recent weeks UN and Red Crescent teams were able to evacuate some civilians and distribute food and medicine to those remaining in the besieged neighbourhoods but the operations have halted.",ahram,3/6/2014,homs,1,,,,
1923848320,Five dead in blast by security HQ in central Syria NGO - Region - World - Ahram Online,"Five dead in blast by security HQ in central Syria NGO AFP Thursday 6 Mar 2014 At least five people were killed and more than 20 wounded on Thursday in a bomb blast near a security headquarters in Syrias central Hama city a monitor said. ""A truck packed with explosives detonated... near a branch of the military intelligence killing at least five people and injuring more than 20"" the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Syrian state television also reported the blast saying four people had been killed and 22 wounded in a ""terrorist explosion"" at the southern entrance of the city. In the northern province of Raqa two suicide bombers exploded inside base 17 an army base under siege by opposition forces according to the Observatory a Britain-based group that relies on activists and other witnesses inside Syria. The group said two fighters from the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant had blown themselves up at the headquarters which is north of the groups stronghold in Raqas provincial capital. Clashes between regime forces and ISIL broke out after the blasts which the Observatory said killed several soldiers. In Damascus meanwhile the group said a man died after regime shelling a day earlier on the Palestinian Yarmuk camp where a ceasefire has broken down. The renewed fighting has halted aid delivery efforts to the besieged camp where two more people died from lack of food and medical care on Wednesday the Observatory said. Around 130 people are reported to have died because of shortages in the camp caused by the tight army siege. More than 140000 people are estimated to have been killed since the start of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011.",ahram,3/4/2014,hama,0,,,,
1924058031,Israeli attack on Syria military camp kills three | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Apr 232017 An Israeli attack on a Syrian training camp near the Golan Heights killed three members of a pro-government militia on Sunday an official from the forces said. The Al Fawwar camp in Syrias southwestern Quneitra province is used by the National Defence Forces (NDF) which command some 90000 fighters across Syria. The NDF official told AFP that two fighters were also wounded in the Israeli attack but said it was unclear whether the damage was inflicted by an air strike or shelling. Another Syrian source inside the training camp told AFP that around 600am local time (0300 GMT) ""security guards at the camp saw what looked like three fireballs coming towards the camp"". ""Then there were several consecutive blasts because of the explosion of ammunition warehouses"" that firefighters worked hard to extinguish the source said. The source also said that they were ""Israeli rockets"" but could not specify what kind of missiles may have been used. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said the attack had targeted a ""weapons warehouse"" in the camp. Israels army declined to comment Sunday on the attack. On Friday the Israeli army said it targeted positions inside Syria in retaliation for mortar fire that hit the northern part of the Golan Heights. At the time Syrias official news agency SANA said Israel had struck a Syrian army position in the province of Quneitra on the Golan plateau ""causing damage"". The Syrian government labels rebel groups and militants fighting the regime as ""terrorists"" and accuses Israel of backing them. Israel seized 1200 square kilometres of the Golan from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community. Around 510 square kilometres of the Golan are under Syrian control. The two countries are still technically at war although the border remained largely quiet for decades until 2011 when the Syrian conflict broke out. The Israeli side is hit sporadically by what are usually deemed to be stray rounds and Israel has recently taken to opening fire in retaliation.",jordantimes,4/13/2017,quneitra,0,,,,
1924058032,Dozens dead as car bomb hits Syria evacuees | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Apr 152017 A suicide car bomb attack on buses carrying Syrians evacuated from two besieged government-held towns killed 43 people on Saturday as US-backed fighters advanced in their push towards the Daesh terror groups Raqqa stronghold. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the blast targeted buses carrying residents evacuated from the northern towns of Fuaa and Kafraya under a deal reached between the regime and rebels. Bodies were still being recovered from the attack at a transit point in Rashidin west of Aleppo according to the observatory. ""The suicide bomber was driving a van supposedly carrying aid supplies and detonated near the buses"" the monitoring group said. It said that most of the dead were evacuees but also included several rebels who had been guarding the buses. Thousands of evacuees had been stuck on the road because of a disagreement over the number of rebels allowed to leave two other towns included in the deal but the process restarted following the blast the observatory said. AFPs reporter in rebel-held Rashidin saw several bodies body parts and blood scattered on the ground. The bombing took place as thousands of evacuees from Fuaa and Kafraya waited to continue their journey to regime-controlled Aleppo the coastal province of Latakia or Damascus. More than 5000 people who had lived under crippling siege for more than two years left the two towns along with 2200 evacuated from rebel-held Madaya and Zabadani on Friday. Syrias war has left more than 320000 people dead since erupting in 2011 with more than half the population forced from their homes and hundreds of thousands enduring siege-like conditions. It has sucked in regional and international powers and allowed extremist groups to seize vast areas of the country. US-backed fighters reached the outskirts of a key extremist-held town in northern Syria on Saturday as part of an offensive aimed at the Daesh bastion of Raqqa. SDF advances The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) an Arab-Kurdish alliance supported by US-led coalition air strikes and special forces advisers surrounded Tabaqa in early April and have cut its main supply routes. The town and a vast nearby dam are considered key prizes in the broader offensive for Raqqa the de facto Syrian capital of Daeshs self-proclaimed caliphate about 55 kilometres to the east. An SDF military source said Saturday that clashes were fierce and that the alliances forces were trying to penetrate the town from the east and west. The alliance was reported to have advanced overnight after driving the extremists from two areas just southeast and southwest of the town. SDF fighters are within a few hundred metres of Tabaqa said observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. He said heavy clashes were under way around the two suburbs as Daesh attempted to counter-attack. The SDF launched its campaign for Raqqa in November and has since captured most of the surrounding province. It has been backed by US-led coalition air strikes along with advisers and even an American Marines artillery battery. Raqqa was home to around 240000 residents before 2011 and more than 80000 people have fled to the city from other parts of the country since the start of Syrias civil war. Tabaqa sits on a key supply route into Raqqa and served as an important Daesh command base housing the groups main prison. Backed by Russia and local militias pro-government forces have made a string of recent gains. The government and rebels have brokered a series of deals to evacuate people from besieged areas which Damascus touts as the best way to end the violence. Rebels say they are forced out by siege and bombardment. The deal involving the evacuees targeted on Saturday has been beset by delays and the 5000 Fuaa and Kafraya residents had waited in Rashidin for more than a day without moving before the bomb went off an AFP correspondent said. Around 2220 evacuees from Madaya and Zabadani were similarly blocked at a transit point in government-held territory one of them told AFP by telephone. State television said the car bombing had been carried out by terrorist groups a term the regime applies to all armed opposition groups. Many residents had earlier expressed regret over not knowing when if ever they would be able to return to their homes. Its terrible to be uprooted like this to go and live in a place that is not ours said Jama Nayef a vet from Fuaa.",jordantimes,4/13/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058034,Strike kills 15 near Syrias Daesh-held Raqqa monitor | Jordan Times,Last updated at Apr 092017 At least 15 civilians including four children were killed in a suspected US-led coalition air strike on Saturday near the Daesh terror groups Syrian bastion Raqqa a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 17 people were injured in the strike on Heneyda and that the death toll could rise further because several of the wounded were in serious conditions. The Britain-based group said the strike was suspected to have been carried out by the US-led coalition fighting Daesh in Syria and Iraq. The observatory which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type location flight patterns and munitions used. Heneyda is around 25 kilometres west of the city of Raqqa the target of a major operation led by a Kurdish-Arab alliance of fighters and backed by the US-led coalition. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have for months been advancing towards the city in the north of the country hoping to encircle it before launching a final assault. Its forces last month seized the Tabaqa military airport from Daesh and have entered the complex of the key Tabqa dam after being airlifted behind jihadist lines by US forces. They continue to battle for the town of Tabqa around 40 kilometres west of Raqqa with clashes ongoing on Saturday the observatory said. More than 320000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-government demonstrations in March 2011.,jordantimes,4/14/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1924058036,Outrage as Syria •_chemical attack•_ kills dozens in rebel-held town | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Apr 052017 KHAN SHEIKHUN Syria A suspected chemical attack in rebel-held northwestern Syria killed dozens of civilians including children and left many more sick and gasping on Tuesday causing widespread outrage. The attack on the town of Khan Sheikhun killed at least 58 civilians and saw dozens suffering respiratory problems and symptoms including vomiting fainting and foaming at the mouth the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. Syrias opposition blamed President Bashar Assads forces saying the attack cast doubt on the future of peace talks. The army denied any involvement however issuing a statement blaming ""terrorist groups"" for using ""chemical and toxic substances"". At least 11 children were among the dead the observatory said and an AFP correspondent in Khan Sheikhun saw many attached to respirators. If confirmed it would be one of the worst chemical attacks since the start of Syrias civil war six years ago. The incident brought swift international condemnation with the United States France and Britain all pointing the finger at Assad. US blames Damascus The White House condemned what it said was a ""reprehensible"" attack carried out by Assads forces. Spokesman Sean Spicer said President Donald Trump had been briefed extensively on the incident adding that the US was ""confident in its assessment"" that Damascus was to blame. Spicer also suggested it was in the ""best interest"" of Syrians for Assad not to lead the country. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said the attack was believed to be chemical and launched from the air adding that there should be a ""clear identification of responsibilities and accountability"". The observatory said the attack on a residential part of Khan Sheikhun came early on Tuesday morning when a warplane carried out strikes that released ""toxic gas"". As well as those killed at least 160 people were injured it said and many were dying even after arriving at medical facilities. The monitor could not confirm the nature of the gas but said the attack was likely carried out by government warplanes. We heard strikes this morning... We ran inside the houses and saw whole families just dead in their beds. Children women old people dead in the streets resident Abu Mustafa said. Russias military which has been fighting in support of Assads government since September 2015 denied carrying out any strikes near the town. Hours after the initial attack air strikes also hit a hospital in the town where doctors were treating victims the AFP correspondent said bringing down rubble on top of medics as they worked. He saw a young girl a woman and two elderly people dead at a hospital. A father carried his dead little girl her lips blueish and her dark curls visible wrapped in a sheet. As doctors worked a warplane circled overhead striking first near the facility and then hitting it twice inflicting severe damage and prompting nearly a dozen medical staff to flee. Speaking to AFP medic Hazem Shehwan said victims were suffering from symptoms including pinpoint pupils convulsions foaming at the mouth and rapid pulses. Army denial Khan Sheikhun is in Idlib province which is largely controlled by an alliance of rebels including former Al Qaeda affiliate Fateh Al Sham Front. The province is regularly targeted in government and Russian air strikes and has also been hit by the US-led coalition fighting Daesh group usually targeting extremists. Syrias leading opposition group the National Coalition blamed Assad for the attack and demanded the UN open an immediate investigation and hold those responsible to account. Failure to do so will be understood as a message of blessing to the regime for its actions it said. Damascus officially joined the Chemical Weapons Convention and turned over its declared chemical arsenal in 2013 as part of a deal to avert US military action. That agreement came after hundreds of people up to 1429 according to a US intelligence report were killed in chemical weapons strikes allegedly carried out by government troops east and southwest of Damascus. But there have been repeated allegations of chemical weapons use since with a UN-led investigation pointing the finger at the regime for at least three chlorine attacks in 2014 and 2015. The army again denied using chemical weapons on Tuesday insisting it has never used them any time anywhere and will not do so in the future. The global chemical arms watchdog said it was seriously concerned by reports of the attack. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said it was gathering and analysing information from all available sources. The UNs Commission of Inquiry for Syria said it had begun investigating the alleged use of chemical weapons. Peace talks doubts More than 320000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. Successive rounds of peace talks including a UN-sponsored meeting in Geneva last week have failed to produce a political breakthrough. Tuesdays attack cast new doubt on the peace process said the oppositions chief negotiator Mohamad Sabra. If the United Nations cannot deter the regime from carrying out such crimes how can it achieve a process that leads to political transition in Syria? he told AFP. A senior Syrian security source told AFP that opposition forces were trying to achieve in the media what they could not achieve on the ground by spreading images from the alleged attack site. The UN Security Council is to hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the attack following calls from France and Britain. Ive seen the reports about the use of sarin and as far as I know they have not been confirmed the British ambassador to the UN Matthew Rycroft said. This is clearly a war crime Rycroft told reporters. I call on the Security Council members who have previously used their vetoes to defend the indefensible to change their course.",jordantimes,4/15/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1924058037,Five dead as Russian military helicopter downed in Syria | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Aug 012016 BEIRUT A Russian military helicopter was shot down over Syria on Monday killing all five people on board in the single deadliest incident for Moscow since it intervened in the war. The attack came as Syrian opposition fighters and their allies battled government forces outside Aleppo in a bid to ease the regimes siege of rebel-held parts of the northern city. Russias defence ministry announced the downing of the helicopter which it said was carrying three crew and two officers. ""A Russian Mi-8 military transport helicopter was shot down from the ground after delivering humanitarian aid to Aleppo"" the defence ministry said in a statement quoted by Russian news agencies. The Kremlin said all five people on board were assumed dead. ""As far as we know from the information weve had from the defence ministry those in the helicopter died they died heroically because they were trying to move the aircraft away to minimise victims on the ground"" Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. Lieutenant General Sergei Rudskoy called the downing a ""terrorist act"" and said the defence ministry was still trying to confirm the fate of the Russian servicemen ""through all possible channels"". It was not immediately clear who was responsible. The incident was the deadliest single attack on Russian forces in Syria since Moscow began its intervention in support of President Bashar Assads government last September. It brought the total number of members of the Russian forces killed in Syria to 18. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based monitor said the helicopter had come down along the administrative border between Idlib province in the northwest and neighbouring Aleppo. Idlib is held almost entirely by a powerful coalition of Islamist and jihadist forces including the former Al Nusra Front now known as the Fateh Al Sham Front after renouncing its status as Al Qaedas Syrian affiliate. Aleppo rebel assault In neighbouring Aleppo province the Fateh Al Sham Front and allied rebel groups were fighting fierce battles on Monday against regime troops on the outskirts of Aleppo city. The clashes are part of an assault launched Sunday to try to ease a government siege of the rebel-held east of the city. The observatory said the rebels had advanced overnight south and southwest of Aleppo but reported ongoing fighting as well as government air strikes on the battlefield and rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods. Once Syrias economic powerhouse Aleppo city has been roughly divided between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since mid-2012. In recent weeks government forces have encircled the east cutting the sole supply route in and raising fears of a humanitarian crisis for the estimated 250000 people now under siege there. The primary goal of the rebel assault is to seize the Ramussa neighbourhood on the citys southern outskirts. The road that runs through Ramussa is the main supply route for regime forces going to the areas they control in western Aleppo said observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. It is also used by civilians to enter and leave government-controlled districts of Aleppo. Taking a detour from the north would be too dangerous he added. Islamist group Ahrar Al Sham said on Twitter it was involved in fierce clashes near Ramussa and advancing towards the route. State news agency SANA said rebel rocket and sniper fire near Ramussa on Monday killed four people including three women. The observatory put the toll at six dead. Humanitarian corridors SANA said people were using the route as usual but residents of western Aleppo expressed fears that the assault could cut them off. If the militants break the siege they will besiege us and cut the Khanasser route which is the only artery we have said Hossam Qassab a 32-year-old pharmacist. A Syrian security source acknowledged the assault but said government forces had repelled it. The encirclement of eastern Aleppo has raised fears of starvation for remaining residents who have reported food shortages and spiralling prices since the government siege began on July 17. Last week Moscow announced the opening of humanitarian corridors from the east into government territory for civilians and surrendering rebels. On Saturday Moscow and Syrian official media reported dozens of civilians had fled via these corridors but residents and rebels on the ground dismissed the reports as lies. Elsewhere in Aleppo province the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance advanced inside the Daesh terror group bastion of Manbij on Monday the observatory reported. The SDF hold approximately 40 per cent of the town and are fighting to take it with support from the US-led coalition against Daesh.",jordantimes,8/19/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058038,Dozens dead as warplanes pound rebel-held north Syria | Jordan Times,Last updated at Aug 142016 Syrian and Russian warplanes have launched a wave of air strikes in northern Syria killing dozens in areas held by a rebel alliance battling to take control of second city Aleppo. The air strikes which began Saturday and continued Sunday killed 45 civilians in and around Aleppo and 22 in neighbouring Idlib province the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The raids came as the Faylaq Al Sham Islamist faction part of the rebel alliance said it had begun a new offensive to liberate the regime-held district of Zahra on Aleppos western outskirts. The Britain-based observatory and opposition fighters said a car bomb exploded in Zahra Sunday but did not mention casualties. The monitor said the air strikes targeted areas held by the Army of Conquest an alliance of rebel Islamist and militant forces that has mounted a major Aleppo offensive. The intensification of the strikes in Idlib is due to the fact that this province is the main source of fighters for the Army of Conquest said observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. An AFP correspondent in rebel-held eastern Aleppo said the strikes were especially intense around the southern district of Ramussa seized by rebels earlier this month in a major setback for forces loyal to President Bashar Assad. Nine other civilians were killed in rebel shelling of regime-held western Aleppo Saturday the observatory said. Aleppo Syrias former economic hub and a focal point of its five-year civil war has been divided between a rebel-held east and regime-controlled west since mid-2012. Intensifying battle Fighting for the city has intensified after regime troops seized control of the last supply route into rebel-held areas in mid-July. After a nearly three-week siege rebels took Ramussa on August 6 linking up with opposition-held neighbourhoods. Emboldened by the success the Army of Conquest announced an ambitious bid to capture all of Aleppo which if successful would be the biggest opposition victory yet in Syrias conflict. Alliance fighters late Sunday began an assault southeast of Ramussa on an area containing a former cement plant turned into an army barracks where a large amount of weapons and military vehicles are stored the observatory said. The rebels want to secure the supply line they opened last week into rebel districts Abdel Rahman said. The increased fighting has raised concerns for the estimated 1.5 million civilians still in Aleppo including some 250000 in rebel-held areas. The United Nations has called for regular 48-hour pauses in the fighting to allow aid into the city which has suffered from severe shortages of food water and medical supplies. Russia began air strikes last September in support of Assad helping the regime to consolidate its hold on loyal areas and regain some territory. The defence ministry in Moscow said on Sunday six long-range bombers from Russia had struck around Deir Ezzor a stronghold of the Daesh terror group. Daesh controls large parts of Deir Ezzor city and most of the oil-rich eastern province of the same name part of the swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq that it seized in mid-2014. Girl evacuated The ministry said the Russian Tupolev bombers carried out raids southwest east and northeast of the city wiping out two command posts six arms depots IS vehicles and a large number of fighters. Daesh emerged amid the chaos of Syrias conflict a complex and multi-front war that has killed more than 290000 and displaced millions since beginning with anti-regime protests in March 2011. A US-led coalition is also battling Daesh in Syria and Iraq with air strikes and backing for the Syrian Democratic Forces an Arab-Kurdish militia alliance which on Friday took full control of the strategic city of Manbij after Daesh retreated. The extremists took some 2000 civilians as they fled to serve as human shields. Hundreds were released on Saturday but the SDF said the fate of many remained unclear. On Sunday the SDF said they had established a military council to push Daesh militants out of Al Bab the alliances next target in the same province. In rare good news a 10-year-old girl shot in the besieged town of Madaya was evacuated to a Damascus hospital where she was in a stable condition the observatory and a security source said. Ghina Quwayders leg was shattered when she was shot by a government sniper at a checkpoint in the southwestern town earlier this month while buying medicine for her mother Amnesty International said.,jordantimes,8/17/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058039,Dozens dead as warplanes pound rebel-held north Syria | Jordan Times,Last updated at Aug 142016 BEIRUT Syrian and Russian warplanes have launched a wave of air strikes in northern Syria killing dozens in areas held by a rebel alliance battling to take control of second city Aleppo. The air strikes which began Saturday and continued Sunday killed 45 civilians in and around Aleppo and 22 in neighbouring Idlib province the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The raids came as the Faylaq Al Sham Islamist faction part of the rebel alliance said it had begun a new offensive to liberate the regime-held district of Zahra on Aleppos western outskirts. The Britain-based observatory and opposition fighters said a car bomb exploded in Zahra Sunday but did not mention casualties. The monitor said the air strikes targeted areas held by the Army of Conquest an alliance of rebel Islamist and militant forces that has mounted a major Aleppo offensive. The intensification of the strikes in Idlib is due to the fact that this province is the main source of fighters for the Army of Conquest said observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. An AFP correspondent in rebel-held eastern Aleppo said the strikes were especially intense around the southern district of Ramussa seized by rebels earlier this month in a major setback for forces loyal to President Bashar Assad. Nine other civilians were killed in rebel shelling of regime-held western Aleppo Saturday the observatory said. Aleppo Syrias former economic hub and a focal point of its five-year civil war has been divided between a rebel-held east and regime-controlled west since mid-2012. Intensifying battle Fighting for the city has intensified after regime troops seized control of the last supply route into rebel-held areas in mid-July. After a nearly three-week siege rebels took Ramussa on August 6 linking up with opposition-held neighbourhoods. Emboldened by the success the Army of Conquest announced an ambitious bid to capture all of Aleppo which if successful would be the biggest opposition victory yet in Syrias conflict. Alliance fighters late Sunday began an assault southeast of Ramussa on an area containing a former cement plant turned into an army barracks where a large amount of weapons and military vehicles are stored the observatory said. The rebels want to secure the supply line they opened last week into rebel districts Abdel Rahman said. The increased fighting has raised concerns for the estimated 1.5 million civilians still in Aleppo including some 250000 in rebel-held areas. The United Nations has called for regular 48-hour pauses in the fighting to allow aid into the city which has suffered from severe shortages of food water and medical supplies. Russia began air strikes last September in support of Assad helping the regime to consolidate its hold on loyal areas and regain some territory. The defence ministry in Moscow said on Sunday six long-range bombers from Russia had struck around Deir Ezzor a stronghold of the Daesh terror group. Daesh controls large parts of Deir Ezzor city and most of the oil-rich eastern province of the same name part of the swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq that it seized in mid-2014. Girl evacuated The ministry said the Russian Tupolev bombers carried out raids southwest east and northeast of the city wiping out two command posts six arms depots IS vehicles and a large number of fighters. Daesh emerged amid the chaos of Syrias conflict a complex and multi-front war that has killed more than 290000 and displaced millions since beginning with anti-regime protests in March 2011. A US-led coalition is also battling Daesh in Syria and Iraq with air strikes and backing for the Syrian Democratic Forces an Arab-Kurdish militia alliance which on Friday took full control of the strategic city of Manbij after Daesh retreated. The extremists took some 2000 civilians as they fled to serve as human shields. Hundreds were released on Saturday but the SDF said the fate of many remained unclear. On Sunday the SDF said they had established a military council to push Daesh militants out of Al Bab the alliances next target in the same province. In rare good news a 10-year-old girl shot in the besieged town of Madaya was evacuated to a Damascus hospital where she was in a stable condition the observatory and a security source said. Ghina Quwayders leg was shattered when she was shot by a government sniper at a checkpoint in the southwestern town earlier this month while buying medicine for her mother Amnesty International said.,jordantimes,8/19/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1924058042,At least 70 killed in north of Syria•_s Aleppo •_ monitor | Jordan Times,Last updated at Jul 012016 BEIRUT At least 70 regime and rebel fighters have been killed in 24 hours in a government assault and an extremist-led counterattack in northern Syria a monitor said Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 regime soldiers and 39 rebel fighters had been killed in battles around Al Maleh north of Aleppo since Wednesday afternoon. Extremists fighting for Al Nusra Front the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda were also killed said observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman who did not provide a precise number. The government of President Bashar Assad has been attempting to seize Al Maleh for more than two years. His forces have been trying for months to surround Aleppo by cutting supply lines between rebel-held districts of the city and nearby Turkey which supports opposition forces. For nearly a week regime troops backed by Syrian and Russian warplanes have been battling for control of Al Maleh. Assads regime is also attempting to cut the Castello Road a key supply route from the Turkish border to rebel-held eastern suburbs of Aleppo. The pro-regime website Al Masdar News reported that the Syrian army withdrew from the farms of Al Maleh as they faced a rebel counter-offensive led by Al Nusra Front. It said rebels attacked government forces with two suicide car bombs. The observatory said two children were killed by regime bombs in a rebel-held area of Aleppo. The majority of Aleppo province is controlled by Al Nusra and its Islamist allies while the city the countrys pre-war commercial capital has been divided since July 2012 into rebel-held and regime-held areas. Five civilians including three children were also killed by regime bombs that landed on eastern Ghouta the observatory reported on Thursday.,jordantimes,7/6/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058046,Massive Daesh bomb attack kills 44 in Syrian Kurdish city | Jordan Times,Last updated at Jul 282016 QAMISHLI Syria A massive bomb blast claimed by the Daesh terror group killed at least 44 people and wounded dozens on Wednesday in the Kurdish-majority Syrian city of Qamishli. It was the largest and deadliest attack to hit the city since the beginning of Syrias conflict in March 2011. Syrian state media gave a toll of 44 dead and 140 injured in the bombing which hit a western district of the city where several local Kurdish ministries are located. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor gave a toll of 48 dead adding that children and women were among those killed. Kurdish officials said the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber driving an explosives-laden truck adding that the blast detonated a nearby fuel container. An AFP journalist saw devastating scenes in the bombs aftermath with distraught civilians some covered in blood staggering through rubble past twisted metal and the burned-out remains of cars. One man running along the streets was completely covered in blood his shirt drenched red. He was gripping the arm of a small boy whose face was grey and red with blood and dust. They ran past a hysterical woman who was crying and screaming her clothes torn. A girl and boy stood next to her apparently in shock. Children could be heard screaming as smoke rose from small fires that continued to burn amongst the rubble. Civilians and local security forces with guns slung across their backs worked to carry the dead and wounded from the remains of damaged and destroyed buildings. US probes civilian casualties Daesh claimed the attack in a statement circulated on social media calling it a response to the crimes committed by the crusader coalition aircraft in the town of Manbij a bastion of the extremist group in Syrias Aleppo province. Kurdish fighters have been a key force battling the extremists in north and northeastern Syria and are the main component in the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance currently seeking to oust Daesh from Manbij. They are backed by air strikes launched by the US-led coalition fighting Daesh in Syria and Iraq. A spokesman for the coalition said on Wednesday it had opened a formal investigation to determine whether its strikes near Manbij last week had killed civilians. The observatory reported that 56 civilians were killed in strikes as they fled a village near Manbij on July 19 and Colonel Chris Garver said there was sufficient credible evidence of civilian victims to warrant a probe. Qamishli is under the shared control of the Syrian regime and Kurdish authorities who have declared zones of autonomous administration across parts of north and northeast Syria. It has regularly been targeted in bomb attacks many of which have been claimed by Daesh. But a source in the Kurdish Asayesh security forces told AFP that this is the largest explosion the city has ever seen. The area that was targeted houses several Kurdish administration buildings including the defence ministry and was considered a secure zone with multiple checkpoints and security measures in place. This blast is the biggest in Qamishli in terms of both the toll and the damage since the beginning of the war observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. Local officials said hospitals in the city had been swamped with casualties from the attack. And Syrian state television carried an appeal from the governor of Hasakeh province where Qamishli is located urging residents to go to public and private hospitals to donate blood for the victims of the terrorist bombings. More than 280000 people have been killed in Syria since the war began with anti-government protests that were met with a regime crackdown. In Aleppo city at least 18 people were killed in government air strikes and artillery fire on Wednesday on rebel-held neighbourhoods in the east of the city the observatory said. The Syrian army meanwhile officially announced it had severed all the supply routes and crossings used by terrorists to bring mercenaries weapons and ammunition into eastern neighbourhoods of Aleppo. The opposition-held east has been effectively under siege since July 7 when government forces advanced within firing range of the sole remaining route in. Aleppo was once the countrys economic powerhouse but it has been ravaged by war and divided roughly between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since mid-2012.,jordantimes,7/19/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1924058047,Syria regime advances on rebels in Aleppo •_ monitor | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Jul 262016 BEIRUT Syrian government forces on Tuesday seized a rebel-held neighbourhood in the northwest edge of Aleppo tightening their siege of opposition-controlled parts of the city a monitor said. The government also carried out renewed barrel bomb attacks on opposition-held districts a day after bombardments killed at least 24 people the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Britain-based monitor said regime troops had full control of the Leramun district after heavy clashes. It also reported intense fighting for neighbouring rebel-held district of Bani Zeid. The two areas have been used by rebels to launch rockets into government-held districts in the citys west. Aleppo has been roughly divided between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since mid-2012. In recent weeks regime advances have severed the only remaining route into the rebel-held eastern neighbourhoods effectively placing them under siege. Opposition forces have responded by firing missiles into government districts killing scores of civilians. ""The importance of capturing Leramun and Bani Zeid is to stop the missile fire and also to further tighten the siege"" said observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. He said government forces had now surrounded Bani Zeid reporting heavy air strikes in the area and clashes. The monitor had no immediate toll in the fighting. Government forces effectively severed the oppositions main supply route on July 7 when they advanced to within firing range of the Castello Road. They have since tightened the encirclement of the rebel-held east taking parts of the road itself and causing food shortages and spiralling prices in opposition neighbourhoods. Syrias Al Watan daily which is close to the government also reported advances in Leramun an industrial area that once housed scores of factories. State news agency SANA broadcast a call from the military urging residents of eastern Aleppo to ""join the national reconciliation and expel the foreign mercenaries"" from their neighbourhoods. It said the army had sent text messages to residents and fighters in the east urging rebels to lay down their weapons and identifying safe passages for civilians wishing to leave. Government forces continued to pound opposition areas on Tuesday with the observatory reporting a new barrel bomb attack on the district of Al Mashhad. It said five civilians including three children were killed. On Monday at least 24 people including five children and two women were killed in a barrel bomb attack on the same neighbourhood according to a new toll from the observatory. A statement from the UN childrens agency UNICEF on Tuesday condemned weekend air raids on four hospitals in Aleppo calling them a blatant violation of international humanitarian law that may amount to war crimes. On the humanitarian front a 48-truck aid convoy on Tuesday entered regime-besieged Talbiseh in Homs province with food and other supplies for 40000 people the International Committee of the Red Cross said. More than 280000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests that were met with a regime crackdown.",jordantimes,7/13/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058050,13 civilians killed in regime air raids on northern Syria | Jordan Times,Last updated at Jul 152015 A member of the Syrian regime forces runs near destroyed buildings in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh on Monday (AFP photo) BEIRUT Thirteen civilians among them seven children were killed in aerial attacks by Syrias government Wednesday on the northern province of Aleppo a monitoring group said. A woman and her three children as well as another child were killed when helicopters dropped a barrel bomb on the village of Taduf said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Taduf which lies in the northeast of Syrias Aleppo province is controlled by the Daesh terror group. In the provinces west eight civilians including three children were killed when regime warplanes struck the village of Daret Izza held by Islamist fighters and other rebels. Regime forces are continuing to kill civilians through aerial attacks with barrel bombs or shells indifferent to the international resolutions on this matter said observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. He said the attacks amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by regime forces on a daily basis. Abdel Rahman told AFP the bombing campaign was an effort by the regime to turn civilians against the opposition factions or against IS with the reasoning that the aerial attacks are a result of the presence of fighters inside their towns and villages. The regime has stepped up air attacks in Aleppo province in recent days killing at least 57 civilians when it dropped container bombs on the Daesh-held town of Al Bab at the weekend. Also Wednesday 22 Daesh fighters were killed when regime warplanes struck a convoy traveling between the provinces of Deir Ezzor in the east and Hasakeh in the northeast. According to the observatory the jihadists were all Syrians from Deir Ezzor.,jordantimes,7/15/2015,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058051,Barrel bombs kill 11 civilians in Daesh town in Syria | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Jul 172015 Barrel bombs dropped from Syrian government helicopters on Thursday killed at least 11 civilians including three children in raids on a jihadist-held northern town a monitoring group said. The crudely constructed weapons were used on Al Bab which lies in Aleppo province and is held by the extremist Daesj group according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Since Saturday at least 68 civilians have been killed in aerial attacks on the town. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said the ""intensified air attacks by regime forces on Al Bab are aimed at foiling Daesh efforts on multiple fronts"" including the nearby Kweyris military airport which Daesh has besieged for more than a year. Al Bab is strategically important because it is one of Daeshs closest positions to regime-held parts of Aleppo he told AFP. In May more than 60 civilians were killed by barrel bomb attacks on the town. Syrias embattled regime has heavily bombarded areas in Aleppo province that have fallen out of its control. To the west in Idlib province an alliance of rebels and Islamist fighters heavily shelled the provinces last two regime-held Shiite villages for the second consecutive day. The Army of Conquest an opposition coalition that includes Al Qaedas Syria affiliate Al Nusra Front began its assault on Fuaa and Kafraya on Wednesday. ""Dozens of shells fell overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning on Fuaa and Kafraya which are largely inhabited by Shiite Muslims"" the observatory said. Abdel Rahman said there were casualties but had no immediate toll. The Army of Conquest said Wednesday its attack was a response to an offensive by the army and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hizbollah on Zabadani the last rebel-held bastion along the Syrian-Lebanese border. Clashes in Zabadani raged on Thursday according to the observatory which has documented heavy shelling on the town since early July. Elsewhere on Thursday the observatory said 17 government troops including a commander were killed in fighting with the Daesh group near the city of Palmyra. Among the dead was Major General Mohsen Makhlouf of a tank battalion in area of central Homs province the monitor said. Palmyra which is famed for its ancient ruins has been under Daesh control since May but in recent weeks government troops have advanced to within a few kilometres of the city. In northeastern Syria Kurdish forces backed by government shelling took an area south of the city of Hasakeh from Daesh forces the observatory said. Daesh entered the city where security control is divided between Kurdish and regime forces on June 25 seizing territory in its southern districts. But the Kurdish fighters along with a group of Sunni Arab tribesman are hoping to encircle the Daesh forces by taking a strip of territory outside the city. At least 230000 people have been killed in Syrias multi-front conflict which began in 2011 with anti-government protests but devolved into a civil war.",jordantimes,7/19/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058052,Syria regime air strikes kill at least 39 •_ monitor | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Jan 202015 Beirut Syrian government air strikes on Tuesday killed at least 39 people more than half of them civilians in two main battlegrounds in the north of the country a monitor said. ""The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented the deaths of at least 27 people... in air strikes targeting the outskirts of Tal Hamis"" said the Britain-based organisation. Speaking to AFP Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said nine of those killed had been identified by his group as civilians. ""More of the dead may be civilians too but we have not yet been able to confirm that"" Abdel Rahman said. He added that Tal Hamis situated in Hasakeh province which borders Iraq and which is home to a sizeable Kurdish population is under the control of the Islamic State jihadist group. Tuesdays bombing was especially deadly because it struck a cattle market. ""Some of the bodies were so mutilated by the strikes that people couldnt tell the human from the animal remains"" said Abdel Rahman. Earlier Tuesday the Observatory reported a string of air strikes against the town of Saraqeb and the village of Sheikh Mustafa in the northwestern province of Idlib. Eleven civilians were killed in Saraqeb and another man died in Sheikh Mustafa according to the group which relies on a broad network of activists and doctors for its reports. Both towns are under jihadist control though all of Tuesdays casualties there were civilians. Most of Idlibs countryside is out of government control but its capital remains in regime hands. In November Al Qaeda affiliate Al Nusra Front expelled Western-backed rebels from their Idlib positions. The provinces countryside was among the first areas the government lost in the nearly four year conflict. The conflict began when forces loyal to President Bashar Al Assad launched a brutal crackdown on peaceful pro-reform protests in March 2011 that triggered a complex multi-sided civil war. It has cost the lives of more than 200000 people and forced half the countrys population to flee their homes.",jordantimes,1/19/2015,hasakeh,1,,,,
1924058053,Syria air strikes kill at least 44 •_ monitor | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Feb 022015 Beirut Syrian government air strikes on opposition-held towns across the country killed at least 44 people on Monday and wounded more than 100 a monitoring group said. In Jassem in the southern province of Daraa 16 civilians were killed in four air strikes while 25 were wounded said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The strikes came in response to a major rebel offensive that has been under way in southern Syria for months. ""As usual the regime is striking populated areas in order to make civilian supporters of opposition fighters turn against them"" Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. Rebels fighting to oust President Bashar Assad have suffered a spate of defeats at the hands of his forces but they still have the upper hand in Daraa. ""Opposition fighters are making steady progress in Daraa province. The vast majority of the west of the province has completely fallen out of government control and that is where Jassem is located"" Abdel Rahman said. Rebels in the area benefit from ""the fact that supply lines from Jordan are still open"" he added. The involvement of experienced fighters from Syrias Al Qaeda affiliate Al Nusra Front has also helped the rebels to gain territory in Daraa. Elsewhere air strikes on Douma the besieged rebel-held town east of Damascus killed at least 10 civilians and wounded dozens more the observatory said. An AFP photographer in Douma said the strikes hit residential areas and that most of the wounded were children. Defector killed At Khan Sheikhun in the northwestern province of Idlib 15 people were killed including a former army officer who had defected from loyalist ranks to join opposition forces the observatory said. Another three people were killed in strikes elsewhere in Syria one in Aleppo province a second in Damascus province and a third in Busra Al Sham in Daraa province. The regime first deployed warplanes in the Syrian conflict in July 2012. Now nearly four years into the war there are air strikes every day despite repeated warnings from the international community that such tactics fail to discriminate between civilian and military targets. On a separate front Syrian Kurds fighting the IS group made fresh advances near Kobani seizing a new string of villages a week after the flashpoint town was recaptured from the IS jihadists. The Kurds now control an area stretching across 14 kilometres southwards from Kobani 10 kilometres to the east and 10 to 12 kilometres to the west said Abdel Rahman. The Observatory director also said Kurdish Peoples Protection Units backed by Syrian rebels had killed 10 IS members in the past 24 hours. The US-led coalition targeting the jihadists in both Syria and Iraq reported Monday it had launched 10 air strikes against IS in Syria nine near Kobani and one at Deir Ezzor in the east. Another 17 strikes targeted the jihadists in neighbouring Iraq the Pentagon said. The Syrian conflict began as a peaceful uprising in March 2011 but escalated into a civil war after the government unleashed a brutal crackdown on dissent. More than 200000 people have been killed since then and nearly half of the population has fled their homes.",jordantimes,2/19/2015,daraa,0,,,,
1924058055,Syria regime air strikes kill 15 near Damascus •_ monitor | Jordan Times,Last updated at Feb 092015 BEIRUT At least 15 people were killed and dozens wounded on Monday in government air strikes on an area outside the capital Damascus the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. There were no immediate details on the breakdown of those killed in the strikes which are the latest to hit the town of Douma in the rebel stronghold of Eastern Ghouta. At a field clinic in the area an AFP photographer saw a girl in a purple headscarf and another child in a woolly hat crying as doctors treated the wounded among them a young boy. His eyes stared wide in apparent shock from a face streaked with blood and white dust. His arm was bandaged and attached to a rudimentary drip. In the streets outside locals picked through rubble carrying the wounded to the clinic while a civil defence worker trained a hose on a fire set by the strikes. The opposition bastion east of Damascus was still reeling from a massive government aerial assault on Thursday that came after rebels fired more than 120 rockets and mortar rounds into the capital. The rebel barrage killed 10 people in Damascus including a child while the government air strikes and surface-to-surface missiles fired at Eastern Ghouta killed at least 82 people among them 18 children. Eastern Ghouta has been under government siege for nearly two years as the army tries to break the rebel hold over the area. The siege has created medical and food shortages exacerbating dire humanitarian needs created by regular government bombardment of the area. More than 210000 people have been killed in Syria since the beginning of the countrys conflict in March 2011.,jordantimes,2/19/2015,damascus,0,,,,
1924058056,Massive Daesh bomb attack kills 44 in Syrian Kurdish city | Jordan Times,Last updated at Jul 282016 A massive bomb blast claimed by the Daesh terror group killed at least 44 people and wounded dozens on Wednesday in the Kurdish-majority Syrian city of Qamishli. It was the largest and deadliest attack to hit the city since the beginning of Syrias conflict in March 2011. Syrian state media gave a toll of 44 dead and 140 injured in the bombing which hit a western district of the city where several local Kurdish ministries are located. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor gave a toll of 48 dead adding that children and women were among those killed. Kurdish officials said the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber driving an explosives-laden truck adding that the blast detonated a nearby fuel container. An AFP journalist saw devastating scenes in the bombs aftermath with distraught civilians some covered in blood staggering through rubble past twisted metal and the burned-out remains of cars. One man running along the streets was completely covered in blood his shirt drenched red. He was gripping the arm of a small boy whose face was grey and red with blood and dust. They ran past a hysterical woman who was crying and screaming her clothes torn. A girl and boy stood next to her apparently in shock. Children could be heard screaming as smoke rose from small fires that continued to burn amongst the rubble. Civilians and local security forces with guns slung across their backs worked to carry the dead and wounded from the remains of damaged and destroyed buildings. US probes civilian casualties Daesh claimed the attack in a statement circulated on social media calling it a response to the crimes committed by the crusader coalition aircraft in the town of Manbij a bastion of the extremist group in Syrias Aleppo province. Kurdish fighters have been a key force battling the extremists in north and northeastern Syria and are the main component in the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance currently seeking to oust Daesh from Manbij. They are backed by air strikes launched by the US-led coalition fighting Daesh in Syria and Iraq. A spokesman for the coalition said on Wednesday it had opened a formal investigation to determine whether its strikes near Manbij last week had killed civilians. The observatory reported that 56 civilians were killed in strikes as they fled a village near Manbij on July 19 and Colonel Chris Garver said there was sufficient credible evidence of civilian victims to warrant a probe. Qamishli is under the shared control of the Syrian regime and Kurdish authorities who have declared zones of autonomous administration across parts of north and northeast Syria. It has regularly been targeted in bomb attacks many of which have been claimed by Daesh. But a source in the Kurdish Asayesh security forces told AFP that this is the largest explosion the city has ever seen. The area that was targeted houses several Kurdish administration buildings including the defence ministry and was considered a secure zone with multiple checkpoints and security measures in place. This blast is the biggest in Qamishli in terms of both the toll and the damage since the beginning of the war observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. Local officials said hospitals in the city had been swamped with casualties from the attack. And Syrian state television carried an appeal from the governor of Hasakeh province where Qamishli is located urging residents to go to public and private hospitals to donate blood for the victims of the terrorist bombings. More than 280000 people have been killed in Syria since the war began with anti-government protests that were met with a regime crackdown. In Aleppo city at least 18 people were killed in government air strikes and artillery fire on Wednesday on rebel-held neighbourhoods in the east of the city the observatory said. The Syrian army meanwhile officially announced it had severed all the supply routes and crossings used by terrorists to bring mercenaries weapons and ammunition into eastern neighbourhoods of Aleppo. The opposition-held east has been effectively under siege since July 7 when government forces advanced within firing range of the sole remaining route in. Aleppo was once the countrys economic powerhouse but it has been ravaged by war and divided roughly between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since mid-2012.,jordantimes,7/22/2016,hasakeh,0,,,,
1924058058,At least 70 killed in north of Syrias Aleppo monitor | Jordan Times,Last updated at Jul 012016 BEIRUT At least 70 regime and rebel fighters have been killed in 24 hours in a government assault and an extremist-led counterattack in northern Syria a monitor said Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 regime soldiers and 39 rebel fighters had been killed in battles around Al Maleh north of Aleppo since Wednesday afternoon. Extremists fighting for Al Nusra Front the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda were also killed said observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman who did not provide a precise number. The government of President Bashar Assad has been attempting to seize Al Maleh for more than two years. His forces have been trying for months to surround Aleppo by cutting supply lines between rebel-held districts of the city and nearby Turkey which supports opposition forces. For nearly a week regime troops backed by Syrian and Russian warplanes have been battling for control of Al Maleh. Assads regime is also attempting to cut the Castello Road a key supply route from the Turkish border to rebel-held eastern suburbs of Aleppo. The pro-regime website Al Masdar News reported that the Syrian army withdrew from the farms of Al Maleh as they faced a rebel counter-offensive led by Al Nusra Front. It said rebels attacked government forces with two suicide car bombs. The observatory said two children were killed by regime bombs in a rebel-held area of Aleppo. The majority of Aleppo province is controlled by Al Nusra and its Islamist allies while the city the countrys pre-war commercial capital has been divided since July 2012 into rebel-held and regime-held areas. Five civilians including three children were also killed by regime bombs that landed on eastern Ghouta the observatory reported on Thursday.,jordantimes,7/1/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058059,Syria rebels kill 7 in Aleppo assault capture 3 villages •_ monitor | Jordan Times,Last updated at Jun 182016 BEIRUT At least seven people died in rebel shelling of a neighbourhood of the Syrian city of Aleppo held by the Kurdish YPG militia at dawn on Saturday a monitoring group said as rebels took territory to the south. More than 40 people were also wounded in the attack on the Sheikh Maqsoud area the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a district next to the only way in and out of rebel-held parts of the northern city the Castello road. An escalation in air and artillery strikes in recent weeks around the road has made it virtually impassable putting hundreds of thousands of people in Aleppo under effective siege. Hundreds of people have been killed in Aleppo since peace talks broke off in April as Syrias President Bashar Assad seeks to regain control of what was Syrias largest pre-war city now split between rebel and government sectors. Rebels have said in the past their attacks on Sheikh Maqsoud were in response to YPG attempts to cut the Castello road. The YPG controls nearly all of Syrias northern frontier with Turkey and has been a close ally of the United States in the campaign against Daesh in Syria. Many rebels in western Syria do not trust the YPG because they say it cooperates with Damascus rather than fighting it an accusation the YPG has denied Heavy bombardment Sheikh Maqsoud has been under intense bombardment since mid-February which has killed more than 132 civilians and injured around 900 more the observatory said. A 48-hour ceasefire in Aleppo announced by Russia on Thursday has had little impact on fighting and air strikes and shelling have continued in and around the city since then. Three people two of them children died and more than nine people were injured by barrel bombs dropped from helicopters in the city the observatory said on Saturday. The White Helmets a group of civil defence emergency workers operating in rebel-held areas said on Twitter one of their buildings in Haritan in the north Aleppo countryside was hit by an air strike on Saturday. There were no injuries. The observatory also said on Saturday that rebels had captured three villages south of Aleppo from government control Zeitan Khalsa and Barna causing significant losses among government forces and their allies. The villages are near a main highway within rebel territory linking Aleppo with the capital Damascus to the south. They lie in an area captured by government forces at the end of last year in a large offensive assisted by Iranian-backed militias and Russian airpower. But the Syrian observatory said there has been a lack of Russian air support during this weeks battle for these villages. At least 86 members of Syrian government forces and its allies who include members of the Lebanese group Hizbollah and other Iranian-backed militias were killed in fighting in the south Aleppo area in the past four days the observatory said. The numbers could not be independently confirmed. The rebels are fighting alongside Al Qaeda-affiliated Al Nusra Front which like the Daesh terror group was excluded from a February ceasefire and from the Geneva peace talks.,jordantimes,6/15/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058060,Raids on Syria market kill 21 hundreds flee Daesh bastion | Jordan Times,Last updated at Jun 132016 In this photo taken on June 8 provided by the Syrian Civil Defence Directorate in Liberated Province of Aleppo which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting shows Syrian civil defence workers (right) help an injured woman after warplanes attacked a street in Aleppo Syria (AP photo) BEIRUT Air strikes on a market in Syrias Al Qaeda-held city of Idlib killed at least 21 civilians Sunday as hundreds fled a besieged Daesh bastion near the Turkish border. Five children were among those killed in the air raids on Idlib which is held by Al Qaeda affiliate Al Nusra Front and its allies the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Peace talks towards ending Syrias five-year war have stalled with no immediate end in sight to a conflict that has killed 280000 people. It was not clear who carried out the Idlib strikes but the observatory has reported previous air raids by the regime and its Russian ally on Idlib province which is also controlled by Al Nusra and rebel allies. Footage the observatory said was filmed after the Idlib strikes showed emergency workers training water hoses on a tall building amid a haze of smoke. In Maaret Al Numan an area south of the provincial capital unidentified warplanes also killed at least six civilians including a woman and her four children the observatory said. Russia launched air strikes in support of the Damascus regime in September allowing forces loyal to President Bashar Assad to advance against the rebels and Daesh. The Britain-based observatory relies on a wide network of sources inside Syria for its information. It says it determines what aircraft carried out raids based on their location flight patterns and the types of planes and munitions involved. The observatory said Russian air strikes killed 23 civilians in strikes on Idlib city on May 31 but Russia denied carrying out raids there that day. Suspected government strikes killed at least 37 civilians in Maaret Al Numan in April sparking condemnation from Syrias opposition amid faltering peace talks Civilians flee Daesh bastion Meanwhile hundreds of civilians escaped the Daesh stronghold of Manbij in nearby Aleppo province on Sunday helped by a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance surrounding the town. Tens of thousands had been trapped inside Manbij after the alliance encircled the town on Friday in a major blow to the terrorist group controlling it. Around 600 civilians fled on foot towards areas held by the Syrian Democratic Forces alliance south of the town observatory Chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. The SDF transported them to safer areas. Those still inside the town were terrified by heavy air strikes in the area Abdel Rahman said and food was becoming scarce after the SDF alliance blocked all roads in and out. At least 223 Daesh fighters and 28 SDF troops had been killed as well as 41 civilians in coalition air raids since the alliance offensive against Manbij began on May 31 according to the Observatory. Manbij lies at the heart of the last stretch of Daesh-controlled territory along Turkeys border. The siege has severed a key Daesh supply route that had channelled money and weapons from the Turkish border to the groups de facto Syrian capital of Raqqa city. Daesh has come under attack on several fronts since declaring a cross-border caliphate in Syria and Iraq in 2014. Millions of people have been displaced since Syrias civil war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. Peace talks hit deadlock after the opposition walked out of negotiations in April over the escalating violence and lack of humanitarian access.,jordantimes,6/22/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1924058061,•_28 dead in Daesh counterattack on Syria regime forces•_ | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Jun 142016 BEIRUT A Daesh counterattack on Syrian regime forces advancing towards a militant stronghold on Monday left 28 militants dead a monitor said. Dozens of Daesh militants early on Monday attacked government positions south of the town of Tabaqa a Daesh stronghold on the Euphrates River said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said fierce clashes broke out but that regime forces were able to maintain their positions and were still 15 kilometres from the Daesh-held Tabaqa airport. ""Eleven regime fighters and 17 Daesh fighters were killed in the attack"" said Abdel Rahman. Earlier this month government fighters backed by Russian air power began pushing north towards Tabaqa held by Daesh since 2014. The town lies some 50 kilometres east of the extremist groups Syrian de facto capital of Raqqa city and recapturing it would sever the supply road from the west. Last week Daesh militants had sent reinforcements of fighters and weapons into Tabaqa in anticipation of a fierce battle to defend the town. Abdel Rahman said a total of 37 government fighters and 101 Daesh militants have been killed since the regime launched its offensive for Tabaqa. The war in Syria which began with the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations in 2011 has killed more than 280000 people and displaced millions. It has evolved into a brutal complex civil war among the government rebels extremists and Kurds each carving out zones of control.",jordantimes,6/7/2016,raqqa,0,,,,
1924058063,Syrian and Russian aircraft step up bombing of Aleppo city •_ monitor | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Jun 062016 AMMAN Nearly 50 air strikes hit rebel-held areas in and around the Syrian city of Aleppo on Sunday in some of the heaviest recent raids by Russian and Syrian government aircraft residents and a monitoring group said. The group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said an unidentified war plane had crashed in countryside south of Aleppo in an area where Islamist rebel fighters are battling the Syrian army and Iranian-backed forces. It had no information on what caused the crash. A civil defence worker said at least 32 people were killed in the rebel-held parts of the city during the air strikes with 18 bodies pulled from flattened buildings in the Qatrji neighbourhood the worst hit. The monitor said dozens of barrel bombs oil drums or cylinders packed with explosives and shrapnel were dropped by helicopter on densely populated districts. ""This week-long campaign of bombing is very intense and day by day its getting worse... it is the worst we have seen in a while"" said Bebars Mishal a civil defence official in rebel-held Aleppo. For their part rebels hit government-held areas of Aleppo in what Syrian media said was an escalation of mortar attacks on the western districts. State media said attacks on Sunday on Hamadaniyah Midan and other neighbourhoods by insurgents killed at least 20 people in the second day of intense shelling of government-held areas. The death toll over the whole weekend was at least 44. Aleppo the countrys largest city before the war has been divided for years between rebel and government-held zones. Full control of Aleppo would be a huge prize for President Bashar Assad. Russias military intervention since September has helped to bolster Assads government. In the northwestern province of Idlib meanwhile residents said Syrian and Russian jets bombed the rebel-held provincial capital setting fire to a bustling market in the heart of the city. More than 30 people were injured at least three killed and dozens were unaccounted for according to an activist contacted in the city. The Idlib strikes came just days after some of the heaviest raids on residential areas for months killing more than 30 people and injuring dozens on May 31. Idlib has been a relative haven for thousands of displaced Syrians. The air raids in Aleppo on Sunday came in the wake of strikes on civilian areas on Friday that residents said were the most intense in over a month. The Syrian Observatory said the Syrian government raids had targeted the main Castello road that leads into rebel-held Aleppo as part of a campaign to complete the encirclement of the citys insurgent-dominated areas. A Russian defence ministry statement on Sunday accused militant Syrian rebel groups of firing mortars on the mainly Kurdish-populated Sheikh Maqsood neighbourhood in Aleppo that overlooks the Castello road. The monitor said 13 people including six children were killed on Saturday in the Kurdish-run area by insurgents mortars. Rebels accuse the powerful Kurdish YPG of working with the Syrian army to cut the main artery by intensifying their ground attacks on the highway. The Russians had on Saturday accused militants from radical Islamic groups of bringing at least 1000 fighters into an area in the southern Aleppo countryside. The militants have consolidated gains since Friday in the area around the strategic town of Khan Touman rebels say. The Nusra Front spearheaded an attack on Khan Touman last month delivering one of the biggest battlefield setbacks yet to a coalition of foreign Shiite fighters supporting Syrian government forces. Rebels say Russian jets on Sunday pounded insurgent positions in the area to prevent them from advancing towards the nearby town of Hader which rebels say is a stronghold of Iranian-backed militias. Also US-backed forces on Sunday engaged with the Daesh terror groups militants in an offensive that began last Tuesday against the group-held areas in Aleppo province beginning with the Manbij area where they continued to seize more villages according to Kurdish sources and the monitor.",jordantimes,6/22/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058064,Syria air strikes kill 22 mostly children outside school | Jordan Times,Last updated at Oct 262016 BEIRUT Air strikes in Syria killed up to 22 people mostly children on Wednesday when warplanes struck a residential area housing a school complex in the northern rebel-held province of Idlib activists and rescue workers said. A team of first responders the Syrian Civil Defence in Idlib said 22 people were killed and at least 50 wounded in the raids on the village of Hass. Most of those killed were children the group said in a post on its Facebook page. Another activist group the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights gave the same death toll and said 14 children and a woman were among those killed. The activist-operated Idlib News network which gave a lower toll of 17 people killed said the strikes hit as the children were gathered outside the school complex. It said the death toll could rise as some of the wounded were reported to be in critical condition the network added. Idlib is the main Syrian opposition stronghold though radical groups also have a large presence there. It has regularly been hit by Syrian and Russian warplanes as well as the US-led coalition targeting Daesh militants. Footage posted by activists online shows a huge plume of smoke rising from the area of the strikes and rescuers rushing casualties away along a dusty road lined with destroyed buildings. A womans body is seen being carried on a stretcher while other bodies covered in cloth and one with only a hat lie under shrubs and other casualties are ferried away in pick-up trucks. An activist at the scene Muaz Al Shami said as many as 10 air strikes were believed to have hit the residential area. The video content couldnt be independently confirmed. However it conforms with AP reporting on the events depicted. Earlier in the day the northern Aleppo province saw a new escalation as a helicopter believed to belong to Syrian government forces dropped barrel bombs in a deadly attack on Turkey-backed opposition forces in the border area Turkish officials said. A statement attributed to the field commander of Syrias pro-government troops said any Turkish advances in northern Syria under the pretext of fighting Daesh militants would be dealt with forcefully and appropriately. The barrel bombing was said to have occurred in the village of Tal Madiq in a part of northern Aleppo where rival groups have been operating mostly to rout Daesh militants. If confirmed it would be the first attack by Syrian government forces on the Turkish-backed fighters. Turkeys state-run news agency didnt say when the attack occurred and said at least two Syrian opposition fighters were killed and five others wounded. A Syrian opposition spokesman said it took place Tuesday. The observatorys chief Rami Abdurrahman said helicopters struck as intense clashes were underway between Kurdish-led fighters and Turkey-backed forces in Tal Madiq and that 11 Syrian opposition fighters and five Kurdish fighters were killed. The Kurdish-led forces are now in control of the village about 16 kilometres from the highly prized Daesh-controlled town of Al Bab. A senior Kurdish commander however denied Syrian government bombings of the Turkey-backed fighters saying it was an attempted explanation for battlefield losses. They are trying to find a pretext for the loss. No aircraft were involved Mahmoud Barkhadan of the main Syria Kurdish militia the Peoples Protection Units told The Associated Press by telephone from the region. A spokesman for the Syrian fighting group Nour El Din El Zinki Yasser Al Youssef said the Kurdish-led forces attacked them while they were fighting Daesh militants in the area. Then Syrian government helicopters followed he said in a message. The complex terrain is a powder keg where confrontation among rival groups can break out anytime US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters Turkey-backed Syrian rebels and Turkey. Ankara sent tanks troops and aircraft into northern Syria in August in an unprecedented incursion that it said was part of efforts to help Syrian opposition clear the border area of Daesh militants. But Ankara is also seeking to contain the US-backed Syrian Kurdish forces fighting Daesh putting it at odds with its key ally the United States. Ankara sees Kurdish fighters in Syria as an extension of its outlawed Kurdish militants and designated as a terrorist organisation. Syrias military threatened last week to shoot down any Turkish warplane that enters Syrian air space after Turkish jets raided villages in northern Syria in an escalation of Ankaras offensive against Kurdish fighters. On Wednesday a statement attributed to the field commander of pro-government troops said Turkish advance under the pretext of fighting Daesh in northern and eastern Aleppo is an encroachment on the Syrian governments area of operations and would not be tolerated. The fall of Al Bab to Turkey-backed rebels would threaten the governments siege on the rebels in the city of Aleppo to the west. Meanwhile Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters that Turkey is determined to push ahead with the offensive in northern Syria dubbed Operation Eurphrates Shield and capture Al Bab from Daesh militants. It would not be deterred by the bombing of Tal Madiq he said. Such attacks will not stop us from combatting Daesh Cavusoglu said. The Euphrates Shield operation will continue. The only goal of the Euphrates Shield operation is to clear Daesh from this area.,jordantimes,10/7/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1924058065,Syrian government push for Damascus rebel enclave kills at least 23 | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Nov 272017 BEIRUT An intensifying push by the Syrian government and allied forces to take the last major rebel stronghold near the capital Damascus killed at least 23 people on Sunday and injured many the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The group said at least 127 people including 30 children have been killed by air strikes and shelling since the Syrian army backed by Russian jets began an offensive nearly two weeks ago to take the besieged rebel-held Eastern Ghouta area. Eastern Ghouta is one of several ""de-escalation"" zones across western Syria where Russia has brokered deals to ease the fighting between rebels and President Bashar Assads government. A Reuters witness said there had been drones in the sky since Sunday morning and warplanes had heavily bombarded the towns of Mesraba and Harasta. Heavy shelling also hit Eastern Ghouta and dozens had been injured. Assads forces have besieged Eastern Ghouta since 2012 and the area is suffering a humanitarian crisis. Ghouta residents are so short of food that they are eating trash fainting from hunger and forcing their children to eat on alternate days the UN World Food Programme said in a report this week. The opposition Eastern Ghouta Damascus Countryside local council said this week the escalating bombardment was forcing people to seek shelter in unsuitable and unsanitary places which it feared could lead to disease outbreaks. A number of shells from the rebel enclave have hit government-held Damascus in the past two weeks. Syrias six-year-old civil war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced millions to flee in the worst refugee crisis since World War II. UN-backed peace negotiations are due to begin in Geneva on November 28. Several previous rounds of Geneva talks have failed to agree a political transition for Syria or a way to stop the violence. Yahya Aridi spokesman for the Syrian opposition Geneva delegation said on Sunday it was now time for the Syrian government and the opposition to ""get to the table and start talking about transition from dictatorship to freedom"" in Geneva.",jordantimes,11/16/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1924058066,Air strikes kill 4 in Syria •_truce zone•_ •_ monitor | Jordan Times,Last updated at Nov 022017 BEIRUT Syrian government air strikes killed at least four civilians including a child in a rebel-held town in a de-escalation zone outside the capital Damascus on Thursday a monitor said. The strikes hit the town of Douma which lies in the Eastern Ghouta region where a truce deal agreed by regime allies Iran and Russia and rebel backer Turkey has been in place since July. Despite the deal there has been an uptick in government bombardment of the area in recent days. Humanitarian groups have also warned of a malnutrition crisis in the area which is under a tight government siege. Regime planes fired rockets on several parts of Douma said Rami Abdel Rahman director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based monitor. Four civilians were killed including a child he said adding that 21 others were wounded. An AFP photographer saw some of the wounded being treated at a local medical facility where some of the dead were also being received. Ziad 13 suffered a head injury after being caught up in the strike on his way home. I was coming back from school when the first strike hit and I hid in a doorway he told AFP. The plane came back a second time and I tried to get down to the basement but the force of the second strike knocked the door closed and it injured my head and nose. Up to 400000 people are believed to live in Eastern Ghouta which has been under government siege since 2013. The blockade has caused serious food and medicine shortages and pushed the prices for what remains beyond the reach of impoverished residents. At least two children are reported to have died from malnourishment or related complications in recent weeks and more than 1100 other children are reportedly suffering acute malnutrition. On Monday several dozen trucks carrying assistance for 40000 people entered Eastern Ghouta as part of a United Nations-Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy. It was the first aid access since September despite repeated requests from the UN and humanitarian actors for consistent access to besieged areas like Eastern Ghouta. On Tuesday 11 people including six school children were killed in regime shelling on the town of Jisreen in Eastern Ghouta the observatory said. More than 330000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.,jordantimes,11/2/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1924058067,Syria regime bombardment kills 4 schoolchildren in besieged enclave | Jordan Times,"Last updated at Nov 012017 JISREEN Syria At least four schoolchildren were among eight people killed in Syrian regime shelling in Eastern Ghouta on Tuesday despite a ceasefire in the hunger-hit rebel enclave outside Damascus. The bombardment came as a fresh round of peace talks to end Syrias six-year war entered a second day in the Kazakh capital Astana. Government fire on the besieged region has been on the rise for the past week with the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor saying the latest shelling hit a school in the town of Jisreen. ""A shell fired by regime troops hit the entrance of a school in Jisreen just as children were leaving it killing five people including four schoolchildren"" observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. A medical source at the town hospital confirmed the death toll and said another 25 people were wounded. An AFP photographer at the medical facility saw the bodies of four children wrapped in blood-stained white shrouds. Several wounded children lay or sat in shock on hospital beds including one with severed legs. A man cried out after learning his son had died as others around him tried to comfort him. Blood-stained satchels Small blue school bags and a tiny pair of shoes lay in a corner drenched in blood. Outside the primary school children stared at the pools of blood staining the concrete ground. ""I was coming out of school and was about to turn into a side street when the shell hit. There were dead people wounded people"" one child told AFP. The observatory said regime bombardment on Tuesday also hit other areas of Eastern Ghouta where opposition fighters have been battling President Bashar Assads troops for six years. The regime on July 22 announced a ceasefire with rebels in the besieged area which has been included in a so-called de-escalation zone agreed by Turkey Russia and Iran. On Tuesday regime shelling on the Mesraba area also in Eastern Ghouta killed three civilians including one child the observatory said. An AFP journalist at a morgue saw rescue volunteers and young men slip the bodies of a father and his son into white plastic bags. May God avenge oppressors the mans brother cried. In the town of Harasta shelling also hit near a school as pupils were leaving it wounding 10 people including five children. On Sunday 11 civilians including a journalist for pro-opposition television were killed in Eastern Ghouta. Malnutrition The shelling comes as Eastern Ghouta where an estimated 400000 people live faces a mounting humanitarian crisis. Shocking recent AFP images from the region showed severely underweight children and doctors reported two infants had died of malnutrition and related complications. On Monday dozens of trucks carrying aid for 40000 people entered Eastern Ghouta. The region was once a prime agricultural region famed for its orchards. But the rebel stronghold has been under a tight government siege since 2013 causing shortages of food and medicine as well as price hikes for the local and smuggled supplies available. Basic services are virtually non-existent with electricity produced only by generators and water often dirty and a vector for disease. More than 330000 people have been killed in Syria since the war began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. The conflict has since spiralled into a complex war involving world powers and the Daesh terror group extremists who took over large swathes of the country in 2014. But the extremists have since lost most of the territory they controlled and were ousted two weeks ago from their de facto Syrian capital of Raqqa. They face twin offensives in the eastern oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor from the regime and the US-backed Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces.",jordantimes,11/2/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1924058068,Russian strike kills 38 fleeing civilians in east Syria •_ monitor | Jordan Times,Last updated at Oct 042017 BEIRUT A Russian air strike killed 38 civilians on Wednesday as they tried to cross the Euphrates River to escape fighting in eastern Syrias Deir Ezzor province a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights based in Britain said nine children were among those killed as they tried to cross the river aboard rafts escaping from areas where Russian-backed regime forces are battling the Daesh terror group. The monitor which earlier gave a toll of 20 in the strikes said the dead included an Iraqi family. Deir Ezzor borders Iraq and civilians have fled into the province to escape the battles against Daesh in their own country. Two campaigns are being fought against Daesh in east Deir Ezzor with one on the western side of the Euphrates river that slices diagonally across the province led by Syrian troops and backed by ally Russia. The second is being fought by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters on the eastern bank of the river. The observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type location flight patterns and munitions used. The group has reported hundreds of civilians killed in operations against Daesh in Deir Ezzor and neighbouring Raqqa province where the SDF is fighting with US support to capture the former extremist bastion Raqqa city. On Tuesday the observatory said a US-led coalition strike in Raqqa killed at least 18 civilians. The coalition says it takes all measures possible to avoid civilian casualties and that it investigates each credible allegation. Last month it acknowledged the deaths of over 700 civilians in its strikes in Syria and Iraq since 2014. Russia has not acknowledged any civilian deaths from its strikes since its intervened in Syrias war in 2015 and dismisses the observatorys reporting as biased. The deaths in Deir Ezzor on Wednesday prompted outrage from the opposition Syrian National Coalition which described the incident as a heinous crime. More than 330000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.,jordantimes,10/22/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1924058069,US-led strike kills 18 civilians in Syria•_s Raqqa •_ monitor | Jordan Times,Last updated at Oct 032017 BEIRUT A US-led coalition air strike killed at least 18 civilians on Tuesday in the Daesh extremist groups former stronghold of Raqqa the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. International coalition planes targeted water wells where a group of civilians were gathered in the north of Raqqa city killing at least 18 civilians observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said. The Britain-based group said four children were among the dead. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters broke into Raqqa in June and has since wrested 90 per cent of the city from Daesh. But activists say coalition strikes in support of the operation have killed hundreds of civilians and caused enormous damage. The coalitions spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon said it does everything within its power to limit harm to non-combatants and civilian infrastructure. He said rigorous standards were applied to coalition targeting and extraordinary efforts taken to avoid civilian deaths. The coalition conducts a detailed assessment of each and every allegation of possible civilian casualties and we will do so for this allegation as well he added in an e-mail to AFP. In late September the coalition acknowledged the deaths of 735 civilians in its strikes on Syria and Iraq since 2014. But activists say the toll is much higher. Raqqa has faced water shortages for months because of damage to pipelines caused by suspected coalition strikes. Even in the early days of the Raqqa assault residents said they feared being caught in air strikes or shelling when they ventured to wells or the Euphrates River that runs south of the city to draw water.,jordantimes,10/5/2017,raqqa,0,,,,
1924058070,Russia says it kills 180 extremists mercenaries in Syria claims Shishani•_s death | Jordan Times,Last updated at Oct 082017 MOSCOW Some 120 Daesh terror group extremists and 60 foreign mercenaries were killed in a series of Russian air strikes in Syria over the past 24 hours the defence ministry in Moscow said on Saturday. Puzzlingly the ministry also said three senior Daesh commanders including Omar Al Shishani had been confirmed dead as a result of an earlier Russian strike. Moscow reported Shishanis death despite the fact that the Pentagon said in 2016 the notorious fighter had been killed by American troops in Iraq. A command post of the terrorists and up to 80 [Daesh] fighters including nine natives of the Northern Caucasus were destroyed in the area of Mayadeen the ministry said adding that another 40 Daesh fighters were killed around the town of Albu Kamal. Mayadeen is one of Daeshs last bastions in Syria. In another air strike more than 60 foreign mercenaries from the former Soviet Union Tunisia and Egypt were killed in the Euphrates Valley south of Deir Ezzor. The ministry said large numbers of foreign mercenaries were coming into the Syrian border town of Albu Kamal from Iraq. It also said Russian forces had killed senior Daesh commanders Omar Al Shishani Alaa Al Din Al Shishani and Salah Al Din Al Shishani all natives of the Northern Caucasus. Moscow reported their deaths after taking several days to confirm the results of an earlier strike on the northern outskirts of Albu Kamal which destroyed a Daesh command post with more than 30 fighters including the natives of the Northern Caucasus. Omar the Chechen The Pentagon announced in March 2016 that American forces had killed Shishani one of the most notorious faces of Daesh known for his thick red beard. Shishani whose nom de guerre means Omar the Chechen came from the former Soviet state of Georgias Pankisi Gorge region which is populated mainly by ethnic Chechens. He fought as a Chechen rebel against Russian forces before joining the Georgian military in 2006 and fought Russian forces again in Georgia in 2008. He later resurfaced in northern Syria as the commander of a group of foreign fighters and became a senior leader within Daesh. The Russian defence ministry was not immediately available for further comment. Rami Abdel Rahman head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights disagreed with Moscows report. Salah Al Din Al Shishani is still alive and is somewhere in the regions controlled by extremist groups in the west of Aleppo province. He is a famous commander and his extremist group is allied with the extremists of Al Nusra Front but only in their fight against the regime he said. He has no links with Daesh The advances against Daesh in Deir Ezzor have resulted in a heavy civilian death toll through Russian and coalition air raids. The observatory said Russian air strikes on Thursday night killed 14 people including three children fleeing across the Euphrates on rafts near Mayadeen. Since it intervened in Syria in 2015 Russia has not acknowledged any civilian deaths from its strikes and it dismisses the observatorys reporting as biased. Moscow has been staging air strikes in support of its ally Damascus targeting both Daesh in Deir Ezzor province and rival extremists led by Al Qaedas former Syria affiliate in Idlib province in the northwest.,jordantimes,10/8/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1924058073,National News Agency - Damascus explosion due to rocket bomb,Sat 24 Aug 2013 at 2354 Regional NNA - The blast heard Saturday evening in the area of Burj Rouss Qsaa in the Syrian Capital Damascus was due to a rocket bomb and not a car explosion NNA correspondent reported. The rocket bomb packed with heavy explosive material led to the killing of one person and the injury of 40 others; in addition to causing huge material damages within the area of explosion NNA correspondent added quoting the Syrian National Television.,nna,8/18/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1924058075,National News Agency - Blasts in Syrias Homs kill 18 most children,"Wed 01 Oct 2014 at 1459 Regional NNA - Twin car bomb explosions in the central Syrian city of Homs on Wednesday killed at least 18 people mostly children and wounded 40 others state news agency SANA reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based monitoring group reported the same toll in the double bombing in the Akrameh neighbourhood of Homs. The group said the toll could rise as body parts were still being collected from the scene and several of the wounded were in serious condition. ""Two terrorist explosions near the Akrameh al-Makhzumi school and the Zaim hospital caused deaths and injuries"" Syrian state television reported. The neighbourhood is home to a majority of Alawites members of the same offshoot of Shiite Islam to which President Bashar al-Assad belongs. The district has been targeted more than once before including on June 19 when at least six people were killed in a car bomb attack. Homs was once dubbed ""the capital of the revolution"" against Assad. Most of the city except the battered district of Waar has returned to regime control after two years of bombardment and siege.-AFP",nna,10/1/2013,homs,1,,,,
1924058076,National News Agency - Coalition raids kill 35 ISIL fighters,Sat 04 Oct 2014 at 1514 Regional NNA - U.S.-led Coalition air raids on ISIL positions near Kobaninorth Syria reportedly killed 35 fighters and injured many others. ISIL facilities and vehicles were also hit in Hasakeh to the north east of Syrias countryside reporters said.,nna,10/22/2013,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058078,At least 100 killed after bomb hits bus convoy in Syria,"15 Apr 2017 The attack took place as thousands of evacuees from the towns of Foua and Kefraya waited to enter Aleppo. Still image shows a cloud of black smoke rising from vehicles in the distance in what is said to be Aleppos outskirts Syria April 15 2017. (TRT World and Agencies) A suicide car bomb has hit a convoy of buses carrying civilians out of two besieged Syrian towns killing at least 100 people and wounding several others. The explosion took place at a transit point Rashideen area as thousands of evacuees from the regime-held predominantly Shia towns of Foua and Kefraya waited on Saturday to continue their journey to regime-controlled Aleppo the coastal province of Latakia or Damascus according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. ""The suicide bomber was driving a van supposedly carrying aid supplies and detonated near the buses"" the Observatory said. It warned that the death toll was likely to rise given the ""several dozen wounded"" at the blast site. People who were evacuated from the two villages of Kefraya and Foua wait near buses after a stall in an agreement between the opposition and Syrian regime army at Rashideen. (TRT World and Agencies) More than 5000 people who had lived under crippling siege for more than two years left the two towns along with 2200 evacuated from opposition-held Madaya and Zabadani on Friday. Thousands of evacuees from Madaya and Zabadani were also stuck in regime-controlled Ramusa south of Aleppo. The evacuation brokered by regime ally Iran and rebel backer Qatar is set to see more than 30000 people evacuated in two stages. The deal to evacuate the towns was the latest in a string of such agreements touted by the rebels as the best way to end the fighting. The opposition says they have been forced out by the siege and bombardment. More than 400000 people have been killed and millions more displaced since the Syrian conflict erupted with protests against Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad in March 2011. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,4/2/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058079,US-led air strikes in Syria kill dozens of civilians,"21 Jul 2016 Dozens of civilians have reportedly been killed by US-led air strikes as they fled from the front lines of a battle raging in the city of Manbij in the governorate of Aleppo. (TRT World and Agencies) The US military is investigating reports that at least 73 civilians mostly women and children were killed in air strikes early on Tuesday morning in the northern Syrian village of Tokhar part of the city of Manbij in the governorate of Aleppo. Near the Turkish-Syrian border many civilians had fled their houses to avoid the battles raging in the vicinity. They sought refuge in a clump of ""clay and adobe"" homes in the nearby village of Tokhar Amnesty International said. US-led air strikes targeted the group taking out many of the women children and families who sought shelter there. This is the largest instance of civilian casualties since the US-led coalition began its bombing campaign in Syria in 2014. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a monitoring group based in the UK reported that the air strikes mistakenly identified and targeted the civilians as DAESH terrorists. The incident comes after another report of a strike killing ""a woman with four of her children and an old man"" in a separate part of the same city on Sunday the Observatory said. Recently the SDF a US-backed group mainly consisting of YPG militants associated with the PKK terrorist organisation concentrated their forces upon the strategically important city in an attempt to seize it from DAESH which took Manbij in 2014. The Syrian civil war began in mid 2011 when protests against autocrat Bashar al Assad and his regime were suppressed violently in the context of the Arab Spring uprisings. Since then the UN has estimated that nearly half of the countrys population has been forced to leave their homes and the death toll may be as high as 400000. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,6/14/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058080,Two Russian pilots killed in Syria as DAESH downs chopper,"10 Jul 2016 After exhausting all their ammunition the pilots were leaving the scene when their helicopter came under fire from the ground near Palmyra city. Syrian soldiers drive past the Arch of Triumph in the ancient city of Palmyra in April. Two Russian airmen were killed when their helicopter was shot down east of the city. (TRT World and Agencies) Two Russian pilots were killed in Syria after DAESH shot down a helicopter near Palmyra the Russian military was quoted as saying by local media. The two pilots Riafagat Khabibulin and Yevgeny Dolgin were flying a Syrian Mi-25 helicopter which was downed east of Palmyra city. The Russian pilots were attacking DAESH in the Homs region on Friday on the request of the Syrian government. After using up all of their ammunition the pilots were leaving the area when their chopper came under fire from the ground held by Syrian military troops after DAESH militants breached Syrian forces lines east of Palmyra. ""The turning helicopter was hit by militants gunfire from the ground and crashed in the area controlled by the Syrian government army. The crew died"" the Russian military was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency. Video footage released by DAESH affiliated news agency Amaq on Saturday showed a helicopter being shot and crashing to the ground against cries of ""Its fallen God is greatest"". The statement by the Russian defence ministry said that the two Russian pilots were on a test flight in the Homs region with a Syrian Mi-25 helicopter laced with ammunition. The statement further said the Syrian government requested the pilots to carry out strikes against the DAESH militants. Both the pilots have been nominated for Russian state awards. Russian forces entered the conflict at the end of last year backing the forces of Syrian regime. Russia has so far lost at least 12 soldiers in the Syrian war. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,6/11/2016,homs,0,,,,
1924058081,US jets killed at least 15 civilians in Syria,"29 Jul 2016 The US-led coalition strikes came a day after the coalition opened a formal investigation to determine whether its air strikes last week near Manbij claimed more than 100 civilians including children. A picture taken on July 29 2016 shows a close up view of Karaj al-Hajz corridor (C) a passage in rebel-held Aleppo leading towards the Syrian government controlled area of Masharqa neighbourhood. (TRT World and Agencies) At least 15 civilians were killed and many wounded in fresh air strikes by US-led coalition in Syria on Thursday morning. These civilians were targeted in the coalition jets bombardment in the town of Ghandoura said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. US Central Command which oversees US military operations in the Middle East said it had ""initiated an assessment following internal operational reporting that a strike today near Manbij Syria may have resulted in civilian casualties."" The strikes came a day after the coalition opened a formal investigation to determine whether its air strikes last week near Manbij claimed more than 100 civilian lives including children. US-led coalition continue to target civilians in Syria (Reuters) Around 600 Syrians including 136 children have been killed in coalition air strikes since September 2014 according to an Observatory toll. More than 520 US airstrikes since 21 May have killed between 229 and 425 civilians overall. After examining ""internal and external information"" the coalition determined that there was sufficient credible evidence of civilian victims to open a formal inquiry said spokesman Colonel Chris Garver on Wednesday. The main Syrian opposition group had urged the US-led coalition to suspend its bombardments following the strikes. Amnesty International has also called on the coalition to redouble its efforts to prevent civilian deaths and to investigate possible violations of international humanitarian law. Aleppo Death Toll Rises as Bombing Targets Civilians in Opposition-held Areas Syria httpst.co5rT60NqJDk pic.twitter.com0Zw6eHpmd4 The Syrian Observer (observesyria) July 27 2016 The US has rejected calls by Syrian opposition figures after Tokkhar to halt the bombings for the sake of thousands of civilians trapped in Manbij as it believes the fall of the city is critical to the overriding objective of capturing Raqqa. ""We take all measures during the targeting process to avoid or minimize civilian casualties or collateral damage and to comply with the principles of the Law of Armed Conflict"" the US authorities pledged. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Turkey tells Israeli consul general to leave country Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Idlib offensive could spark worst humanitarian emergency UN Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,6/29/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058082,Russian strikes kill 10 in Aleppo,"8 Jun 2016 Russian air strikes in Aleppo Syria killed ten civilians on Tuesday. Two of the victims were minors. Russian jets drop phosphorus and cluster bombs in Syrias Aleppo - YouTube Russian warplanes struck Maaret-al-Numan a city south of Idlib with cluster munitions according to Turkeys state-run news agency Anadolu. The UN deputy spokesman in February 2016 condemned Russian strikes in Syria saying the attacks were ""blatant violations of international laws"" that ""are further degrading an already devastated health care system and preventing access to education in Syria."" More than 550 civilians have been killed in the last two months in Syria because of the attacks carried out by forces of the Syrian regime according to The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Source AA Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Is Boris Johnson using Islamophobia to win votes? Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,6/8/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058083,Syrian Russian air strikes kill 39 civilians in Idlib,"13 Jun 2016 Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says those killed in two attacks include 14 children and four women. People inspect a site hit by air strikes in Idlib province Syria June 12 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) Air raids carried out by Syrian regime and Russian warplanes in Syrias western province of Idlib killed at least 39 civilians on Sunday. A local civil defence official Leys al-Faris said a Syrian regimes warplane launched an air strike on a market in the rebel-held province. At least 36 people were killed and 50 others injured in the attack he said describing it as a ""massacre"" perpetrated by the Bashar-al-Assad regime during the holy month of Ramadan. A man whose son was killed reacts at a site hit by an airstrike in the rebel-controlled town of Maaret al-Numan in the Idlib province Syria June 12 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) Three more civilians were killed in a separate air strike carried out by a Russian plane on a residential area in Maarret al-Numan another town of Idlib province. ""Rescuers are looking for survivors following the attack"" al-Faris said. According to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights those killed in the two attacks in the Idlib province include 14 children and four women. Footage shared by the Observatory claimed to have been shot after the Idlib strikes showed emergency workers training water hoses on a tall building amid a haze of smoke. Dozens killed in Idlib market air strikes Ediz Tiyansan reports - YouTube Syrian regime forces and Russian warplanes have intensified attacks on rebel-controlled areas in Syria since April 21 killing dozens of civilians. Suspected regime strikes killed at least 37 civilians in Maaret al-Numan in April sparking condemnation from Syrias opposition amid faltering peace talks. Russia deployed warplanes to Syria last year to support the Bashar al-Assad regime against rebels seeking to end his rule. A civil defence member comforts his comrade at a site hit by an airstrike in the rebel-controlled town of Maaret al-Numan in the Idlib province Syria June 12 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) Soon after the attacks some horrific images and videos were shared on social media. Horrible scenes from Idlib 35+ dead & 70+ wounded after Assad regime airstrike hit veg market of Iftar shoppers pic.twitter.comgySfrHUFpY Charles Lister (CharlesLister) June 12 2016 In such a horrible day this is what gives us hope and keeps us going. SCD rescues a baby in Marat Al Noman -Idlib.httpst.coObGX7J26zJ The White Helmets (SyriaCivilDef) June 12 2016 1 child killed 6 children & their mother still under rubble in Marat Al Noman as an Airstrike targeted a market. pic.twitter.comXUQSqe4IFK The White Helmets (SyriaCivilDef) June 12 2016 Civil defence members carry the body of a dead child at a site hit by an airstrike in the rebel-controlled town of Maaret al-Numan in the Idlib province Syria June 12 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) 280000 killed in five years Peace talks aimed at ending the five-year civil war in Syria have deadlocked and there is no immediate end in sight to a conflict that has so far claimed 280000 lives. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity. More than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 10 million have been displaced across the war-battered country according to the United Nations. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,6/4/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1924058084,Syrian Russian air strikes kill 17 in city of Ashara,"7 Jun 2016 Victims include 8 children in the eastern Syrian city of Ashara Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says. People inspect the damage at a market in Syria hit by air strikes on June 5 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air stikes thought to be carried out by Syrian and Russian forces killed at least 17 people including 8 children in a market in the Syrian city of Ashara near the southeast provincial capital Deir al-Zor city on Monday. According to the British-based human rights organisation it is feared the death toll will rise because of the high number of serious injuries. The Syrian regime which has been supported by Russia in aerial strikes across the country since September 2015 began attacking DAESH last week. But the Russian Defence Ministry has denied its warplanes carried out air strikes on the market place. Many civilians who are unable to move in and out of DAESH-held areas face the risk of being killed by constant air strikes. People salvage goods from an aid convoy that was damaged during an air strike in the opposition held area of al-Sakhour district of Aleppo. (TRT World and Agencies) UN says such offensives are successful in making gains on DAESH. They also put millions of people at risk of displacement. The UNS Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said last week that 20000 people have already been displaced as a result of the Kurdish-led offensive in Eastern Aleppos Abu Qalqal and Menbij city sub-districts which are mostly under the control of DAESH. According to Syrian government sources the army captured crossroads to advance to Raqqa in eastern Aleppo and the strategic city Deir al Zour which connects the territory to Iraq. The recent attack which killed civilians in the DAESH controlled territory came shortly after another strike by regime forces. At least 15 civilians were killed in air strikes on Friday in the DAESH-held area of Boulil near Deir al Zour. Men walk near a damaged building in Aleppos opposition held al-Fardous district Syria May 26 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) More than 500 casualties in Aleppo The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said on Monday that ""hysterical bombing"" continues in another neighbouring city of Aleppo also on the forty-fifth consecutive day. At least 502 civilian citizens have been killed and 2600 civilians citizens injured in regime and Russian bombings that caused great destruction in public facilities and hospitals said the Observatory. Among those killed were 105 children and 76 women over the age of eighteen. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,6/8/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1924058085,Suicide attacks near Shia shrine kill 20 Syrian Observatory,"12 Jun 2016 Meanwhile Syrian regime accused of bombing town of Daraya hours after civilians there received a long-awaited UN shipment of food. A man inspects the site of a suicide and car bomb attack near Sayeda Zeinab shrine in Damascus Syria June 11 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) At least 20 people including 13 civilians were killed and over 30 people were wounded in suicide and car bomb attacks targeting Sayeda Zeinab shrine in the suburbs of Damascus said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) an independent group which documents human rights in the country. SANA news agency said at least two suicide bombers one in a car blew themselves near the entrance of Sayeda Zeinab shrine a site of great significance especially to Shia Muslims. The official agency placed the death toll at 12. Terrorist organisation DAESH claimed responsibility via its news arm Amaq. A repeat target The last attack on Sayeda Zeinab shrine on April 25 killed at least seven and wounded dozens. A string of bombings near the shrine in February left 134 people dead most of them civilians according to the Observatory. And in January another attack claimed by the outlawed group killed 70 people. People inspect a damaged site after a suicide and car bomb attack in south Damascus Shiite suburb of Sayeda Zeinab Syria June 11 2016. (Reuters) Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah cited the threat to Sayeda Zeinab as a principal reason for its intervention in Syrias civil war on the side of Bashar al Assad. The shrine is said to contain the grave of Zeinab a venerated granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammed and is renowned for its glistening golden onion-shaped dome. Daraya bombed after receiving food aid after four years The Syrian regime has been accused of dropping barrel bombs on the rebel-held town of Daraya on Friday hours after it received its first shipment of food aid since 2012. United Nation announced on Thursday it had been granted permission by Syria to send convoys with humanitarian aid to all of the countrys 19 besieged areas including Daraya by the end of June. Daraya receives first food aid in four years Oliver Whitfield-Miocic reports - YouTube The convoy started delivering rice lentils sugar oil and wheat flour to civilians late Thursday. Trucks have supplied a months supply for 2400 people. An estimated 8000 people live in the town which is just a 15-minutes drive southwest of Damascus. Just delivered food nutrition health medical WASH & education supplies in Daraya Syria with UN SYRedCrescent pic.twitter.comuLlH0tMPVR OCHA Syria (OCHASyria) June 10 2016 Early Friday the town came under heavy bombardment with the SOHR saying Syrian helicopters had dropped at least 20 barrel bombs. There is no official information about casualties after air strikes by the regime. Local council member Shadi Matar said aid had not yet been distributed ""because of the intensity of the raids."" The strikes came as US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (mainly Arab and Kurdish forces) said they had encircled a stronghold of DAESH militants in Manbij northern Syria cutting off a major supply route. On June 1 Daraya received its first shipment of medical aid. ""The last time people were filling the streets waiting for the aid to come in"" activist Shadi Matar told AFP from inside Daraya. On May 12 a five-truck aid convoy waiting on Darayas outskirts was denied permission to enter in a dramatic 11th-hour rejection. A man holds a child as he stands near a convoy carrying food supplies for Syrian rebel-held town of Daraya in this handout picture provided by the World Food Programme on June 10 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) An aid convoy carrying food entered the besieged area of al Houla in Homs province on Saturday the International Committee of the Red Cross said; the second such delivery in months. Condemning air strikes United States State Department spokesperson Mark Toner slammed the air strikes on Daraya. ""Such attacks are unacceptable in any circumstance but in this case they also hampered the delivery and distribution of badly needed assistance"". French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also accused Damascus of ""extraordinary duplicity"" over the bombings. Ayrault said he was ""outraged beyond words"" declaring the end of the Russian-US brokered ""cessation of hostilities"" deal. According to deal the warring sides would stop fighting each other. It does not include DAESH and Al Qaeda-affiliated al Nusra Front. Around 600000 people are living in besieged areas in Syria most surrounded by the regime and another four million in hard-to-reach areas said the UN. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News More humanitarian aid ""urgently needed"" in Yemen crisis UNICEF Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Multiple Daesh suicide bombers attack refugee camp in Syria Besieged Syrian town of Daraya receives aid after 4 years Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,6/12/2016,damascus,1,,,,
1924058090,Russian and Syrian strikes kill 58 civilians,"26 Jun 2016 Russian and Syrian strikes death toll has risen while SDF fighters make gains in Manbij. Russian military jets are seen at Hmeymim air base in Syria June 18 2016 (TRT World and Agencies) The death toll from Russian and Syrian strikes in the opposition-held city of Al Quriyah has risen to 82 people including 58 civilians the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday. ""Three Russian and Syrian regime air raids on the region of Al-Quriyah southeast of Deir Ezzor city killed 58 civilians"" the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The rights group added that 24 other people were killed without specifying whether they were civilians or DAESH fighters. DAESH holds around 60 percent of Deir Ezzor city the capital of the province of the same name which is next to the jihadist-held Raqqa province. Government forces were also fighting rebels in northern neighbourhoods of the city in a bid to halt rocket fire on government-held districts. Elsewhere in Syria in Manbij US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) overran a key road junction in the citys south after capturing nearby grain silos overnight. Manbij lies in the eastern plains of Aleppo province which has become a battleground between an array of competing armed groups including Al-Qaeda non-jihadist rebels and government forces as well as the SDF and DAESH. Members of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) attend the funeral of eight fellow fighters who died during an assault against the Islamic State (IS) group in the town of Manbij on June 24 2016. (AFP) The Raqa Revolutionaries Brigades - one of the Arab components of the Kurdish-dominated alliance - also said the SDF had seized the silos and pushed into the city. In 2014 DAESH took control of Manbij it was a key transit point for foreign fighters and funds as well as a trafficking hub for oil antiquities and other plundered goods. The SDF launched its offensive to take Manbij on May 31 driving across the Euphrates River from the east with military advice from some 200 US special forces troops. According to the Observatory DAESH has lost 463 fighters in the battle and the SDF has lost at least 89. A two-day freeze on fighting brokered by Moscow and Washington this month expired without renewal. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News China Russia warn US of consequences over sanctions Pakistans Nawaz Sharif is out of jail. But how did he end up there? Death toll climbs to 22 in Philippine monsoon landslide China can withstand the US-imposed trade war experts say A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,6/26/2016,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1924058091,US-Russia brokered Syria truce ends,"19 Sep 2016 At least 10 people were killed on Sunday when barrel bombs were dropped by regime forces on an opposition-held town in Daraa. Smoke rises after an airstrike in the opposition-held town of Dael in Deraa Governorate Syria September 5 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) A fragile ceasefire between Bashar al Assads regime and Syrian opposition forces that was brokered by the US and Russia last week has ended with no word of a renewed truce on Monday. From the outset the week-long truce was marred by violations. Regime helicopters dropped four barrel bombs on an opposition-held town of Dael in the southern province of Daraa killing 10 people including a child the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported. People move an injured man inside a field hospital after an airstrike in the opposition-held town of Dael in Daraa Governorate Syria September 18 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) Airstrikes were also reported in Aleppo Syrias largest city and former commercial hub. There was no confirmation as to whether or not the Syrian regime or its allied Russian airforce both of which have oversight of Syrian airspace were responsible. The incidents came just a day after US-led coalition forces killed dozens of regime fighters south of Deir al Zor after mistaking them for DAESH terrorists triggering criticism from Moscow. The War In Syria Interview with Alexey Khlebnikov from Russia Direct on US strikes on regime forces - YouTube Russia has backed the Assad regime since the war in Syria began in 2011 while the US has long called on Assad to step down. The superpowers have been targeting DAESH with parallel military campaigns in Syria forcing the terrorist group to retreat from swathes of land it took control of across the country in 2013 and 2014. But the Syrian war has placed Washington and Moscow at loggerheads with Russia seeking to prop up the regime while US-led coalition airstrikes on DAESH aim to pave the way for US-backed groups to take control. Russian Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bomber dropping off bombs in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor. (Reuters) Ceasefire failed and ended A number of violations on both sides have threatened the ceasefire. Zakaria Malahifji head of the political office of the Aleppo-based opposition group Fastaqim told Reuters he believed the truce had ""practically failed and has ended."" Malahifji also expressed doubt that UN aid trucks stuck on the Turkish border would reach besieged areas of eastern Aleppo. ""There is no hope. It has been a number of days of procrastination. Every day there is a pretext. There is no hope of aid being delivered currently"" he said. Up to 300000 people in the opposition-held parts of Aleppo are running low on vital supplies due to siege by the regime which is yet to give permission to the 20-vehicle convoy waiting in the Turkish city of Gaziantep permission to cross into Syria. Now in Aleppo Syria regime blocking aid from Turkey without coordination with its agencies. pic.twitter.comtCdooEpBWg Joyce Karam (JoyceKaram) September 13 2016 ""I am pained and disappointed that a United Nations convoy has yet to cross into Syria from Turkey and safely reach eastern Aleppo"" the UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen OBrien said in a statement. Both sides have laid the blame on each other for ceasefire violations. On Sunday Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov in an emailed statement accused ""terrorists and the opposition"" of using the ceasefire to ""boost their forces and prepare for renewed hostilities"". Russia has also called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting after claiming over 60 regime fighters were killed by the US-led airstrikes on Saturday. The War In Syria Interview with Richard Weitz from Hudson Institute on incendiary strikes in Syria - YouTube In turn US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Russia to ""stop the grandstanding stop the showboating and get the humanitarian assistance going."" ""Russias client Russias supported friend is the single biggest blockade to the ability to move forward here"" Kerry told CNN in reference to the regimes failure to grant access to the UN aid convoy. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,9/19/2016,daraa,1,,,,
1924058092,Air strikes in Syria kill at least 45 people,10 Sep 2016 Jet strikes blamed on the Syrian regime hit the opposition-held cities killing more than 40 people and wounding 90 hours after the US and Russia announced a deal intended to bring a ceasefire in the war-torn country. A Syrian man carries a child at the scene of a reported air strike on the rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib on September 10 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) At least 45 people have been killed after intense airstrikes on Saturday on and around the northern rebel-held city of Aleppo according to opposition activists. TRT World reported the death count could be over 50. The Aleppo Media Center an activist collective said 45 people were killed on Saturday just hours after the new US-Russian agreement was reached to try and end the violence in Syria. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 people were killed in Aleppo province and another 39 were killed by airstrikes in neighboring Idlib province. Syrian men search for victims at the scene of a reported air strike on the rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib on September 10 2016. (AFP) Contrasting casualty figures are common in the aftermath of large attacks in Syria. The United States and Russia announced a deal Saturday that would establish a nationwide cease-fire starting on Monday. Earlier it was reported that airstrikes on Idlib have killed at least 24 people. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said that more than 90 people might have been wounded in the air strikes which hit a market place and several other areas of the city and it was not immediately clear who carried out the strikes. An Agence France Presse photographer at the scene saw men clambering over rubble in just slippers or sandals to help evacuate wounded dust-covered residents and children from a collapsing building. Residents inspect a damaged site after airstrikes on a market in the rebel controlled city of Idlib September 10 2016. (Reuters) Local civil defence personnel told Reuters that bodies were still being removed from the rubble of buildings destroyed in the strikes. Reuters also reported residents and rescue workers as saying that two dozen people were killed in the strikes and that Russian jets acting in support of the Bashar al Assads regime forces identified as such because they were flying in sorties at a high altitude may have been responsible. Since spring 2015 most of Idlib Province has been held by an alliance of rebel groups known as the Army of Conquest. More than 290000 people have been killed since the conflict in Syria first erupted in March 2011 and several attempts at securing a long-lasting truce have failed. Violence continues ahead of national ceasefire - YouTube US and Russia agree to ceasefire in Syria Source TRTWorld and agencies,trt,9/13/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058093,String of bomb blasts kill at least 42 in Syria,"5 Sep 2016 At least 42 people were killed and dozens more wounded in simultaneous bomb blasts that hit Tartous Homs and Hasakeh cities of Syria. A general view shows the damage at a site of an explosion in Bab Tadmor in Homs Syria in this handout picture provided by SANA on September 5 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) A string of bomb blasts hit mostly regime-controlled areas of Syria on Monday killing at least 42 people and wounding dozens more local media said. The blasts hit regime-held Tartous and Homs as well as Hasakeh which is mostly controlled by the PKKs Syrian affiliate YPG. Regime media said at least 30 people had been killed and 45 injured in a double bomb attack just outside the city of Tartous in the coastal province of the same name which is a stronghold of Bashar al-Assads regime. A car bomb exploded on the Arzuna bridge followed by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosive belt when people gathered to help the wounded Syrian regime television said. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the attacks. Tartous which also hosts a Russian military base has largely been spared the worst violence of Syrias conflict since it began with pro-democracy protests in March 2011. Bab Tadmor Homs - SANA pic.twitter.comwAOZTxImcu Hassan Ridha (sayedridha) September 5 2016 Regime media also reported that eight people were killed in a bombing in Hasakeh in the northeast of the country. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based monitor said the blast hit a checkpoint under the control of the YPG. Hasakeh city has been regularly targeted by DAESH including in July when a bomber on a motorcycle killed at least 16 people outside a bakery in the city. The terrorist group has been losing ground to the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces which is mainly comprised of the YPG even though its affiliate organisation the PKK is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey the US and the EU. More recently DAESH has also lost territory to Turkish-backed Free Syria Army (FSA) fighters. Over the weekend advances by the Turkish Army and Free Syria Army (FSA) fighters expelled DAESH from the last stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border under their control. (TRT World and Agencies) Turkish Armed Forces launched Operation Euphrates Shield on August 24 to protect its borders and secure the Turkish town of Karkamis adjoining Syria from DAESH attacks. Simultaneous attacks In central Homs city regime media said at least three people were killed in a car bomb at the entrance to the Al-Zahraa neighbourhood whose residents mostly belong to the same Alawite sect as Assad. Al-Zahraa has also been regularly targeted in bomb attacks including a devastating double bomb blast in February that killed 57 people and was claimed by DAESH. Syrian regime soldiers stand at a site of an explosion in Bab Tadmor in Homs Syria in this handout picture provided by SANA on September 5 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) Regime television broadcast images from the aftermath of the blast in Homs showing rubble strewn on the streets and smoke rising from the charred remains of vehicles. Another bomb attack was also reported on the Al-Sabura road west of the capital Damascus with regime media saying one person had been killed and three injured in that bombing. The Observatory said that the attack targeted a checkpoint and gave a death toll of three. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said the blasts appeared to be coordinated. ""Clearly these attacks were simultaneous and they all targeted security posts"" he told AFP. More than 290000 people have been killed in Syria since the war started and millions have been displaced by the fighting. Successive rounds of international negotiations aimed at finding a political solution have failed to bear fruit but US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov are due to resume discussions on stemming the violence on Monday. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Turkish warplanes hit pro-Assad militants in Afrin - monitor Turkey-backed FSA launches offensive against US-backed SDF in Syria YPG to hand over bodies of nine FSA fighters to Turkey after clashes Turkish army chief inspects troops in provinces bordering Syria Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,9/3/2016,tartous,1,,,,
1924058094,Heavy air strikes hit opposition-held parts of Aleppo,"22 Sep 2016 In the heaviest attack in months fighter jets pounded the opposition-held districts of the Syrian city of Aleppo overnight days after a week-long ceasefire brokered by the US and Russia collapsed. Hamza al-Khatib the director of a hospital in the rebel-held east told Reuters the death toll from the strikes was 45. The strikes come after Russia and the Syrian regime rejected a US plea to halt flights burying any hope for the revival of the ceasefire. Opposition officials and rescue workers said incendiary bombs were among the weapons used on the city. ""Its as if the planes are trying to compensate for all the days they didnt drop bombs during the ceasefire"" Ammar al-Selmo the head of the Civil Defense rescue service in opposition-held eastern Aleppo told Reuters. A man runs with a stretcher at a damaged site after air strikes on the opposition-held al-Qaterji neighbourhood of Aleppo Syria September 21 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) ""It was like there was coordination between the planes and the artillery shelling because the shells were hitting the same locations that the planes hit"" he said. The assault by aircraft from the Syrian regime its Russian allies or both made it clear that Moscow and Damascus had rejected a plea by US Secretary of State John Kerry to halt flights so that aid could be delivered and a ceasefire salvaged. There was no immediate comment from the Syrian regime or mention on regime-run media of Thursdays bombardment. ""It was the heaviest air strikes for months inside Aleppo city"" said Rami Abdulrahman director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which monitors the conflict from Britain. Homs evacuation Assad has appeared as uncompromising as ever in recent weeks reiterating his goal of taking back the whole country on the day the US-Russian brokered truce took effect. The regimes main focus has been to consolidate its grip over the main cities of western Syria and the coastal region that is the ancestral homeland of Assads Alawite sect. On Thursday around 120 opposition fighters and their families were evacuated from the last opposition-held district of Homs under an agreement with the regime by which they were given safe passage to nearby opposition-held areas. Families carry their luggage into a bus to evacuate the besieged district of Waer in the central Syrian city of Homs after a local agreement reached between opposition forces and Syrian regime military forces September 22 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) The opposition says such agreements are part of a regime strategy to forcibly displace populations from opposition-held areas after years of siege and bombardment. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates several thousand opposition fighters remain in the al-Waer district. UN resumes aid deliveries A ""clearly marked"" UN convoy was due to deliver aid on Thursday to besieged areas near the Syrian capital after a 48-hour suspension to review security guarantees following an attack on relief trucks near Aleppo a UN spokesman said. Inter-agency humanitarian convoy is entering besieged Moadamieh in rural Damascus Syria with aid for 35000 people UN SYRedCrescent pic.twitter.comQs8WpeuBbN OCHA Syria (OCHASyria) September 22 2016 The UN suspended land deliveries after the convoy attack which the Syrian Arab Red Crescent says killed a staff member and around 20 civilians. US officials believe Russian aircraft were responsible for the strike but Moscow has denied involvement and the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that a US Predator drone was in the area when the convoy was attacked. ""We are sending today an inter-agency convoy that will cross conflict lines into a besieged area of rural Damascus"" Jens Laerke spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told Reuters. ""We will advise on the exact locations once the convoy has actually reached those locations."" Assad says Syria war will ""drag on"" Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with AP News broadcast on Thursday that Syrias war will ""drag on"" as long as it is funded and interfered in by other countries. The War In Syria Defiant Bashar al Assad speaks out - YouTube ""When you talk about it as part of a global conflict and a regional conflict when you have many external factors that you dont control its going to drag on"" Assad said. Assad told AP that Russia was not behind a deadly attack on an aid convoy on Monday which US officials have said they believe Moscow was responsible for. Assad cast doubt on the intentions of the United States in Syria saying it ""doesnt have the will"" to fight militants. ""I dont believe the United States will be ready to join Russia in fighting terrorists in Syria...the United States is not genuine regarding having a cessation of violence in Syria."" Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,9/22/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058095,UNICEF says 22 schoolchildren and six teachers killed in Syria raid,"26 Oct 2016 Air strikes on Syrias opposition-held Idlib province hit a school and the surrounding area on Wednesday killing 22 children and six teachers the UN childrens agency UNICEF said Wednesday. ""This is a tragedy. It is an outrage. And if deliberate it is a war crime"" said UNICEF director Anthony Lake. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) earlier said ""warplanes either Russia or Syrian carried out six strikes"" in the village of Hass including on a school complex killing at least 35 civilians including 11 schoolchildren. The White Helmets civil defence group released pictures of four rescue workers clambering over a mound of rubble in search of survivors after what it said was a ""double-tap"" strike on the school. Initial reports of 6 killed & many injured after KafrTakharim in Idlib was targeted with an airstrike last night.httpst.co7yzW74JRrW pic.twitter.comsRZBdQcoeo The White Helmets (SyriaCivilDef) October 24 2016 The raids hit Hass around 1130 am (0830 GMT) an activist with the opposition Idlib Media Centre said. ""One rocket hit the entrance of the school as students were leaving to go home after the school administration decided to end classes for the day because of the raids"" the activist said speaking on condition of anonymity. Lake said the school compound was ""repeatedly attacked"" adding that it may be the deadliest attack on a school since the war began more than five years ago. ""When will the worlds revulsion at such barbarity be matched by insistence that this must stop?"" added the UNICEF director. A boy inspects a damaged site after shelling in the opposition-held town of Hass south of Idlib province Syria October 26 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) Other activists from the province circulated a photograph on social media of a childs arm seared off above the elbow still clutching the strap of a dusty black rucksack. Shaky video footage depicted rescue workers sprinting towards the site of the raids and pulling a frail elderly man out of a collapsed building. The authenticity of the pictures and footage could not be independently verified. A boy walks past a compund that was damaged during shelling in the opposition-held town of Hass south of Idlib province Syria October 26 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) The latest attacks took to 89 the number of civilians killed in air strikes on Idlib province in the past seven days said the Observatory. Asked about the attack Russias UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin responded ""Its horrible horrible. I hope we were not involved."" ""Its the easiest thing for me to say no but Im a responsible person so I need to see what my Ministry of Defence is going to say."" Syrian regime forces and their Russian ally have been accused by rights groups of carrying out indiscriminate attacks on civilian infrastructure. Intentional attack A leading opposition group condemned the raids. The Istanbul-based National Coalition said Russian and regime warplanes ""targeted children in their schools deliberately and intentionally hitting civilians with high-explosive material"". Idlib province is controlled by the Army of Conquest an alliance of opposition groups and militants including the Fateh al-Sham Front which changed its name from Al-Nusra Front after breaking off ties with Al Qaeda earlier this year. A Syrian man checks the damage at a school after it was hit in an air strike in the village of Hass in the south of Syrias opposition-held Idlib province on October 26 2016. (TRT World and Agencies) Syrian and Russian warplanes regularly bomb Idlib but air strikes have intensified in recent weeks according to the Observatory. Swathes of eastern Syria is controlled by Daesh. On Wednesday US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter and his British counterpart Michael Fallon said an offensive to drive Daesh out of its Syrian stronghold of Raqqah would begin in the next few weeks. The US-led coalition is currently supporting a 10-day-old assault by Iraqi and Kurdish forces on the terrorist groups main Iraqi bastion of Mosul. Syrias conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests calling for the ouster of regime leader Bashar al Assad. The civil war pits Bashar al Assad backed by Russia Iran and Shia Muslim militias from Lebanon Iraq and Afghanistan against an array of mostly Sunni Muslim opposition groups including some backed by Turkey Gulf monarchies and the United States. More than 300000 people have been killed and millions forced to flee their homes. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,10/22/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1924058098,Russian and Syrian regime strikes kill over 80 in Aleppo,"13 Oct 2016 In fresh strikes Russian and Syrian regime jets pounded opposition-held parts of Aleppo early on Thursday said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Severe bombardment on Syrias biggest city has killed at least 84 civilians including children the monitor and a civil defence official said. The fresh aerial assault was accompanied by the regimes advance on the northeastern outskirts of Aleppo where its forces captured several hilltops overlooking the opposition-held areas. Air strikes killed 13 people on Thursday when warplanes hit several rebel-held districts including al-Kalaseh Bustan al-Qasr and al-Sakhour civil defense official Ibrahim Abu al-Laith told Reuters from Aleppo. Seven children were among 71 civilians killed in opposition-held areas on Tuesday and Wednesday SOHR head Rami Abdel Rahman said. Up to 300000 people are still believed to be trapped in the besieged parts of eastern Aleppo. (TRT World and Agencies) ""The toll jumped because there were so many people who died of their wounds and others whose bodies were still stuck under the rubble"" he added. The Syrian regime forces launched the offensive to retake the whole of Aleppo on September 22. Eastern Aleppo has been held by the opposition fighters since 2012. Up to 300000 people are still believed to be trapped in the besieged parts of the city. The regime operation has been backed by Moscow which stepped up its air strikes against opposition-held areas earlier this week. A ceasefire in Syria brokered by the US and Russia collapsed last month. The Russian government and Syrian regime blamed their foes for breaking the ceasefire. Russia last week vetoed a UN Security Council resolution chalked out by France calling for an end to the bombings in Aleppo. Kerry and Lavrov to meet in Switzerland US officials on Wednesday said US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet his Russian counterpart in Switzerland on Saturday to discuss Syria. The meeting will include foreign ministers from Turkey Qatar Saudi Arabia and Iran. Earlier Kerry broke off talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over the offensive which included air strikes on hospitals. The US and France termed the assaults ""war crimes"" and said Syria and Russia were responsible. The resumption of talks despite the offensive underlined the lack of options facing Western nations over the Syria conflict. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,10/13/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058099,Car bomb in Syria kills at least 17 near Turkish border,"13 Oct 2016 At least 17 people most members of Syrian opposition groups were killed in a car bomb blast near a checkpoint close to the Bab al Salama crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border in northern Syria. Witnesses said the blast took place near a checkpoint manned by a group of Free Syrian Armys (FSA) Jabhat al Shamiya close to a car depot nearly two km away from the border crossing a major conduit for traffic between opposition held northern Syria into Turkey. Rescue workers rushed dozens of injured to the nearby Azaz hospital one witness said adding that mosques were appealing to people to donate blood. SOHR Tens killed and wounded in a car bomb explosion near the Syrian Turkish border SOHR (syriahr) October 13 2016 The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 14 of the dead were opposition fighters. The three others among the dead had not be identified yet. Among at least 25 injured eight were in critical condition and taken to Turkish hospitals across the border. ""It was hell with many bodies torn and mangled with metal parts from smashed and charred cars"" said Abdullah al-Sheikh a young mechanic said. Other reports put the death toll higher but the casualty figures could not be independantly verified. An opposition group fighter shoots his weapon in a battle with Daesh as they advance towards Azaz city northern Aleppo countryside Syria October 11 2016. Source Reuters (TRT World and Agencies) Daesh has regularly targetted Syrian opposition forces mainly Turkish-backed FSA members fighting alongside other factions in Ankaras offensive dubbed ""Euphrates Shield"" to push out the terrorist group from their last northern Syrian enclave. The latest attack comes one week after a Daesh suicide bomber blew himself up at a border crossing in neighbouring Idlib province killing 29 Syrian opposition fighters. Daesh is fighting against all sides including the Syrian regime and foreign-backed opposition groups. More than 300000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-regime protests in March 2011. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,10/13/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058100,Russian jets resume airstrikes on Aleppo,"11 Oct 2016 Russian jets pounded several opposition-held parts of eastern Aleppo killing 26 people and reducing the areas to rubble. Fifteen others were killed in two more incidents of violence. The bombing by Russian jets mostly targeted several neighbourhoods in the opposition-held parts of Aleppo Syria reducing the areas to rubble. (File photo) After a lull of several days Russian jets resumed heavy bombing of eastern Aleppo on Tuesday killing 26 people. The bombing by Russian jets mostly targeted several neighbourhoods in the opposition-held parts of Aleppo reducing the areas to rubble. Up to 300000 people are still believed to be in the besieged parts of the countrys largest city. ""There is renewed bombardment and it is heavy"" Zakaria Malhifji of the Aleppo based Fastaqim opposition group told Reuters. Russia and the Syrian regime had reduced air raids in the northern city over the last week. Regime forces said it was partly to allow civilians to leave opposition-held eastern neighbourhoods. The regime previously said that opposition holed up in Aleppo can leave with their families if they lay down their arms but the opposition has denounced that offer as a deception. Regime leader Bashar al Assad vowed to completely recapture Aleppo which has been divided between the regime and opposition control since the war began in 2011. The War In Syria At least 26 people killed in eastern Aleppo following bombings by Russian jets - YouTube A brief a brief ceasefire between the Russian-backed regime and US-backed opposition groups that was mediated by Washington and Moscow collapsed last month. Children killed in school incident In another incident at least five people including children were killed when a shell belonging to opposition forces struck a school in Deraa the Britain-based Syria Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) monitoring group said. The attack left 20 others wounded the SOHR added. Control of Deraa remains divided between the Syrian regime and opposition forces. At least 10 people were also killed and another 20 wounded when a DAESH suicide bomber blew himself up in a village in northern Syria in the early hours of Tuesday the SOHR said. The blast took place in al-Mashi which is in the countryside around the city of Manbij which has been under YPG control since August. Source TRT World Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,10/11/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058102,Suicide bombing kills 29 at Syria-Turkey border,"6 Oct 2016 At least 29 people were killed and dozens wounded in a suicide bombing that targeted a Syria-Turkey border crossing on Thursday. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights the casualties included fighters from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) the Turkish-backed force which has played a pivotal role in the fight against DAESH along the Syria-Turkey border. The attack took place on the Syrian side of the Atmeh crossing west of Aleppo during a change of guard among the FSA the Observatory said. According to Anadolu Agency the blast targeted the Atmeh refugee camp. In an online statement DAESH has claimed responsibilty for the attack. Witnesses said most of the fighters killed in the attack were from the Failaq al-Sham. The group has been fighting alongside other Turkish-backed factions in Ankaras offensive dubbed ""Euphrates Shield"" against DAESH. (TRT World and Agencies) The fighters use the Atmeh crossing to move between the Syrian province of Idlib through Turkey to the areas where anti-DAESH operations are taking place the Observatory said. Residents said they also use it to evacuate wounded fighters. Among the dead from the Atmeh blast were the head of the top civil judicial body in rebel-held eastern Aleppo Sheikh Khaled al-Sayyed and a judge who worked with him a witness and a rebel official said. Idlib province where Atmeh is located is a bastion of the opposition groups fighting Bashar al-Assads regime. The multi-sided civil war has raged on for more than five years. Opposition fighters have been targeted at the crossing before. DAESH claimed responsibility for a mid-August suicide attack there that killed at least 32. The fighters killed on Thursday were also among those participating in Euphrates Shield. Ankara began the unprecedented cross-border operation on August 24 saying it was targeting both DAESH and the YPG which Turkey considers a terrorist group. The operation has so far captured the DAESH stronghold of Jarablus and is pushing towards the towns of Dabiq and Al-Bab. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News Turkey Germany pledge to boost economic and strategic relations Turkey ready for Euro 2024 finance minister says as UEFA raises concerns Turkey aiming to become top destination for halal tourism Google hit with fine by Turkish competition authorities A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,10/6/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058103,Suicide bomber targets Syrian wedding 20 killed,"3 Oct 2016 At least 20 people were killed and 55 wounded during a suicide bombing that struck a wedding in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakah on Monday Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. ""A suicide bomber blew himself up inside a hall in Tall Tawil village during the wedding of a member of the Syrian Democratic Forces killing at least 22 civilians"" Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. The casualties included women and children said local sources speaking on condition of anonymity due to security concerns. A witness named Ahmad who suffered a head wound due to the blast described the moment the bomber struck. ""As the bride and groom were exchanging their vows I saw a man wearing a thick black jacket pass beside me. ""I thought he looked strange and a few seconds later there was an enormous explosion. People had fallen on the ground and I saw bodies torn to bits."" Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests which erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings with unexpected ferocity. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,10/3/2016,hasakeh,0,,,,
1924058105,Car bomb attack kills at least 26 in Syria war monitor says,"17 Nov 2017 The death toll could rise because of the number of serious injuries says the war monitor. (AP Archive) A car bombing blamed on Daesh killed at least 26 displaced people in eastern Syria on Friday the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said. The war monitor said that 12 children were among the victims of the attack on a gathering at a checkpoint run by US-backed militants of the YPG-dominated-SDF in Deir Ezzor province where Daesh is losing ground to two separate offensives aimed at ousting it from Syria. ""Dozens of people were wounded and the death toll could rise because of the number of serious injuries"" said SHOR director Rami Abdel Rahman. The displaced people had been on their way to neighbouring Hasakeh province where camps have been set up to house them in YPG-controlled territory Abdel Rahman said. Daesh battling for survival Daesh controls roughly one quarter of oil-rich Deir Ezzor province but is battling for survival on two fronts. One offensive against it is by Syrian regime forces backed by Russian air power while the second is by YPG. Daesh group is now cornered in part of Deir Ezzor province around the border town of Abu Kamal on the frontier with Iraq and many civilians have been trying to flee the affected areas. The group seized large areas of both Syria and Iraq in a lightning 2014 campaign but has this year seen its self-proclaimed ""caliphate"" crumble as it came under multiple offensives. Source AFP Related News Suicide car bomb kills eight regime and rebel fighters in Daraa - SOHR Idlib offensive could spark worst humanitarian emergency UN Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Air strike kills 54 in Syrias Deir Ezzor monitor Category News At least one Palestinian killed during Gaza protests Yemen faces worsening threat of famine UN aid chief Turkey working with Russia on Idlib disarmament zone Erdogan spokesman 10 Trump decisions killing Palestinian statehood A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,11/17/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1924058106,Air strikes kill dozens inside Syria de-escalation zone,"14 Nov 2017 Air strikes that ripped through a market in a rebel-held Syrian town have killed at least 61 people mostly civilians a war monitor said on Tuesday. Three strikes hit the northwestern town of Atareb on Monday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said despite a ""de-escalation zone"" in place there. ""A number of people died of their wounds bringing the toll to 61 people including five children and three policemen"" SOHR said. The Britain-based monitor said it was not clear whether the bombing raids had been carried out by Syrian government warplanes or those of its ally Russia. TRT Worlds Ahmed al Burai reports from Idlib in Syria. Air strikes on Atareb kill dozens of civilians - YouTube Air strikes were in ""de-escalation zone"" Atareb is in the west of Aleppo province in an area that is part of a ""de-escalation zone"" agreed under a deal earlier this year between the regimes allies Russia and Iran and opposition backer Turkey. The agreement is regularly violated. The zone mostly covers neighbouring Idlib province which is largely held by opposition forces and the formerly al Qaeda-affiliated Hayat Tahrir al Sham previously known as the Al Nusra Front. Despite the regimes recapture of Aleppo city late last year rebel groups maintain a presence in the west of the province. Atareb has been hit by Russian and Syrian regime air strikes since 2015 when Russia intervened in the war in Syria turning the tide in the regimes favour. The town has become home to tens of thousands of people displaced by fighting in nearby areas. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in Syria and 11 million displaced since the conflict began in March 2011 with protests against Bashar al Assads regime. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,11/14/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058107,At least seven children die in regime shelling at rebel-held area in Syria,31 Oct 2017 At least seven Syrian children were killed in regime shelling of a rebel-held area outside Damascus on Tuesday most as they left school activists said. The Syrian regime has intensified its campaign against the last rebel holdouts on the outskirts of the capital as Russian-sponsored talks in Kazakhstan aim to consolidate de-escalation zones in different parts of the country. The limited local truces are aimed at freezing the lines of the six-year-old civil war which has claimed an estimated 400000 lives and allowing humanitarian aid to flow into besieged areas. The Ghouta Media Center and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least five children were killed when a shell landed at the gate of a school in Jisreen a town in the eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus as children were leaving for the day. The Observatory said the death toll is likely to rise and that another child was killed in the village from another shell. One of the children had his legs blown off. Shelling in the northeastern town of Musraba has meanwhile killed another three people including a child according to the Observatory. The Ghouta Media Center said four were killed including two children. Another shell in Harasta also in the eastern Ghouta suburbs landed near a school but only caused injuries. Eastern Ghouta which is still home to an estimated 350000 people has endured years of siege and shelling which has continued despite a de-escalation agreement backed by the regime and its close allies Russia and Iran. On Monday the United Nations said it reached thousands of residents for the first time in over a month. The area is one of the last remaining pockets of opposition to regime leader Assad and depends on aid and smuggling. Rebels have responded to the shelling with a barrage of mortars lobbed at regime-held districts in Damascus wounding at least 10 civilians in three neighbourhoods. The rebels and the regime are meanwhile set to conclude the latest round of talks in the Kazakh capital Astana. The negotiations are sponsored by Turkey which backs the rebels as well as Russia and Iran. The de-escalation zones agreed to in Astana have significantly reduced the violence in many parts of Syria but a lasting political solution remains elusive. Source Reuters Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy,trt,10/16/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1924058108,At least 79 civilians killed by Russian and regime air strikes in Syria,"6 Oct 2017 At least 79 civilians were killed in Deir Ezzor over the last 48 hours by air strikes. Activist Ahed Sileybi said Russia and Syrian regime war planes carried out intensive air strikes in Deir Ezzor adding that tens of civilians were injured. Siheybi said the war planes targeted those civilians who were trying to flee Daesh-held areas through one of the humanitarian corridors across Euphrates river near Daesh-held Al Mayadeen city. Russian air strikes had killed at least 14 civilians as they were crossing the Euphrates river the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Friday. ""They were crossing the river on makeshift rafts in a village south of Mayadeen"" SOHR director Rami Abdel Rahman said adding that three children were among those killed overnight. Russia has in recent days intensified its air raids in support of Syrian regime forces battling militants across the country. Source AA Related News Death toll rises to 70 as regime rains down bombs in southern Syria Health agencies warn Idlib offensive could uproot 700000 Syrians Media activists fear for their lives in southwestern Syria Daesh releases purported new audio of Abu Bakr al Baghdadi Category News At least one Palestinian killed during Gaza protests Yemen faces worsening threat of famine UN aid chief Turkey working with Russia on Idlib disarmament zone Erdogan spokesman 10 Trump decisions killing Palestinian statehood A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,10/15/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1924058109,Russia air strikes kill at least 14 civilians in Syria monitor,"6 Oct 2017 Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Syrian fighters backed by US special forces take a position inside a building on the eastern frontline of Raqa on October 5 2017. (AFP) (AFP) Russian air strikes killed at least 14 civilians as they were crossing the Euphrates river near the militant-held town of Al Mayadeen in eastern Syria the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Friday. ""They were crossing the river on makeshift rafts in a village south of Mayadeen"" SOHR director Rami Abdel Rahman said adding that three children were among those killed overnight. Russia has in recent days intensified its air raids in support of Syrian regime forces battling militants across the country. Abdel Rahman said the civilians were fleeing the village of Mahkan south of Al Mayadeen which lies about 420 km east of Damascus and is one of the Daeshs main remaining bastions. Al Mayadeen has been under Daesh control since 2014 when the group swept across swathes of Iraq and Syria and proclaimed a ""caliphate"" but regime forces this week advanced to within five km of the town. Poised for Al Mayadeen A military media unit run by the Lebanese Hezbollah group says regime forces and its allies gained control of positions and heights parallel to the main road linking Deir Ezzor and Al Mayadeen located on the Euphrates in eastern Syria. SOHR said the forces were only six km away from the city. Daesh becomes virtual caliphate Experts and officials say Daeshs ""virtual caliphate"" could be hard to conquer. The militant propaganda machine will continue to exist in hidden corners of the dark web inciting sympathisers to action they say. ""Defeating ISIL (Daesh) on the physical battlefield is not enough"" General Joseph Votel the top commander for US military forces in the Middle East warned earlier this year. ""Following even a decisive defeat in Iraq and Syria ISIL (Daesh) will likely retreat to a virtual safe haven a virtual caliphate from which it will continue to coordinate and inspire external attacks as well as build a support base until the group has the capability to reclaim physical territory."" He described this online network as ""a distorted version of the historic Islamic caliphate it is a stratified community of Muslims who are led by a caliph (currently Abu Bakr al Baghdadi) aspire to participate in a state governed by sharia and are located in the global territory of cyberspace."" Under pressure from public authorities internet providers and major online players are beginning to put in place measures and procedures to disrupt Daeshs exploitation of the web. Source TRTWorld and agencies Related News Iraqs vote violations | The global gag rule | Slovenian elections Thousands of Afghan migrants walk into Turkey for a better life Are Donald Trumps new abortion policies just? 37th Istanbul Film Festival Egon Schiele Cy Twombly | Episode | Showcase Category News The blunders of MBS and how Saudi Arabia can reclaim its sovereignty Sudanese President Bashir dissolves government appoints new PM Summit in Tehran calls for political solution in Syria Talks in Tehran are a last-ditch effort to avoid another Syrian bloodbath A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow us on Instagram. FOLLOW TRTWORLD Dont miss out on the Latest News We wont spam you and we respect your privacy. SUBSCRIBE TRT World on Youtube Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth on the ground reporting from around the world. Subscribe TRT World on Facebook Like Follow Follow Copyright •� 2018 TRT World. TRT World Watch Live TV Schedule Where to Watch Connect with TRT World iOS Android Youtube Satellite Coverage Partner Hotels Corporate About TRT World Careers Press Releases Documentary Contact Us Legal Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy",trt,10/6/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058110,At least 17 dead as suicide bombings hit Damascus,"3 Oct 2017 At least 17 people were killed and many more injured on Monday by suicide bombings that targeted a police station in the Midan neighbourhood of Damascus the capital of Syria. Several suicide bombers believed to have been three detonated themselves in front of and inside the police station according to authorities. Local police officers learned that one of the bombers used a hand grenade to attack the police station from a viaduct before he detonated his explosive device at about 1330 on the viaduct which runs parallel to the police station. ""Previously the attacker whose identity was unknown attacked us. The terrorists outside the police station launched the attack from the viaduct. Police officers and the army unit together resisted and foiled the attack"" said Tarek a police officer. Afterward another bomber detonated his explosive device at the gate of the police station while a third bomber entered the police station and detonated his explosive device after being surrounded by police officers and an army unit. The Syrian regimes Interior Minister Mohammed Shaar told reporters that one of the attackers had managed to enter the police station and reach the first floor of the building. Daesh said three of its fighters carried out an attack on a Damascus police station on Monday. In a statement distributed on a Daesh channel via the Telegram messaging service on Tuesday the group said two of the fighters fired shots in the station before blowing themselves up. The third blew himself up later as ""reinforcements"" arrived. Local state television showed images of damage from inside the building with a black police uniform shirt covered in dust lying in the rubble of partially collapsed walls. Policemen carried one body away from the scene wrapped inside a white tarpaulin. The same police station in Midan was targeted last December when a seven-year-old female suicide bomber blew herself up inside the station. Local reactions According to a witness because the explosion occurred during working hours and the proximity of the police station to the old city of Damascus many people were killed and nearby cars houses and buildings were all destroyed. ""This is a crime. Its a terrorist act. Nobody will accept such an act. It is tragic to see the corpses on the ground. We just began having better conditions and good supplies but what about those people who lost their cars and houses?"" said a local resident. Manal a 28-year-old teacher living in Midan said she heard at least two blasts on Monday afternoon. I was coming back from work when I heard the sound of an explosion it was around 230 pm I didnt know what it was and then there was another explosion a few minutes later and buildings shook she said. Afterwards I heard gunfire which usually happens to get people to move out of the way and clear the road so ambulances can get through to retrieve the injured she added. Damascus attacks Damascus has also been rocked by occasional bomb blasts throughout the Syrian conflict including previous attacks on Midan a middle-class residential and shopping district. In December 2016 three police officers were wounded when a seven-year-old girl walked into the neighbourhoods police station wearing an explosive belt that was remotely detonated. Rebel groups have been gradually expelled from territory in the capital they once held though they maintain a presence in a handful of positions including the Jobar neighbourhood. They also hold territory in the eastern Ghouta region outside the capital and have regularly launched rockets into the city. More than 330000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict began with protests that were met with a harsh regime crackdown. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,10/3/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1924058111,Unidentified air strike kills at least eight Hezbollah fighters in Syria,"2 Oct 2017 Air strike struck a Hezbollah position in eastern Homs province where the Iran-backed Lebanese group is fighting Daesh alongside the Syrian regime and Russian forces. The identity of the drone was not confirmed but the sources did not rule out the possibility that it was Russian ""friendly fire"". (AFP) A drone strike on Monday killed at least eight members of the Hezbollah militia in Syria where the Lebanese group is fighting alongside the Syrian regime a Britain-based monitor said. An unidentified ""drone hit a Hezbollah position near the town of Sukhna (in central Homs province) killing eight fighters and injuring more than 20"" said Rami Abdel Rahman the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. Asked about a report that a US drone carried out the strike the spokesman for the US-led coalition said the location was outside its area of operations. Hezbollah is a key force multiplier for Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad and has fought alongside his forces across the country against rebel forces. Assads forces and allied fighters are currently waging a campaign in Syrias vast Badiya desert region against Daesh. The campaign backed by Assad ally Russia has captured large swathes of territory from the terror group but they have launched deadly counterattacks on regime positions. On Sunday Daesh fighters recaptured the town of Al Qaryatain in Homs province which regime forces took from the group in April 2016. More than 330000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-regime protests but some non-governmental organisations put the death toll a lot higher. Source TRTWorld and agencies",trt,10/2/2017,homs,0,,,,
1924058115,At least 44 killed dozens injured as twin bombing targets Syrias Qamishli near Turkish border - Daily Sabah,"Published July 27 2016 SEND httpsabahdai.ly912r3U DHA Photo A twin bombing struck a crowd in a predominantly Kurdish town in northern Syria on Wednesday killing 44 people and wounding dozens more Syrias state-run news agency and Kurdish media reported. The Daesh group claimed responsibility for the attack. Media reports said a truck loaded with large quantities of explosives blew up on the western edge of the town of Qamishli followed by an explosives-packed motorcycle a few minutes later in the same area. The blasts caused massive damage in the area and rescue teams were working to recover victims from under the rubble the SANA news agency said. This photo captured from the town of Nusaybin near the Turkish side of the border shows plume of smoke occurred after the explosion. (IHA Photo) Qamishli near the Turkish border is mainly controlled by PYD but Syrian regime forces are present and control the towns airport. Syrian television broadcast footage showing people running away from a mushroom of gray smoke rising over the town and others running amid wrecked or burnt cars. Qamishli resident Suleiman Youssef a writer told The Associated Press by telephone that he heard the first explosion from few miles away. He said the blasts leveled several buildings to the ground and many people were trapped under the rubble. ""Most of the buildings at the scene of the explosion have been heavily damaged because of the strength of the blast"" he said. The Daesh group in a statement published by its affiliated Aamaq news agency said it carried out the attack in Qamishli describing it as a truck bombing that struck a complex of Kurdish offices. The terrorist group has carried out several bombings in Kurdish areas in Syria in the past. The PYD-dominated and U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces have been the main force fighting Daesh in northern Syria capturing significant territory from the terrorists over the past two years. Wednesdays explosion came as U.S.-backed Kurdish forces pressed ahead with their offensive to take the Daesh-held town of Manbij also in northern Syria but further to the west of Qamishli.",dailysabah,7/10/2016,hasakeh,0,,,,
1924058117,Air strike on Syrian hospital kills 10 monitoring group says - Daily Sabah,"Published August 6 2016 SEND httpsabahdai.lyac6kWj An airstrike on a hospital in northwestern Syria on Saturday killed 10 people including children the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said The hospital in the town of Meles is about 15 km from Idlib city in rebel-held Idlib province. Syrian regime and allied Russian military planes operate in Syria but it is not known which aircraft carried out the strike the Observatory said. Humanitarian groups have repeatedly called for a halt to strikes on medical facilities. Syrian opposition groups say Syrian and Russian forces deliberately target medical buildings. Medical charity the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) said that July was the worst month for attacks on healthcare centres since the beginning of Syrias five-year-old conflict. ""There were 43 attacks on healthcare facilities in Syria in July - more than one attack every day"" a SAMS statement said.",dailysabah,8/6/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1924058121,10 civilians killed by Russian air strikes in Syrias Aleppo - Daily Sabah,Published August 2 2016 SEND httpsabahdai.ly9x2W4z A man rides a bicycle past burning tyres which activists said are used to create smoke cover from warplanes in Aleppo Syria August 1 2016 (Reuters Photo) Ten civilians were killed and another 17 injured on Tuesday when Russian warplanes struck a town in Syrias northern Aleppo province according to local civil defense sources. Russian jets targeted Aleppos opposition-held Atarib district one civil defense source told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to fears of reprisal. Several residential buildings and vehicles were also damaged during the airstrikes the same source said. Syria has been locked in a vicious conflictsince early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests - which erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings - with unexpected ferocity. Since then more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced across the war-battered country according to UN figures. However the Syrian Center for Policy Research an NGO has put the total death toll from conflict - now in its sixth year - at more than 470000.,dailysabah,8/1/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058123,Russian airstrikes target civilians in Syrias Idlib 15 killed - Daily Sabah,"Published August 1 2016 SEND httpsabahdai.lyEsxNAM At least 15 people including a number of children were killed by Russian airstrikes in an opposition-held part of northern Syria a local civil defense source said Monday. Two consecutive raids by Russian warplanes that targeted the town of Abu al-Duhur in the Idlib province left another 30 injured Ahmed Mustafa told Anadolu Agency. Russian warplanes continue to indiscriminately target opposition controlled hospitals marketplaces and civilian areas along with fighters facilities since September 2015. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests - which erupted as part of the ""Arab Spring"" uprisings - with unexpected ferocity. Since then more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced across the war-battered country according to the UN.",dailysabah,8/1/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1924058125,DAESH Russia Syrian regime target opposition - Daily Sabah,"Published August 15 2016 SEND httpsabahdai.lyraA1yc A Syrian man covered with dust carries pieces of metal on a street cluttered with rubble following an airstrike on the rebel-held neighborhood of Sakhur in Aleppo. DAESH said that it killed at least 50 opposition fighters in a suicide bombing on a bus near the Atmeh border crossing with Turkey. The opposition faces the DAESH threat while fighting intensively against the Syrian regime in Idlib and Aleppo DAESH said on Monday they were responsible for a suicide bombing on a bus on Sunday which killed fighters from western-backed Syrian opposition groups near the Atmeh border crossing with Turkey. In a statement on one of its Telegram channels the hard-line militant group said it killed 50 fighters travelling on the bus from the Failaq al-sham and the al-Zinki groups. It said the fighters were travelling to fight against DAESH in northern Aleppo province. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a suicide bomber struck a bus transporting fighters through the Atmeh border post one of several crossings Syrian opposition uses to bring in fighters and supplies. The monitoring group which relies on activists inside Syria said the attack killed 50 fighters. An activist who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution said some 200 fighters from various factions are based near Atmeh and bring in weapons through the crossing. The Observatory had earlier reported 26 airstrikes on Sunday across Idlib one of the last remaining opposition bastions. Observatory head Rami Abdurrahman said Russian and government airstrikes on the province have intensified since opposition fighters launched a campaign from Idlib to break a government siege of Aleppos opposition districts on July 31. The strikes have killed 122 civilians he said. Another 327 civilians including 126 children have been killed in fighting in Aleppo province according to the Observatory. The toll includes 126 people killed by opposition shelling of government-held parts of Aleppo city. The Local Coordination Committees an activist network said Russian jets struck the towns of Jisr al-Shaghour and Binnish while the Observatory reported strikes on the provincial capital Idlib. It was unclear how the activists identified the planes. Aleppo is still home to some 2 million people most of whom live in the government-controlled western districts. Syrian government forces on Monday repelled a renewed opposition assault southwest of the city of Aleppo forcing opposition forces to retreat from positions they seized a daily earlier the Syrian government and activists said. The development followed intense battles between the two sides. Tens of thousands of Syrians displaced from Aleppo have found refuge in Idlib home to a pre-war population of 1.5 million. On Sunday evening opposition fighters opened a new front sending a truck bomb into Aleppos western Zahraa neighborhood according to the Twitter account of the Islamic Front one of the factions fighting for the city. The Observatory reported fighting in the citys western and southern districts. Moscow has been waging an air campaign in support of government forces for nearly a year. Russias military said six long-range Tu-22M3 bombers that took off from Russian territory carried out strikes Sunday on DAESH near the eastern Syrian city of Deir el-Zour. It made no mention of any strikes in Idlib. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Syrian opposition groups had used temporary ceasefires in and around Aleppo to regroup and rearm. Lavrov speaking at a news conference in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he realized that brief daily ceasefires in place now to allow aid to enter and civilians to leave were not sufficient. But he said it was difficult to make the ceasefires longer for the moment because of the risk of militants using them to regroup and rearm something he said they had done in the past. German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said the hardships faced by people in Aleppo could not be alleviated by announcing three-hour ceasefires. ""Its supposed to sound like a concession but its actually cynicism because everybody knows that this amount of time is nowhere near sufficient to actually build up supplies for the desperate people there"" he told a government news conference. He said the killing in Aleppo had to stop and the city needed to receive food and medical items without hindrance. Seibert said Syrias Bashar Assad and Russia an ally of Assad against opposition in Syrias five-year-old civil war were largely responsible for the situation in the city ""Its primarily their decision whether there will be further deaths or whether the people there get help and hope after months of suffering.""",dailysabah,8/7/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058126,Syrian warplanes pound Idlib leave 22 dead - Daily Sabah,Published August 15 2016 SEND httpsabahdai.lyBbrl4U People inspect a damaged building in Idlib after warplanes pounded the city yesterday. Syrian warplanes bombed opposition-held Idlib province killing at least 22 people. Clashes in Aleppo have also intensified and bombs dropped by the regime killed at least 49 people over the weekend Syrias opposition-held northwestern Idlib province came under heavy bombardment Sunday activists reported as opposition fighters and pro-government forces battled for control of the nearby city of Aleppo. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 26 airstrikes across the province one of the last remaining bastions of opposition control. 22 people were killed during the airstrikes. Opposition groups in Idlib home to a pre-war population of 1.5 million are mounting an offensive to seize contested Aleppo. Tens of thousands of Syrians displaced from Aleppo province have found refuge in Idlib. The Local Coordination Committees an activist network said Russian jets struck the towns of Jisr al-Shaghour and Binnish while the Observatory reported strikes on the provincial capital Idlib. It was unclear how the activists identified the planes. Moscow has been waging an air campaign in support of government forces for nearly a year. Russias military said six long-range Tu-22M3 bombers that took off from Russian territory carried out strikes Sunday on DAESH near the eastern Syrian city of Deir el-Zour. The strikes killed a large number of militants while destroying two command posts six arms caches two tanks four armored infantry vehicles and seven all-terrain vehicles with heavy machine guns the Defense Ministry statement said. The ministry made no mention of any strikes in Idlib. Elsewhere in Syria opposition groups and government forces battled around a major power plant in the central Hama province. State media reported that opposition fighters inflicted heavy damage to the Zaara generating station while an opposition media activist in the nearby town of Aqrab said the power plant was not targeted. Obeida al-Hamawi of the activist-run Hama Media Center said government forces had launched an assault from positions near the plant to retake the village of Zaara captured by opposition groups earlier this year. He said electricity was still being supplied to the area. The Observatory reported heavy clashes in the area. Clashes and airstrikes meanwhile continued across the northern Aleppo province resulting in at least 49 civilian deaths on Saturday alone activists and state media reported. Five children were among the dead. The Observatory said government airstrikes and shelling on opposition areas in Aleppo city and the surrounding countryside killed 40 civilians Saturday while the Local Coordination Committees put the toll in opposition areas at 45 dead. State media and the Observatory said opposition shelling on government-held districts of Aleppo city killed nine civilians including two children. State media said another 22 people were wounded. Fighting for the city has intensified this summer after regime troops seized control of the last supply route into opposition-held areas in mid-July. After a nearly three-week siege opposition forces took Ramussa on August 6 linking up with opposition-held neighborhoods.,dailysabah,8/10/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1924058135,Assad regime helicopter kills 20 people with barrel bombs in Aleppo - Daily Sabah,"Published August 27 2016 SEND httpsabahdai.lyp3RMJL AA Photo At least 20 people were killed and dozens injured Saturday in a barrel bomb attack carried out by Syrian regime troops in northern Syrias Aleppo province according to a local civil defense official. A regime helicopter struck twice a mourning location in the opposition-held Bab al-Nairab district in Aleppo Ibrahim Abu Leith told Anadolu Agency. ""Twenty people were killed and 30 others injured in the attack"" he said. According to Abu Leith women and children were among the fatalities. He said the second attack took place when the helicopter dropped another barrel bomb on people who rushed to the scene to help the victims of the first attack. The injured were rushed to field hospitals amid fears that death toll may rise as a number of civilians remain trapped under the debris of their destroyed homes. In recent weeks regime helicopters - along with Russian and Syrian warplanes - have struck a number of marketplaces hospitals and civil defense centers in opposition-held parts of war-battered Aleppo city. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests - which erupted as part of the ""Arab Spring"" uprisings - with unexpected ferocity. Since then more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced across the war-battered country according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research however put the death toll from the six-year conflict at more than 470000 people.",dailysabah,8/2/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058138,Syria uses chemical weapons Turkey offers remedy - •�lnur evik - Daily Sabah,"Published April 5 2017 The jet fighters from the Syrian regime have attacked settlements in the Syrian province of Idlib with chemical weapons killing at least 70 people including dozens of women and children and displaying once again the barbarity of the Bashar Assad administration. All this is happening as the so-called cease-fire is in effect in the region and the Russians are ""monitoring"" it. Idlib was the target of the regime because opposition groups and those sympathizing with them have moved out of Aleppo through an agreement brokered by Turkey and Russia. The cease-fire was supposed to have secured protection for the people of Idlib but that has been proven wrong as the regime jet fighters attacked the city with chemical bombs. Local sources reported that Syrian helicopters also attacked several settlements in the area with barrel bombs containing chemical weapons. Doctors in the town of Khan Skeikhoun in the Idlib province held by the opposition said victims started to choke vomit and faint with foam coming out of their mouths. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said women and children were among the dozens killed with reports of ""suffocation"" by barrel bombs. The Assad regime is back to using chemical weapons. So what will the international community do in view of this monstrous atrocity? The Assad regime has done this before and after the international uproar it had ""given up"" its chemical weapons to international observers. We were told Assad did not have chemical weapons. So now that Assad is back to using these weapons it seems the international community intentionally or unintentionally simply turned a blind eye and the Assad regime simply stored the weapons to be used at a future date. The Russian mentors of the terrorist Assad who themselves face terrorist attacks in their own backyard in St. Petersburg have to see that collaborating with terrorists only brings misery and destruction. This time Assad has to be stopped. The chemical weapons Assad uses have to be taken away from him for good and he has to pay for his atrocities. Even the Russians cannot stand behind Assad as he commits these gross violations. The Americans cant simply say they are just interested in fighting Daesh and just turn a blind eye to the dangerous turn of events in Idlib. Tomorrow someone in Syria may decide to use such weapons against the U.S. forces there.Turkey is trying to create its own secure zone that Assad would never dare attack in northern Syria. But the fact that Assad is using his jet fighters and helicopters to attack even the civilians who sympathize with the Syrian opposition shows the urgent need for declaring the safe zones created by Turkey as no-fly zones. This is something that has to be looked into by the international community. The Russians can secure this zone with their air power and their ground to air S-400 missile systems thus at least offering some hope for the Syrian people trying to escape Assads atrocities.",dailysabah,4/13/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1924058139,At least 100 civilians dead in toxic gas attack in Syrias Idlib,"Published April 4 2017 The Assad regime has used chemical weapons once again killing at least 100 civilians including children in an airstrike that released on the opposition-held Idlib. Thirty ambulances were dispatched from Turkey to rescue those in dire need of help. The Assad regime continues to commit crimes against humanity as more than 100 civilians were killed and 500 others mostly children have been affected by the chlorine gas attack carried out by regime warplanes in the Khan Shaykun town in Idlib. The latest chemical attack was seen as the worst in the countys six-year war. With many civilians suffering respiratory problems in dire need of help Turkey dispatched 30 fully equipped ambulances for rescue operations. The reports claim that it was the third chemical attack in over a week in Syria as the Assad regime consistently targets residential areas. The first two attacks were reported in Hama province an area close to yesterdays chemical attack. After the gas attack the Syrian regime reportedly bombarded a hospital in the town where doctors were treating victims. Turkey condemned the chemical attack on Syrias opposition-held town of Idlib describing it as ""a crime against humanity."" The chemical attacks on Idlib were ""inhuman"" and ""unacceptable"" President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said while stressing the importance of maintaining the fragile Syrian cease-fire. In a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin the president reiterated the need for further efforts to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Foreign Minister Mevlt avu•�olu also stated that the suspected use of chemical weapons could derail the process of Syrian peace talks being held in Astana Kazakhstan. The parallel series of talks in Astana Kazakhstan aim to bolster the truce to support the U.N. negotiations. Damascus has been the scene of heavy fighting in recent days with the moderate Syrian opposition making large incursions into the east of the Syrian capital while the Assad regime has responded with airstrikes on opposition positions. The last round of Astana talks began on Feb. 23 and ended on March 4 without any clear result. The next meetings in Astana are to be held on May 3-4. The global chemical arms watchdog said it was ""seriously concerned"" by reports of a suspected gas attack. ""The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is seriously concerned about the alleged chemical weapons attack reported by the media this morning in the Khan Sheikhun area of southern Idlib"" the group said adding it was ""gathering and analyzing information from all available sources."" Chlorine gas is one of several elements and compounds used in devastating chemical attacks outlawed by international treaties. A high level of exposure to the gas can cause suffocation as the chemical injures the pulmonary airways resulting in severe fluid buildup in the lungs with children and seniors particularly vulnerable. In the wake of the 2013 attack Assad agreed to a Russia-sponsored deal to destroy his chemical arsenal and joined the Chemical Weapons Convention. His government declared a 1300-ton stockpile of chemical weapons and so-called precursor chemicals that can be used to make weapons amid international outrage at a nerve gas attack on the outskirts of Damascus. Those weapons have been destroyed but member states of the OPCW have repeatedly questioned whether Assad declared everything in 2013. The widely available chemical chlorine was not covered in the 2013 declaration and activists say they have documented dozens of cases of chlorine gas attacks since then. The Syrian government has consistently denied using chemical weapons and chlorine gas accusing the rebels of deploying it in the war instead. Frances foreign minister called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council after what he said was a ""disgusting"" gas attack on Syrias rebel-held Idlib province. ""In the face of such serious actions that threaten international security I ask for everyone not to shirk their responsibilities. With this in mind I ask for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council"" he added. France Britain and the United States in February put forward a resolution to impose sanctions targeting Syrian government officials over accusations of chemical weapon attacks during the six-year conflict. The international inquiry found Syrian regime was responsible for three chlorine gas attacks and that Daesh militants had used mustard gas.",dailysabah,4/17/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1924058140,Russian airstrikes hit Syrian opposition forces,Published April 2 2017 Syrian opposition forces on Sunday claimed that Russian jets in violation of a cease-fire hit an outpost in northwestern Syrias Idlib province near the border with Turkey killing at least one opposition fighter and wounding several others. They said several overnight raids hit Babeska a village in Idlib that has become a haven for several moderate Free Syrian Army (FSA) groups. A tripartite mechanism was established in February by Turkey Russia and Iran to monitor the ceasefire in Syria. Opposition forces however say Russia has failed to pressure the Assad regime to ensure the ceasefire holds. The village also houses hundreds of families and fighters from the Damascus suburb of Daraya which fell to Assad regime forces last year and was evacuated by opposition forces. Fighter jets also believed to be Russian struck the town of Urum al Kubra in the opposition-held western Aleppo countryside where five civilians were killed in an area that has witnessed fighting between the opposition and the Assad regime the opposition said.,dailysabah,4/14/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1924058141,Opposition forces claim fighter killed others injured by Russian airstrikes in Syrias Idlib,Published April 2 2017 Oposition sources claimed on Sunday that Russian jets hit an outpost in Syrias northwestern Idlib province near the border with Turkey killing at least one opposition fighter and wounding several others. They said several raids overnight hit Babeska a village in Idlib province that has become a haven for several moderate Free Syrian Army (FSA) groups. A tripartite mechanism was established in February by Turkey Russia and Iran to monitor the cease-fire in Syria. Opposition forces say Russia has failed to put pressure on the Assad regime to ensure the ceasefire holds. The village also houses hundreds of families and fighters from the Damascus suburb of Daraya which was evacuated by opposition forces and surrendered to Assad regime control last year. War jets also believed to be Russian also struck Urum al Kubra town in opposition-held western Aleppo countryside where five civilians were killed in an area that witnessed fighting between the opposition and the Assad regime opposition said.,dailysabah,4/10/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1924058142,Russian strike kills 18 civilians in Syrias Idlib monitor,Published April 8 2017 An air strike killed 18 civilians including five children in Syrias northwestern province of Idlib on Saturday the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The monitoring group updated its earlier death toll of 15 for the strike on Urum al-Joz saying three more people had died of serious injuries. It said the strike was believed to have been carried out by Russian planes which operate in support of the Assad regime. The Observatory which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type location flight patterns and munitions used. Idlib province is controlled by an opposition alliance and is regularly targeted by both the Assad regime and its Russian ally. Earlier this week a chemical attack hit the town of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib killing at least 87 civilians including 31 children. The Khan Sheikhun strike prompted Washington to take its first direct military action against Assad regime with missile strikes against a central air base on Friday morning.,dailysabah,4/9/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1924058143,Bomb kills woman wounds 25 in Syrias Homs,Published April 8 2017 Just days after a deadly Assad regime chemical attack a woman was killed and 25 others on a bus were wounded in a town south of the Syrian city of Homs on Saturday. The sources said the bomb had gone off in Hassia 40 km (25 miles) south of Homs on a bus transporting workers. The wounded were taken to the nearest healthcare centers by civilian defense teams. On Tuesday in a chemical attack blamed on the Assad regime some 100 civilians were killed and 500 more injured. Following the tragic incident in a town where tens of thousands used to live most civilians began to leave their homes due to the risk of being poisoned by the chemicals left behind.,dailysabah,4/16/2017,homs,0,,,,
1924058144,Daesh terrorists kill 33 men in Syrias Deir el-Zour - Daily Sabah,Published April 6 2017 Syrian activists say the Daesh terrorist group has killed 33 young men in eastern Syria close to the border with Iraq. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Daesh members slit the throats of the men aged between 18 and 25 near the town of Mayadeen in Deir el-Zour province on Wednesday. The group says its not clear who the men were and whether they were Syrian troops or rebels. Opposition activist Omar Abu Laila who is from Deir el-Zour but currently lives in Europe also reported the killing. Daesh has carried out similar killings in Syria this year. When it controlled the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra Daesh carried out public beheadings including of the antiquities chief whose body was hung from a pole in a main square.,dailysabah,4/4/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1924058145,US coalition airstrikes kill 20 civilians in east Syria,"Published April 19 2017 A war monitor said airstrikes thought to be by planes from a U.S.-led military coalition killed 20 civilians including children in two parts of the eastern Syrian province of Deir al-Zor the Britain-based war monitoring group said yesterday. Jets ""believed to belong to the international coalition"" struck the town of al-Bukamal in the south of the province near the Iraqi border killing three militants and 13 civilians including children the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The monitoring group said airstrikes also killed seven civilians in the town of al-Husainiyah further north along the Euphrates river. There was no immediate comment from the coalition which has said it tries to avoid civilian deaths in its bombing campaigns against Daesh militants in Syria and neighboring Iraq. Earlier this month the coalition said its raids there and in Iraq and unintentionally killed at least 220 civilians. But other monitors say the number is much higher. Reports of civilian deaths from U.S. airstrikes across Syria and Iraq soared to an all-time high the reports said. According to Airwars a British monitoring group there were 1472 casualties linked to U.S. airstrikes in March. Daesh militants control most of Deir al-Zor province which links territory they hold in Syria and Iraq and parts of the provincial capital which has the same name. The Syrian regime still controls some parts of Deir al-Zor city including a nearby military air base where Daesh has besieged about 200000 people lacking food and medicine for around two years. Bashar al-Assad and its forces backed by Russian air power have been fighting back against Daesh assaults in the area.",dailysabah,4/6/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1924058146,Airstrikes in northern and eastern Syria kill 20 civilians activists,"Published April 18 2017 An overnight airstrike likely carried out by the U.S.-led coalition struck an eastern Syrian town held by the Daesh killing at least 10 people and wounding dozens opposition activists said. Another airstrike this one during the day hit a opposition-held village in the northwest on Tuesday killing a woman and nine children. The activists said the late Monday strike on the town of Boukamal on the Iraqi border was similar to airstrikes carried out by the U.S.-led coalition that has been targeting Daesh in both Syria and Iraq. Airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition have killed dozens of civilians over the past several weeks as the battle against the extremists intensifies. The new purported took place as the U.S.-led coalition came under fire from Human Rights Watch over another deadly incident in northern Syria last month in which dozens of people were killed. The Daesh-linked Aamaq news agency said the strike of Boukamal killed six people and wounded 15 all of them women and children. It did not say whether any Daesh fighters were also killed. The U.S. militarys regional command CENTCOM said in response to a query by The Associated Press that it was aware of the reports and was looking into them. Activists gave different casualty tolls. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Boukamal strike killed 15 civilians including women and children as well as three Iraqi Daesh fighters. Opposition activist Omar Abu Laila who currently lives in Europe but is from the province where the strike took place and maintains contacts there said 10 people were killed including an Iraqi family of four. He said Daesh cordoned off the area and cut all telecommunications after the strike which heavily damaged at least four buildings. ""The number of casualties is huge"" Abu Laila said adding that mosque loudspeakers were used to urge people to head to hospitals to donate blood. Daesh used to control wide parts of Syria and Iraq where the group declared a caliphate in 2014. Over the past year the extremists have suffered a string of defeats at the hands of an array of Syrian and Iraqi forces. On Tuesday in northern Syria an airstrike on the village of Maaret Harmeh killed 10 people and wounded several others activists said. The Observatory said those killed were all relatives. The Civil Defense another activist group said 10 people were also wounded in that attack. Maaret Harmeh is close to the town of Khan Sheikhoun where a chemical weapons attack killed nearly 90 people on April 4. The United States has accused the Assad regime of being behind the attack and fired missiles at a Syrian army base. Syria denies the charges. Meanwhile Human Rights Watch said in a report Tuesday that U.S. forces appear to have failed to take necessary precautions to avoid civilian casualties in a March 16 airstrike that killed dozens of people in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo. U.S. officials said at the time that the airstrike hit an al-Qaida gathering killing dozens of militants. Syrian opposition activists said around 40 people mostly civilians were killed in the crowded Omar Ibn al-Khattab Mosque in the Jeeneh district. U.S. officials at the time also said they found no basis for reports that civilians were killed. However Human Rights Watchs 16-page report said it found no evidence to support the allegation that members of al-Qaida or any other armed group were meeting in the mosque. It said a religious lecture was being held at the time of the attack and that prayers were about to begin. ""The U.S. seems to have gotten several things fundamentally wrong in this attack and dozens of civilians paid the price"" said Ole Solvang HRW deputy emergencies director. ""The U.S. authorities need to figure out what went wrong start doing their homework before they launch attacks and make sure it doesnt happen again."" Lama Fakih the New York-based watchdogs deputy for Mideast and North Africa told the AP that the report concluded the mosque strike killed at least 38 people. She added that the U.S.-led coalition appears to ""have failed to understand"" that the building being hit was a mosque.",dailysabah,4/5/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1924058147,At least 126 dead in blast targeting evacuation convoy stranded near Aleppo,"Published April 15 2017 At least 126 people including 68 children were killed Saturday in a suicide car bomb attack on buses carrying Syrians evacuated from two besieged regime-held towns a monitoring group said Sunday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 98 evacuees from the northern towns of Fuaa and Kafraya were killed when an explosives-laden vehicle hit their buses at a transit point west of Aleppo on Saturday. The dead included 109 evacuees 13 of whom were women from the villages of Foua and Kefraya in the north-western province of Idlib the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The other fatalities were escorts and fighters who were on the site of the bombing outside the northern city of Aleppo according to the Britain-based watchdog. The toll is expected to rise because there are still critically injured and missing people after the blast the Observatory said. The blast hit the Rashidin area on Aleppos outskirts where dozens of buses carrying mostly Shiiite residents of two villages al-Foua and Kefraya that are being evacuated in a deal between warring sides were waiting to enter the city. The state TV channel said the explosion was caused by a car bomb. State TV showed horrific images of bodies strewn on the ground and near buses. A senior opposition official said 20 fighters who guarded the buses were killed as well as dozens of passengers. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. A military media unit run by Damascus ally Hezbollah said a suicide attacker had detonated a car bomb near the convoy. Pictures posted on state media showed what appeared to be the aftermath of the explosion with bodies lying on the ground and fires belching out thick black plumes of smoke. Buses were blackened by the blast with their windows blown out. Thousands of Syrians were stuck in and around Aleppo on Saturday as a deal to evacuate people from two Shiite villages in return for Sunni opposition fighters and their families leaving two besieged towns near Damascus halted a war monitor and activists said. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said the delay was because opposition groups from Zabadani one of the towns included in the deal had not yet been granted safe passage out. The agreement is one of several concluded in recent months that has seen Bashar al-Assads regime take back control of areas long besieged by his forces and their allies. In the latest deal hundreds of rebels and their families evacuated the town of Madaya near Damascus and were taken to the regime-held city of Aleppo. From there they will travel to Idlib province an opposition stronghold. In return pro-regime fighters and residents from the Shiite villages of al-Foua and Kefraya both surrounded by Idlib opposition fighters have left the area and reached Aleppos outskirts. On Saturday those from Madaya sat outside rows of coaches in a bus garage in government-held Aleppo waiting to move onto Idlib pictures sent by a pro-opposition activist showed. Meanwhile residents from the Shiite villages were still waiting in insurgent territory on Aleppos outskirts to cross into the city the Observatory and a witness said. The pro-opposition activist said opposition fighters were saying that a smaller number of pro-regime fighters had left the Shiite villages than was agreed. A Madaya resident speaking from the bus garage in Aleppo said people had been waiting there since late on Friday night and were not being allowed to leave. ""Theres no drinking water or food. The bus garage is small so theres not much space to move around"" Ahmed 24 said. ""Were sad and angry about what has happened"" he said. Many people felt that they had been forced to leave he said. ""There was no other choice in the end - we were besieged inside a small area in Madaya."" Syrias opposition says the evacuation deals which have included areas of Aleppo and a district in the western city of Homs amount to forced displacement of Assads opponents from Syrias main urban centers. The agreements are also causing demographic changes they say because those who are displaced are mostly Sunni Muslims. Syrias population is mostly Sunni. Assad is from the Alawite religious minority often considered an offshoot of Shiite Islam. He has been backed militarily by Russia and by Shiite fighters from Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah group in Syrias six-year-old conflict. Assad holds the military advantage over the opposition in the west of the country thanks to Russias intervention in 2015 although the insurgents continue to fight back and have made gains in some areas.",dailysabah,4/5/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058148,US-led coalition airstrike kills 18 partner forces Pentagon says,"Published April 13 2017 An air strike on Tuesday by a U.S.-led coalition fighting Daesh mistakenly killed 18 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces south of the city of Tabqa Syria the Pentagon said on Thursday. ""The strike was requested by the partnered forces who had identified the target location as an ISIS fighting position"" it said in a statement referring to the Daesh terror group by an acronym. ""The target location was actually a forward Syrian Democratic Forces fighting position."" Meanwhilee the U.S.-led coalition previously denied an Assad army report it had carried out an air strike that had hit poison gas supplies belonging to Daesh and caused the deaths of hundreds of people. ""The Coalition conducted no strikes in that area at that time. The Syrian claim is incorrect and likely intentional misinformation"" U.S. Air Force Colonel John Dorrian a colaition spokesman told Reuters by email. The army of the Assad regime said Thursday that an air strike late on Wednesday by the U.S.-led coalition hit poison gas supplies belonging to the Daesh terror group releasing a toxic substance that killed ""hundreds including many civilians."" The incident in the eastern Deir al-Zor province proved that Daesh and al Qaeda-linked terrorists ""possess chemical weapons"" a statement by the army flashed on Thursday by Syrian state TV said. The United States launched cruise missiles at a Syrian air base last week in response to a deadly poison gas attack in the west of the country that Washington blamed on Bashar al-Assads regime. Syria and its ally Russia deny Damascus carried out any such chemical attack. Moscow has said the poison gas in that incident last week in Idlib province belonged to rebels. The U.S. strike on the Syrian air base was the first time Washington has deliberately and directly targeted the Syrian government. It is separately waging an air campaign against Daesh in eastern Syria.",dailysabah,4/6/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1924058150,6 civilians killed 35 injured in Assad regime airstrikes in Syrias Idlib,Published April 26 2017 At least 6 civilians were killed and 35 others were injured in Assad regime airstrikes targeting a refugee camp in Syrias northwestern Idlib province on Wednesday. A civil defense official told Anadolu Agency that a refugee camp located east of Idlibs Maarat al-Numaan district was targeted by regime war planes. Civil defense units were immediately sent to the attack site to transfer the wounded to nearby hospitals and health centers for medical treatment. The camp reportedly hosted many refugees from Hama and Aleppo while health officials also stated that the death toll could rise due to the high number of injured civilians. Another civil defense official from Idlib told Anadolu Agency that the regime warplanes dropped a total of three parachute bombs on the camp site. Syria has been locked in a devastating civil war since early 2011 initiated by the Assad regime which cracked down on pro-democracy protests that began as part of the Arab Spring uprisings with unexpected brutality and disproportionate force. Since then thousands are believed to have been killed and millions more displaced.,dailysabah,4/13/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1924058151,Assad regime targets civilians in Homs airstrikes,Published April 24 2017 Assad regime forces have carried out a total of 18 airstrikes in the Houla region of central Syrias besieged Homs province leading to the death of five civilians including two women and injuring 15 other civilians. According to Anadolu Agency the airstrikes have been conducted in the towns of Teldo Tel Dahab and Kafr Laha since Sunday night. Civil defense units continue search and rescue efforts in the Houla region. The Assad regime first carried out a massacre in Houla on May 25 2012 during which 108 people were killed including 34 women and 49 children. Since then the region has been under regime siege. The United Nations managed to dispatch limited humanitarian aid to Houla for the first time in March. Syria has been locked in a devastating civil war since early 2011 initiated by the Assad regime which cracked down on pro-democracy protests that began as part of the Arab Spring uprisings with unexpected brutality and disproportionate force. Since then thousands are believed to have been killed and millions more displaced.,dailysabah,4/17/2017,homs,1,,,,
1924058152,At least 8 White Helmets rescuers killed in airstrike in Syrias Hama,"Published April 29 2017 Airstrikes struck a center of Syrias rescuers known as the White Helmets in an opposition-held area in the countrys center killing eight volunteers opposition activists said Saturday. The airstrike was one of the deadliest against the rescuers who operate in opposition-held areas and who have garnered world attention for operating in extreme conditions pulling survivors out of recently struck areas. The volunteers have often been targeted by Assad regime airstrikes in what are known as double tap attacks as they work to rescue others. The local White Helmets in the central Hama province said an air raid on one of their centers in Kfar Zeita killed eight members of the team. The group said five bodies were lifted from the rubble and the rescuers continued to look for the others. The Britain-based opposition monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the number of those killed is likely to rise as the search regime and Russia aircraft have targeted opposition-held areas. The central Hama province have been scene to intense violence in recent weeks as the regime attempts to push back an opposition offensive. Separately Saturday regime army said its troops and allied fighters repelled an attack by Daesh terrorist group on a strategic area held by the regime in southern Aleppo province. The attack took place in Khanaser southeast Aleppo a strategic region that links Aleppo with central and western Syria. The area has changed hands many times during the conflict. But last year regime forces and allied fighters wrested control of Khanaser from Daesh. The military media arm said Daesh attacked Um Mayyal village near a mountain range in Khanaser and other areas. The Observatory said Daesh fighters launched the attack on military posts in the area triggering intense clashes and leaving many casualties. Daesh-affiliated Aamaq news agency claimed Daesh fighters killed 30 regime soldiers in the attack. Near the capital hundreds of Syrians from the oppositon-held suburbs of eastern Ghouta near Damascus protested against infighting between the insurgent groups that began Friday and left dozens killed in the area. The infighting came amid an intensified regime offensive in the area near Damascus which the opposition fighters have controlled for years but has been increasingly squeezed by regime advances. ""God rid us of all leaders"" the protesters chanted criticizing the head of the insurgent groups for diverting their weapons from the front line with the regime. The infighting is pitting the powerful Army of Islam group against al-Rahman Corps and al-Qaida-linked group the Levant Liberation Committee or Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Each side blames the other for triggering the fighting in the power struggle over control of eastern Ghouta. Some activists have called on Army of Islam to rid eastern Ghouta of the powerful al-Qaida-linked group. The Observatory said shots were fired at the protesters in one area leaving five injured. In 24 hours of fighting the Observatory said at least 38 opposition fighters from the warring sides were killed. Damascus-based Shaam News Network put the number at 60 in addition to six civilians killed because of the clashes. For the past three years the regime has been unable to regain control of the eastern suburbs of Damascus. But in recent weeks an intensified offensive points to a new determination to retake the area. On Saturday activists reported a heavy air campaign against the areas Qaboun neighborhood.",dailysabah,4/10/2017,hama,0,,,,
1924058153,Airstrikes by Assad regime warplanes kill 4 in Syrias Idlib destroy mosque in Hama,"Published April 29 2017 At least four people were killed and 11 others were injured in airstrikes reportedly carried out by the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. A mosque was also destroyed by regime airstrikes north of Hama in the west-central region of the country local civil defense sources said Friday. A civil defense official in Idlib Leys el-Faris told Anadolu Agency four civilians were killed and seven others injured in an airstrike which hit the Sermin district. According to Faris a number of residential areas were destroyed in the attack. The Abu Ubaidah Ibn al-Jarrah mosque north of Hama city in Kafr Zeita was also destroyed by Russian airstrikes. ""The regime is intensively attacking rural areas in Idlib and Hama with its allies"" Faris said. Videos and images of the destroyed mosque have been circulating online. Speaking to Anadolu Agency Yusuf el-Bustani a local activist said regime forces were attacking the opposition-controlled Qaboun neighborhood of the capital Damascus. Bustani said four civilians had been injured in the attack. He added local people had difficulties in meeting basic needs due to regime forces attack in East Ghouta. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity. Several rounds of peace talks - in Geneva and the Kazakh capital Astana - have so far failed to end the conflict in which hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians are believed to have been killed to date. The namesake of the destroyed mosque Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah was one of the companions of the prophet Muhammad and converted to Islam in 611. Like many of the early Muslims of Mecca Abu Ubaidah experienced hardships because of his faith and migrated to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) with a delegation at Muhammads suggestion. Abu Ubaidah joined Muhammad when the prophet migrated from Mecca to Medina in 622. During his life he was a military commander in the Muslim-Quraysh Wars and during the Rashidun conquest of the Levant. He died of the plague in 639 and his tomb can be found in modern day Jordan.",dailysabah,4/16/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1924058155,Assad regime kills at least 75 in refugee camp,"Published October 31 2014 Activists in Syria reported that at least 75 people died from barrel bomb attacks carried out by the Syrian air force loyal to the Bashar Assad regime. The activists said some corpses were even beyond recognition. The bombs were dropped on a camp near al-Habeet in the northern province of Idlib on Wednesday killing mostly women and children at the camp. Footage posted on YouTube showed corpses of women and children and burning tents while people scrambled to save the wounded. ""Its a massacre of refugees"" a voice off camera said. ""Let the whole world see this they are displaced people. Look at them. They are civilians displaced civilians"" he said. The U.S. said it was ""horrified"" by the reports of the bombing adding that it could not confirm details. ""The attack on the Abedin camp was nothing short of barbaric"" said state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. ""Unfortunately if it is confirmed to be the work of the [Assad] regime it is only the latest act of brutality by the regime against its own people."" Camp residents told Reuters that the attack took place on Wednesday with two barrel bombs dropped from an army helicopter. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also confirmed that the Assad regime carried out the air attack on the camp. U.S. officials acknowledged Wednesday that the solution to the crisis in Syria would ultimately require Assads removal even though coalition operations do not target his regime. National Security Adviser Susan Rice said the solution in Syria will ""ultimately have to result in Assads departure."" She added ""You have an illegitimate and exceedingly violent leadership that has created conditions not only that have been so harmful to the population but have made it a very attractive magnet for terrorists"" while speaking at the Harman Center for the Arts based in Washington. Rices deputy Tony Blinken speaking at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said that the train and equip program that the coalition will sponsor for moderate Syrian opposition fighters will also fight the Assad regime. Responding to a question as to why airstrikes do not target Assad forces that drop barrel bombs on civilians Blinken said the strategic plan of the coalition is to ultimately destroy the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Blinken said the challenge for keeping the coalition is to deal with the different agendas that each country has. Blinken added in the end that the ""glue holding them together"" is ISISs violence. The war in Syria which started in March 2011 with pro-democracy protests but rapidly grew into a horrific civil war has caused the death of more than 200000 people and at least 60000 are missing. The war also displaced nearly 10 million people. The Assad regime has been accused of committing war crimes against civilians by insurgent groups.",dailysabah,10/15/2014,idlib,0,,,,
1924058156,ISIS recaptures Syrian gas fields kills 30 monitoring group says,"Published October 29 2014 Islamic State militants have recaptured gas fields in central Syria in a major offensive days after losing them a monitoring group says. ""The Islamic State managed to control the 101 102 and 103 gas fields located on the eastern outskirts of the Homs province after killing at least 30 members of the regime troops"" the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Rami Abdel-Rahman told DPA.",dailysabah,10/6/2014,homs,0,,,,
1924058161,At least 10 die in barrel bomb attacks by Syrian regime warplanes,Published October 10 2014 At least 10 people including women and children have been killed on Friday and dozens of others injured in Syrias southwestern province of Daraa in barrel bomb attacks dropped by regime warplanes according to a Syrian opposition statement. Syrian Revolution General Commission SRGC say Syrian fighter jets dropped bombs in the town of al-Hara in the countryside of Daraa. The opposition also stated that people in the opposition-controlled areas are fleeing after Assad regimes random attacks. Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011. The U.N. in August said that more than 191000 people are believed to have been killed in the conflict so far.,dailysabah,10/14/2014,daraa,1,,,,
1924058162,30 Kurdish fighters killed by twin blasts in Syria,Published October 6 2014 Two ISIS suicide bombers driving explosive-laden trucks have killed at least 30 Kurdish militiamen and police in al-Hassakeh in north-eastern Syria a monitoring group says. The two blew themselves up at bases one run by the Kurdish Peoples Protection (YPG Units the other by the Asayesh or Kurdish police at the citys western boundary the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.,dailysabah,10/13/2014,hasakeh,0,,,,
1924058164,US-led raids kill 35 ISIS militants overnight monitor says,Published October 4 2014 At least 35 ISIS militants were killed in air strikes by the US-led coalition overnight in northern and northeastern Syria a monitor said on Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 militants were killed around the town of Shadadi in northeastern Hasakeh and another five outside the embattled town of Kobane on the border with Turkey in northern Aleppo province.,dailysabah,10/4/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058165,School bombing kills 30 children in Syria monitor,"Published October 1 2014 They were among 39 people who died in the attack in the Akrameh neighbourhood according to a new toll from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. ""At least 30 children were among 39 people killed in the double bombing at the Akrameh al-Makhzumi school in Homs today"" said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. One suicide attacker carried out both of the bombings. ""He planted a bomb at one location at the school and then blew himself up at another spot nearby"" Abdel Rahman told AFP. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. But Al-Qaedas branch in Syria Al-Nusra Front said it was behind a similar twin bombing in the central city that killed at least 12 people in May. Speaking to AFP on Wednesday Homs governor Talal al-Barazi had also reported the deadly attacks giving a toll of 31 killed and 74 wounded. The children were between six and nine years old he added. The toll is among the highest for children in suicide attacks across Syria since the conflict erupted in the country three years ago. In August 2013 a chemical attack on rebel areas in the outskirts of Damascus killed dozens of children and the year before 49 children were killed in the Houla ""massacre"" in Homs province. Homs Akrameh neighbourhood is home to a majority of Alawites members of the same offshoot of Shiite Islam to which Bashar al-Assad belongs. The district has been targeted more than once before including on June 19 when at least six people were killed in a car bomb attack. Homs was once dubbed ""the capital of the revolution"" against Assad. Most of the city except the battered district of Waar has returned to regime control after two years of bombardment and siege.",dailysabah,10/3/2014,homs,0,,,,
1924058166,23 terrorists killed in N. Syria after Turkish artillery coalition jets pound Daesh targets - Daily Sabah,Published June 20 2016 At least 23 DAESH members were killed Sunday in northern Syria in a Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and U.S.-led coalition operation security sources said. Turkish artillery and coalition jets hit 33 weapons emplacements including Katyusha rockets which were reportedly preparing to attack Turkey security sources said on Monday on the condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking with the media. During Sundays operation 23 DAESH terrorists were killed and three buildings one defensive position and an anti-tank rocket launcher were destroyed in northern Syria the sources said. The southeastern province of Kilis has faced a spate of cross-border rocket attacks from DAESH in recent months. Kilis has been under indiscriminate rocket attacks from neighboring Syria since mid-January. Twenty people in Kilis have been killed and almost 70 others wounded by rockets that fell in the city. Syrian Arab forces have also taken territory formerly held by DAESH in a bid to capture a strategic hub linking the terrorist group with the Turkish border. The Peoples Protection Units- (YPG) dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have seized 3 kilometers of territory to the northeast of the northern city of Manbij plus 6 kilometers to the south the Pentagon said on June 9. Recognizing DAESH as a terrorist organization on Oct. 10 2013 in an official declaration Turkey continues to fight DAESH both with military precautions along the Syrian border and with extensive investigations in the country to cut off supply and recruitment routes.,dailysabah,6/15/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058169,Regime Russia air strikes kill 39 in Idlib as strikes continue to pound Road of death to Aleppo,"Published June 12 2016 At least 39 people were killed and dozens were injured in airstrikes launched by the Syrian regime and Russian warplanes in Syrias western province of Idlib on Sunday. A Syrian regime warplane struck a marketplace in the opposition-held province local civil defense official Leys al-Faris told Anadolu Agency. ""At least 36 people were killed and 50 others injured in the attack"" he said. Al-Faris described the attack as a ""massacre"" committed by the Bashar Assad regime during the fasting month of Ramadan which began in Syria last week. He said rescuers were struggling to extract people from under the rubble of destroyed buildings. Meanwhile three people were killed in a Russian airstrike on a residential area in the city of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib. ""Rescuers are looking for survivors following the attack"" al-Faris said. Since April 21 Syrian regime forces and Russian warplanes have intensified attacks on opposition-held areas in Syria killings scores of civilians. This comes as the opposition-held sector of Syrias divided city of Aleppo has been cut off from the outside world in recent days by an escalation of air and artillery strikes on the only road in putting hundreds of thousands of people under effective siege. A regime campaign to fully capture Aleppo would most likely bury what little hope remains of reviving a diplomatic effort to end the five-year-old civil war after talks and a ceasefire sponsored by the United States and Russia fell apart earlier this year. Aleppo Syrias largest city before the war when it had more than 2 million people has been divided for years into opposition and government sectors and capturing all of it has been one of Bashar Assads biggest goals. An estimated 350000 people are still thought to live in the opposition sector in harsh conditions made worse by the latest attempt to besiege them by cutting off the last remaining route out the Castello Road named for Aleppos old castle. ""The regime was not able to cut the road by land so it has decided to keep the planes in the sky continuously hitting everything that passes regardless of what it is"" said Zakaria Malahifji senior official in the Aleppo opposition group Fastaqim. ""Whoever wants to go on the Castello road is undertaking a suicide mission"" he said. ""Its been this way for 10 or 12 days. The situation was difficult before - it was targeted and people were crossing with difficulty - but now it is almost cut nobody dares to use it"" he said speaking at his groups office in the Turkish city of Gaziantep near the Syrian border. The international focus in Syria in recent weeks has partly turned towards the conflict with Islamic State fighters as both the government and its enemies have made gains at the expense of the ultra-hardline Islamist militants on several fronts. But the separate hope of foreign powers - that the wider civil war could also be resolved - has broken down with Aleppo potentially the biggest battlefield of all. Hundreds of people have been killed there since peace talks broke off. Assad vowed in a speech last week to recapture ""every inch"" of Syria. Aleppo he said would be a ""graveyard"" for the ambitions of his regional foe Turkish President Tayyip Erdoan who has backed opposition groups. A pro-Damascus source who spoke on condition of anonymity said the reference was a signal of his intentions ""Why this threat? Because there are preparations for something big in Aleppo."" So far pro-regime ground forces aided by Iranian and Lebanese Shiite militias have been unable to complete the encirclement of Aleppo by capturing a narrow corridor of territory through which the Castello Road passes. The highway had long been under sniper fire but attacks from the air and artillery sharply increased less than two weeks ago with more planes flying and new rockets and guns moved into range. ""Castello is the road to death to Aleppo. I did not know whether I would make it to Aleppo city alive"" said Mohamad Adeeb an opposition activist who drove the road on Friday. ""I saw death with my own eyes with corpses lying on the way and dozens of trucks and civilian cars and bodies that none of the civil defence teams were able to recover because of the intensity of the shelling of the regime and Russian warplanes."" Inside Aleppo the new pressure on the road has driven up prices of goods adding to the suffering of those still there. The Syrian Obervatory for Human Rights says more than 300 people have been killed in air strikes and government bombardment of opposition-held Aleppo since April. Opposition sources say the toll is much higher with dozens of people currently being killed each day in eastern Aleppo one of the bloodiest spells it has suffered in the conflict. Civil defence emergency workers operating in opposition-held areas say more than 450 people were killed there in the last month. ""It is a difficult and dangerous period we are going through. Aleppo is almost under siege"" Abu Yassine said. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity. Since then more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced across the war-battered country according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research however put the death toll from the six-year conflict at more than 470000 people.",dailysabah,6/15/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1924058170,Daesh claims responsibility for bombings near Damascus at least 20 dead,Published June 11 2016 Suicide bombers struck outside a Shiite shrine near Syrias capital Saturday leaving at least 20 people dead a monitor said in an attack claimed by the Daesh group. The official SANA news agency said two suicide bombers one in a car attacked the entrance to the Sayyida Zeinab shrine which is revered by Shiites around the world. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a British-based monitoring group said at least 20 people were killed including 13 civilians and more than 30 wounded in the blasts. SANA gave a toll of at least 12 dead and 55 wounded. Daesh claimed the attack via its Amaq news agency saying it was carried out by three suicide bombers. The shrine around 10 kilometres (six miles) south of the centre of Damascus is heavily guarded by pro-government forces but has still been the target of several attacks including those claimed by the Daesh terrorist group. Syrias official Al-Ikhbariya channel showed images from the scene of burned-out cars billowing with plumes of black smoke. Firefighters battled to extinguish the flames as shop signs lay in the street. The last attack on Sayyida Zeinab on April 25 killed at least seven and wounded dozens. A string of Daesh bombings near the shrine in February left 134 people dead most of them civilians according to the Observatory. And in January another attack claimed by Daes killed 70 people. Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah cited the threat to Sayyida Zeinab as a principal reason for its intervention in Syrias civil war on the side of Bashar al-Assad. The shrine contains the grave of Zeinab a venerated granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is renowned for its glistening golden onion-shaped dome.,dailysabah,6/6/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1924058172,At least 44 killed dozens injured as twin bombing targets Syrias Qamishli near Turkish border,"Published July 27 2016 A twin bombing struck a crowd in a predominantly Kurdish town in northern Syria on Wednesday killing 44 people and wounding dozens more Syrias state-run news agency and Kurdish media reported. The Daesh group claimed responsibility for the attack. Media reports said a truck loaded with large quantities of explosives blew up on the western edge of the town of Qamishli followed by an explosives-packed motorcycle a few minutes later in the same area. The blasts caused massive damage in the area and rescue teams were working to recover victims from under the rubble the SANA news agency said. This photo captured from the town of Nusaybin near the Turkish side of the border shows plume of smoke occurred after the explosion. (IHA Photo) Qamishli near the Turkish border is mainly controlled by PYD but Syrian regime forces are present and control the towns airport. Syrian television broadcast footage showing people running away from a mushroom of gray smoke rising over the town and others running amid wrecked or burnt cars. Qamishli resident Suleiman Youssef a writer told The Associated Press by telephone that he heard the first explosion from few miles away. He said the blasts leveled several buildings to the ground and many people were trapped under the rubble. ""Most of the buildings at the scene of the explosion have been heavily damaged because of the strength of the blast"" he said. The Daesh group in a statement published by its affiliated Aamaq news agency said it carried out the attack in Qamishli describing it as a truck bombing that struck a complex of Kurdish offices. The terrorist group has carried out several bombings in Kurdish areas in Syria in the past. The PYD-dominated and U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces have been the main force fighting Daesh in northern Syria capturing significant territory from the terrorists over the past two years. Wednesdays explosion came as U.S.-backed Kurdish forces pressed ahead with their offensive to take the Daesh-held town of Manbij also in northern Syria but further to the west of Qamishli.",dailysabah,7/27/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1924058173,Coalition airstrikes kill 85 civilians in Daesh-held villages in Syrias Manbij,Published July 19 2016 Airstrikes on Daesh-held villages in northern Syria killed at least 85 civilians on Tuesday as intense fighting was underway between the militants and U.S-backed fighters Syrian opposition activists and the extremist group said. Residents in the area blamed the U.S.-led coalition for the strikes that targeted two villages Tokhar and Hoshariyeh which are controlled by IS activists said. The villages are near the Daesh stronghold of Manbij a town that members of the PYD-dominated U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) have been trying to capture in a weeks-long offensive. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 56 civilians including 11 children were killed in the strikes on the villages which also wounded dozens. Another activist group the Local Coordination Committees said dozens of civilians mostly families were killed. Turkeys official Anadolu Agency put the death toll at least at 85 adding that 50 civilians were also wounded in airstrikes. The Daesh-linked Aamaq news agency claimed 160 civilians mostly women and children were killed in Tokhar alone in a series of purportedly American airstrikes around dawn Tuesday. Postings on a Facebook page show images of people including children as they were being put in collective grave purportedly in the village of Tokhar. One photograph shows a man carrying the lifeless body of a child covered with dust while another shows a child partly covered by a blanket lying in a grave. Tuesdays casualties come on the heels of similar airstrikes on the Daesh-held town of Manbij on Monday when at least 15 civilians were reportedly killed. Meanwhile the headquarters of Daesh militants inside Manbij was captured as SDF forces pushed into the western part of the town over the weekend the U.S. military said in a statement on Tuesday. The headquarters which was located in a hospital was being used as a command center and logistics hub. The U.S.-backed Syrian rebels also took control of part of the town enabling civilians in the area to flee the fighting the statement said. The rebels were continuing to battle Daesh on four fronts for control of Manbij clearing territory as they pushed toward the center of the city the statement said. Daesh militants have staged counterattacks but the Syrian rebels have maintained momentum with the help of air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition the statement said. It said the coalition has carried out more than 450 air strikes around Manbij since the operation to take the town began. The U.S. Central Command said the coalition conducted 18 strikes on Monday and destroyed 13 Daesh fighting positions seven Daesh vehicles and two car bombs near Manbij. The Manbij area has seen intense battles between Daesh extremists and the Kurdish-led fighters who have been advancing under the cover of intense airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition. If Manbij is captured by the U.S.-backed fighters it will be the biggest strategic defeat for Daesh in Syria since July 2015 when the extremist group lost the border town of Tal Abyad. In neighboring Iraq meanwhile Daesh has been beaten back on several fronts with Iraqi forces aided by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes having retaken the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah in western Anbar province.,dailysabah,7/6/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058175,16 civilians killed in Syrias Hasakeh after motorbike bomber attack,"Published July 5 2016 A motorcycle bomber killed at least 16 civilians outside a bakery in Syrias Hasakeh city Tuesday on the eve of the feast marking the end of Ramadan an official said. The attack which also wounded dozens of people occurred in the neighbourhood of Salihiah ahead of the Eid al-Fitr festival. It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack but Daesh terrorist group has claimed previous bombings in the mainly Kurdish region. Rami Abdel Rahman head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack killed at least 16 people and wounded another 40. The death toll was confirmed to an AFP correspondent. The suicide attacker reportedly detonated his explosives in front of the bakery. ""A suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up in the Salihiah neighbourhood of Hasakeh city"" said Abdel Rahman. Fifteen of the wounded were in critical condition said the head of the Britain-based group that relies on a network of sources on the ground for its information. Hasakeh city is the capital of the province of the same name. Nearly all of the province is controlled by the PKKs Syrian affiliate PYD and its armed wing YPG terrorist organization. The militants have declared an autonomous region across the mainly Kurdish northern areas they hold. A US-backed alliance of Kurds and Arabs The Syrian Democratic Forces alliance has been locked in battle in the neighbouring province of Aleppo for control of the Daesh stronghold of Manbij for more than one month. The SDF launched the offensive in late May and encircled the town and entered its southwestern districts on June 23. More than 280000 people have been killed and millions have been displaced since Syrias conflict broke out in March 2011.",dailysabah,7/5/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1924058176,Assad regime airstrike kills 16 civilians in Syrias Aleppo,"Published July 2 2016 At least 16 civilians including women and children were killed Friday during an air raid by the Syrian regime army on the opposition-held neighborhood of Tareeq al-Bab in Aleppo Syrias largest city according to a pro-opposition civil defense source on the ground. The missiles fired from a Syrian warplane also wounded 25 others Ibrahim Abu Leys told Anadolu Agency. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests - which erupted as part of the ""Arab Spring"" uprisings - with unexpected ferocity and disproportionate force. Since then more than a quarter of a million people have been killed - and more than 10 million displaced - throughout the war-battered country according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research an NGO however has put the death toll from the five-year conflict at as high as 470000.",dailysabah,7/2/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058178,25 children killed in airstrikes in eastern Syria in latest round of Russian Syrian bombing UNICEF,"Published June 27 2016 A day after it was announced that Russian and Syrian regime airstrikes killed 58 civilians in eastern Syria UNICEF said 25 casualties were children Twenty-five children were reportedly killed in airstrikes that hit heavily crowded areas in a town in eastern Syria UNICEF has said. Quoting reports from its local partners in Syria UNICEF said health workers were reported to have pulled bodies of children from under rubble in the town of al-Quria in Deir ez-Zor province which is mostly under DAESH control. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported on Saturday that air strikes carried out by Syrian or Russian warplanes killed dozens of people in al-Quria. Deir ez-Zor province links DAESHs de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa with territory it controls in Iraq. ""Three attacks reportedly hit heavily crowded areas including a mosque during prayer time"" UNICEF said in a statement. ""UNICEF deplores these attacks and calls on all parties to the conflict to keep children out of harms way."" On Sunday a monitor said at least 82 people including 58 civilians were killed during airstrikes launched by Russia and Bashar Assads regime on the DAESH-held area of eastern Syria. ""Three Russian and Syrian regime air raids on the region of Al-Quriyah southeast of Deir ez-Zor city killed 58 civilians"" the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. It added that 24 other people were killed without specifying whether they were civilians or DAESH extremists. DAESH holds around 60 percent of Deir e-Zzor the capital of the province of the same name which is next to the extremist-held Raqqa province. Last week the Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) called on U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to launch an investigation into their assertions that Russia has repeatedly used air-delivered incendiary weapons against civilians in Syria. ""Russian air forces have repeatedly deployed incendiary weapons and cluster munitions to kill main and terrorize Syrian civilians including in at least 10 documented incidents"" Riad Hijab coordinator of the opposition HNC wrote to Ban. ""They have violated the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and breached international humanitarian law"" he wrote. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests which erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings with unexpected ferocity and disproportionate force. Russia first began its air campaign in Syria on Sept. 30 of last year. While Russia claims its campaign is aimed primarily at the DAESH terrorist group it has repeatedly targeted civilian areas and the moderate anti-regime opposition groups that control them. Since then more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced throughout the war-battered country according to the U.N. The Syrian Center for Policy Research a nongovernmental organization however has put the death toll from the five-year conflict at as high as 470000. Watchdog Thousands tortured to death by Syrian regime Meanwhile a human rights group said more than 12000 people have been tortured to death by the Syrian regime since 2011. In a Sunday statement the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) said that 12679 people died of torture from March 2011 to June 2016. ""The Syrian regime is responsible for 99 percent of deaths due to torture at detention centers"" the statement added which was issued to mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. SNHR Director Fadl Abdel-Ghani said his group could not document any case of detention with a legal warrant. ""The regime has committed crimes against humanity"" he said citing sexual assault killing and involuntary disappearance as some of the practices by the Syrian regime. Last month The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said that at least 60000 people have died in Syrian government jails during the five-year conflict. He said more than 20000 of them had died at Sednaya prison near Damascus. The observatory said it had been able to verify the deaths of 14456 people 110 of them under the age of 18 since the start of the Syrian uprising in 2011. ""We know large numbers of people have died in detention in Syria"" said Nadim Houry deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch in a telephone interview. A Syrian defector known as Caesar in 2013 smuggled out tens of thousands of photos taken between May 2011 and August 2013 that show at least 6786 separate individuals who had died in government custody HRW said in a report issued in December. That toll was calculated by the Syrian Association for Missing and Conscience Detainees (SAFMCD) which was formed by an opposition body and reviewed all the photos the HRW report said. U.N. investigators said in February the reported killings of detainees amounting to a state policy of ""extermination"" of the civilian population a crime against humanity.",dailysabah,6/5/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1924058181,15 killed 20 injured in airstrike on area near hospital marketplace in Syrias Aleppo,"Published June 8 2016 Syrian government air strikes on opposition-held neighborhoods of the divided second city of Aleppo killed at least 15 civilians and injured 20 on Wednesday a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 10 of the dead (including children) came in strikes just outside the Al-Bayan hospital in the Shaar neighbourhood. Rescue workers responding to the attacks gave a higher toll of 23 dead. The northern city of Aleppo has seen an uptick in violence in the last 48 hours. Assad forces are pounding opposition-held eastern parts of the city with strikes from the air. ""Syrian regime helicopters struck Aleppo citys Al-Shaar neighborhood with barrel bombs"" Necip Ensari a local civil defense official reportedly said. Ensari said regime helicopters had dropped three barrel bombs in an area that contains a hospital and a marketplace. Ensari added that women and children were among the casualties and that the hospital had been rendered inoperable by the attack. He added that rescue workers were now in the process of searching for survivors buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings. Barrel bombs are improvised containers packed with shrapnel and explosive material. Usually dropped from army helicopters the low-cost munitions are believed to have killed thousands of people since the Syria conflict began in 2011.",dailysabah,6/13/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058183,8 civilians killed by Russian airstrike in Syria,Published June 4 2016 A Russian airstrike on Syrian city Aleppo killed eight civilians on Saturday a civil defense source said. The jets targeted the opposition-controlled neighborhood of al-Sakhour wounding scores more the source told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisal. Civil defense volunteers ferried the casualties to nearby field hospitals. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests.,dailysabah,6/13/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058184,Syrian regime bombings kill 31 civilians in Aleppo region,"Published June 3 2016 Regime bombing raids in and around the northern Syrian city of Aleppo killed 31 civilians Friday including 10 when their bus was hit the civil defence said in a revised toll of casualties. ""As well as the 10 civilians killed in strikes on the bus... 21 others died in intense strikes on several neighbourhoods in the east of the city since dawn"" the organisation known as the White Helmets said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a British-based monitoring group also reported intense strikes on the road but gave a lower toll of eight civilians killed. The Castello road where a bus was also hit by regime bombing raids on Wednesday is a key rebel supply route out of divided Aleppo. At least 280000 people have been killed and millions displaced since Syrias war started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.",dailysabah,6/13/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058186,Turkish military kills 14 Daesh terrorists in Syria,"Published June 1 2016 A total of 14 Daesh terrorists were killed in northern Syria during an operation by Turkish Armed Forces and the U.S.-led coalition on Tuesday the Turkish military said Wednesday. According to a Turkish General Staff statement artillery fire and air operations destroyed one tank two mortar vehicles and three armored personnel carriers in northern Aleppo. Turkish towns and provinces have been repeatedly struck by fire from across the border since mid-January. The center of Kilis lies 6 kilometers from the Syrian border and the town has been repeatedly struck by cross-border rocket fire. On May 2 Turkish forces struck Daesh gun emplacements and ammunition dumps in the Suran Arshak Ikdakh and Ihtimalat regions on the Syrian side of the border initially killing ""50 terrorists."" This figure later increased after military operations.",dailysabah,6/16/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058188,22 children 6 teachers killed in Russian Syrian airstrikes near schools in Idlib,"Published October 26 2016 Air strikes that hit a school in moderate-held Idlib province in northwest Syria killed 22 children the UN childrens agency UNICEF said Wednesday. UNICEF Director Alan Lane said that six teachers also died in the attacks while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 35 people in total had died. ""This is a tragedy. It is an outrage. And if deliberate it is a war crime"" Lane said in a statement. ""This latest atrocity may be the deadliest attack on a school sincethe war began more than five years ago."" ""When will the worlds revulsion at such barbarity be matched by insistence that this must stop?"" added the UNICEF director. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least six air raids by suspected Russian jets hit Haas village in Idlib province. ""The dead children are schoolchildren and the planes are believed to be Russian"" Rami Abdel-Rahman the organizations head said. Activists posted pictures of bodies of small children and schoolbags covered with blood allegedly as a result of the bombing. In recent months Idlib a hub for rebels has been the target of air bombardment. ""One rocket hit the entrance of the school as students were leaving to go home after the school administration decided to end classes for the day because of the raids"" the activist said speaking on condition of anonymity. Other activists from the province circulated a photograph on social media of a childs arm seared off above the elbow still clutching the strap of a dusty black rucksack.",dailysabah,10/26/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1924058189,Daesh mines killed wounded dozens in YPG-held Manbij HRW says,"Published October 26 2016 A leading international rights group says that homemade land mines planted by the Daesh terrorist group have killed and wounded hundreds of civilians including dozens of children in a town recently freed of the militants in northern Syria. Human Rights Watch says in a report issued Wednesday that it collected the names of 69 civilians killed including 19 children by improvised mines in schools homes and on roads in Manbij during a five-day investigation this month. The victims were killed during and after the fighting for control of the town. Ole Solvang deputy emergencies director at the New York-based group says Daesh ""mined virtually everything including quite literally the kitchen sink before they left."" Forces of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) dominated by PKK terrorist organizations Syrian offshoot PYDs armed wing YPG (Peoples Protection Units) took Manbij from Daesh in August after a two-month-long siege over the period of two years after the terrorists moved in. Turkey has voiced reservations in YPG moving into Manbij which has a predominantly Arab population. The country also considers YPG controlling a continuous area south of its border a national security threat and repeatedly asked SDFs main supporter U.S. for YPG to retreat east of the Euphrates River. On Aug. 24 Turkey launched Euphrates Shield operation to clear the towns of Jarablus al Rai and al Bab from Daesh while preventing YPG to extend its control over these towns. Since the operation began Turkish experts and Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces supported by the Turkish military carried out detailed scans after Daesh terrorists were ousted from civilian settlements only to allow civilians return after the towns were fully secured.",dailysabah,10/5/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058191,Aleppo airstrikes kill 36 people in opposition-held areas,"Published October 17 2016 Airstrikes on opposition-held areas in the northern province of Aleppo Monday killed at least 36 people including children opposition activists said as violence in Syria continued while a major operation began against Daesh in neighboring Iraq. Most of the deaths were in the village of Oweijel just west of the city of Aleppo where at least 23 people were killed in an airstrike that also wounded dozens according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Another monitoring group the Local Coordination Committees said the air raid was carried out by Russian warplanes and put the death toll at 30. More than a dozen people were also killed in a besieged eastern opposition-held neighborhood in Aleppo. The eastern parts of the city Syrias largest have been subjected in recent weeks to the worst aerial attacks in years. The airstrikes have claimed hundreds of lives wounded many others and demolished entire buildings. Opposition activists have blamed Russian and Syrian government warplanes for the strikes. The Observatory said Mondays airstrikes hit in the Marjeh neighborhood. The Aleppo Media Center an activist collective said those killed included 11 people with the same family name of Qabs ranging from a month-and-a-half-old baby girl to a 25-year-old man. Mondays airstrikes coincided with the launch in neighboring Iraq of a major operation by Iraqi and Kurdish forces backed by the U.S.-led coalition to retake the city of Mosul from Daesh. There have been concerns the government in Damascus could use the timing of the Mosul offensive to press its onslaught in Aleppo while world attention is diverted to developments in Iraq. Also Monday Syrian state media claimed 49 oppostion fighters were killed and wounded in fighting in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Saeed and Shurfa on the southern edges of Aleppo. In the nearby province of Idlib a U.S.-led coalition drone struck a car in the provincial capital that carries the same name killing all inside according to the Observatory official. It was not immediately clear who was in the vehicle but such attacks have previously targeted officials with al-Qaidas affiliate in Syria known as Fatah al-Sham Front. The Observatory said the attack targeted a faction commander. An official with Fatah al-Sham Front formerly known as Nusra Front said all those in the car were ""martyred."" The man who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media said it was not clear if members of his group were targeted. Earlier this month a drone attack killed top al-Qaida official Ahmed Salama Mabrouk. The United States and Britain on Sunday acknowledged the Western worlds weak support for any military action against Syrias government as they seek ways to pressure Syrian regime leader Bashar Assad and his chief backer Russia to halt the deadly Aleppo offensive. After a meeting of 11 governments opposing Assads rule U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson each insisted that all options were on the table. But their stark explanations about the danger of resorting to military force appeared to rule out such a move. The government in Damascus meanwhile appears to be trying to improve relations with Egypt the Arab worlds most populous nation following the first public meeting between Egyptian and Syrian security chiefs. Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk head of the National Security Bureau and one of Assads top aides visited Cairo Sunday at the head of a delegation to coordinate with Egypt in the fight against ""terrorism"" in the region Syrias state-run news agency SANA said. SANA said the Syrians met with top intelligence officials including deputy chief of Egypts intelligence agency. It said both sides agreed on ""coordinating political standpoints"" and strengthening the ""cooperation in fighting terrorism."" Egypts pro-government Sada al-Balad and other news websites reported on Sunday that six Syrians arrived on a private jet from Damascus. Earlier this month Egypt voted for rival French and Russian draft resolutions on Syria at the U.N. Security Council arguing that both called for a truce and for aid for besieged Syrians in the rebel-held areas of the northern city of Aleppo. The move angered Egypts major financier Saudi Arabia which supports rebels fighting against Assads Moscow-backed government.",dailysabah,10/14/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058192,11 killed 25 injured in Russian air strike in Syrias Idlib,"Published October 15 2016 At least 11 people were killed and 25 others injured Saturday when Russian fighter jets struck an opposition-held neighborhood in western Syrias Idlib province according to a local civil defense official. The Russian strike targeted a drug warehouse and a civil defense center in Turmanin neighborhood Vasik Harak told Anadolu Agency. He said the raid has left a number of houses destroyed and caused a fire but fire fighters managed to put it out. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests - which erupted as part of the ""Arab Spring"" uprisings - with unexpected ferocity. Since then more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced across the war-battered country according to the UN. The Syrian Center for Policy Research however a Beirut-based NGO has put the death toll from the six-year conflict at more than 470000.",dailysabah,10/4/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1924058193,Death toll rises in Aleppo while British FM blames Russia,"Published October 12 2016 Activists say the death toll in rebel-held Aleppo in Syria continues to rise with at least 27 dead on Tuesday as the Assad forces push to weed out rebels. Russia meanwhile faces what Kremlin officials call Russophobia after British FM Johnson called public protests at its London embassy over airstrikes in Aleppo Casualties pile up in Syrias Aleppo controlled by rebels as the forces loyal to the Assad regime push to recapture it with the aid of Russian airstrikes. Russias assistance meanwhile continues to draw the ire of Europe with the latest salvo from British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson who called for ""picketing"" at the Russian embassy in London. At least 15 people were killed in fresh air strikes and artillery fire on rebel-held areas of Syrias Aleppo on Wednesday a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the death toll was expected to rise due to the number of wounded that are in serious condition. The Britain-based monitor said among the areas hit in the bombardment was a market in the neighborhood of Fardos. The deaths come a day after Russia stepped up its air raids on east Aleppo in support of an army operation to recapture the rebel-held sector of the city. The Tuesday raids killed at least 27 people among them four children in several districts including Fardos according to the Observatory. Four people were also killed and 14 wounded during rebel fire in government-held west Aleppo on Tuesday. Among those who survived the Tuesday strikes in the district of Fardos was 13-year-old Jameel Mustafa Habbush who was dug out of the rubble in a four-hour operation by the White Helmets rescue workers. An AFP photographer at the scene said rescuers heard Habbush shouting from under the rubble and began digging towards him. As they worked to free him they administered oxygen clamping a mask to his face as he emerged from the debris. His father and younger brother were reportedly killed in the attack and his mother was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Once Syrias economic powerhouse Aleppo has been ravaged by the conflict that began with anti-government protests in March 2011. In late September the army announced an operation to recapture the rebel-held east Aleppo after the collapse of a short-lived truce. Since then more than 300 people have been killed in bombardments of rebel-held areas according to the Observatory. British foreign minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday called for anti-war campaigners to protest outside the Russian embassy in London during a parliamentary debate on the bombing of Aleppo in Syria. ""Id certainly like to see demonstrations outside the Russian embassy"" Johnson told MPs in the parliament. Johnson the former mayor of London known for his many public gaffes said the ""wells of outrage are growing exhausted"" and anti-war groups were not expressing sufficient outrage at the conflict in Aleppo. ""Where is the Stop the War Coalition at the moment? Where are they?"" he said. The Stop the War group was co-founded by current opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to protest against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It brought millions of Britons into the streets to protest against the build-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. During Tuesdays debate in parliament several lawmakers accused Russia of committing war crimes in Syria. Johnson was responding to a question from Labour member of parliament Ann Clwyd who called for protests by millions of people outside Russian embassies worldwide. ""I would therefore call once again on everyone who cares about the plight of Syrian civilians to picket the Russian embassy in London and in capitals around the world from today"" she said. ""Two million three million four million people. It can be done. It has been done in the past."" Andrew Mitchell a former international development minister said British aircraft could help enforce a no-fly zone to prevent Russian bombing raids. ""The international community has an avowed responsibility to protect and that protection must be exerted"" the member of parliament from Prime Minister Theresa Mays governing Conservative Party said. ""If that means confronting Russian airpower defensively on behalf of the innocent people on the ground who we are trying to protect then we should do that."" Mitchell compared Russias actions to those of Nazi forces during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. Russia has been waging a punishing aerial bombing campaign in Syria for more than a year in support of President Bashar al-Assads forces part of a multi-front war that has claimed some 300000 lives and seen Moscow further estranged from the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday cancelled a visit to France in a furious row over Moscows role in the Syrian conflict. The announcement from the Kremlin came a day after French President Francois Hollande said Syrian forces had committed a ""war crime"" in the battered city of Aleppo with the support of Russian air strikes. Moscow yesterday hit out at Johnson for accusing Russia of committing war crimes in Syria dismissing his comments as ""Russophobic hysteria."" Russian defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement that Johnsons ""accusing Russia of all mortal sins"" was just a ""storm in a teacup."" ""The Russophobic hysteria that is regularly fueled by certain members of the British establishment has not been taken seriously for a long time"" he said. Konashenkov said the Russian air force was not responsible for the bombing of a U.N. convoy in the Aleppo region last month and accused Britain of withholding the evidence it says it has against Russia. ""The alleged evidence you say you have wont be worth a penny if it is made available to everyone"" he said. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Tuesday that Moscow was ""truly ashamed for"" Johnson over his comments.",dailysabah,10/7/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058195,Suicide attack on wedding party in Syria kills 30 injures 90,"Published October 4 2016 A suicide bomber killed 30 people injured 90 on Monday in an attack targeting a wedding party in the northeastern Syrian province of Hasakeh. A witness named Ahmad who was wounded in the head in the blast described the moment the bomber struck. ""As the bride and groom were exchanging their vows I saw a man wearing a thick black jacket pass beside me"" he said. ""I thought he looked strange and a few seconds later there was an enormous explosion. ""People had fallen on the ground and I saw bodies torn to bits."" Witnesses initially said the groom was among the dead but one of his relatives told AFP that both bride and groom were safe and well. Daish said in a statement that one of its fighters had fired on a ""large gathering"" of YPGPYD militants near Hasakeh city before blowing himself up. The claim which did not mention a wedding said many people had been killed.",dailysabah,10/12/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1924058196,14 killed in suicide attack on Syria wedding,Published October 3 2016 At least 14 people were killed 25 were wounded in suicide attack on a wedding in Hasakah northern Syria late Monday. A police source in the city said the initial toll also included 55 injured. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 14 were killed in the blast adding the number was expected to rise with many of the wounded in critical condition. The city is mainly in the hands of the PKKs Syrian wing the YPG after it evicted the Syrian regime army last August and leaving them with a symbolic foothold in a security zone in the center of the city. The YPG have expanded their control of the city despite the bombing of several locations by Syrian jets. Thousands of civilians in the ethnically mixed city including members of the Christian community have fled to villages in the countryside as the fighting intensified. Hasakahs population swelled by displaced Syrians fleeing areas that fell under Daish control is broadly divided along ethnic lines with Kurds mainly in the citys eastern neighborhoods and Arabs in the southern parts. Ankara has frequently voiced its concern over YPG activity along the Turkish border and has been rigid in its stance to not allow the PYD militant group to found any de facto Kurdish state in northern Syria. Turkey claims the PYD enjoys close connections with the PKK terrorist organization including militant and ammunition support through underground tunnels.,dailysabah,10/6/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1924058197,21 moderate opposition fighters killed in clashes with Daish in northern Syria,Published October 3 2016 21 Syrian moderate opposition fighters have been killed in clashes with the Daish terrorist organization in the last 24 hours in Syria on Monday where Turkish backed-moderate groups launched a major military operation to liberate the towns from terrorists. Another 30 moderate fighters were injured due to the latest clashes. Turkish backed-moderate groups hit 63 Daish targets after determining them via surveillance devices on Monday. Several weapons equipment six full armed pick-up like vehicles a supplies-laden truck seven Katyusha rocket launchers three settlements all of which belonged to the Daish terrorist organization were destroyed in the operation. Turkish warplanes carried out airstrikes against Daish in the area of Akhtarin Turkmen Bari and Dabiq of northern Syria and destroyed nine Daish targets with ten bombs. Nine buildings used by the terrorists as a base for command head weapon emplacement and an ammunition depot were also destroyed. Meanwhile moderate groups organized 11 airstrike operations against Daish in the area of Ziyadiyah Bahrutah Duvaybik Aktharin and Turkmen Bari in northern Syria. 13 elements of the terrorist group including four buildings three vehicles and a mortar were destroyed. On Sunday three rockets fired from a Daish-controlled area in Syria hit the border city of Kilis one police officer killed and two injured. Turkish howitzers responded with artillery fire to the rockets military sources said. An area of 960 square kilometers in northern Syria have been taken under control so far in the counter-terror operation called Operations Euphrates Shield that was started by Turkish backed-Syrian moderate groups on August 24 to secure the northern Syria from regional terror groups such as the PKKs Syrian branches the PYD YPG and Daish. Turkish military since the beginning of operation have been taking significant precautions neither to allow the Syrian civilians hurt nor Syrian cities damaged during clashes with terror groups.,dailysabah,10/7/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058200,At least 23 killed in regime strikes in Aleppo as UN meets over Syria,"Published September 25 2016 At least 23 civilians have been killed in renewed regime airstrikes on the contested city of Aleppo Syrian activists said Sunday as France and Britains Foreign Ministers raised the prospect of investigating Russia for war crimes ahead of an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting about the spiraling violence in Syria. Medical workers and local officials reported airstrikes on neighborhoods throughout Aleppos opposition-held eastern districts as an announced regime offensive entered its fourth day. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 23 civilians had been killed by 6 p.m. and said it expects the toll to rise. Ibrahim Alhaj of the Syrian Civil Defense search and rescue outfit said hospitals and rescuers have documented the deaths of 43 people so far. Hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties and medical workers are expecting many of the wounded to die from a lack of treatment according to Mohammad Zein Khandaqani a member of the Medical Council which oversees medical affairs in the opposition areas. ""Ive never seen so many people dying in once place"" he said from a hospital in the city. ""Its terrifying today. In less than one hour the Russian planes have killed more than 50 people and injured more than 200."" The Observatory which relies on a network of contacts inside Syria said earlier in the day that 213 civilians have been killed by airstrikes and shelling on opposition areas in and around Aleppo since a U.S.-Russian brokered cease-fire collapsed Monday evening. At the U.N. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Russia should be investigated for war crimes following an attack on a Syrian aid convoy that claimed 20 lives Monday. Johnson said that Russias air force may have deliberately targeted the civilian convoy on Sept. 19. Russia denies involvement and instead suggests the Syrian opposition or a U.S. drone were responsible. Frances Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Russia and Iran will be guilty of war crimes if they dont pressure Bashar Assad to stop escalating violence. Ayrault said an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting Sunday is a ""moment of truth"" for the U.N. The meeting was requested by the United States Britain and France as pro-regime forces extend their bombardment of the contested city of Aleppo. They are widely believed to be accompanied by Russian air strikes. Assad has rallied Syrias minorities behind his regime behind fears of a Sunni-dominated rebellion. The U.S. Britain and France are aligned on the Security Council against Russia and China which back Assad in the countrys protracted war now in its sixth year. But a broad coalition of Syrian rebels denounced international negotiations for peace as ""meaningless"" earlier Sunday. The statement released jointly by 33 factions called on the government and Russian forces to halt airstrikes and lift sieges on opposition areas. The U.N. estimates 600000 Syrians are trapped in various sieges enforced by the regime and Daesht across the country. ""Negotiations under the present conditions are no longer useful and are meaningless"" the statement said. The factions said they would not accept to have Russia mediate any negotiations calling it a ""partner to the regime in the crimes against our people."" The statement was signed by some of the largest factions from across Syria but did not include the powerful ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham nor the al-Qaida-linked Fatah Sham Front. Efforts to revive the truce have floundered. An airstrike destroyed a U.N.-backed humanitarian convoy Monday inside opposition territory shortly after the Syrian regime military announced the agreement had expired. The U.N. says the attack could amount to a war crime if proven deliberate though it has not assigned responsibility yet. The U.S. says it believes Russian jets were behind the strikes. The opposition Sunday retook an area in Aleppo that fell to regime forces the day before extending a punishing stalemate in the contested northern city. The Observatory says the opposition seized Handarat a largely uninhabited former Palestinian refugee camp early Sunday a day after it was lost to government forces. The camp has changed hands multiple times and is largely devastated and abandoned. The area is near Castello Road a vital supply route to the citys besieged opposition-held areas. Regime forces seized the Castello Road earlier this year besieging opposition-held districts where some 250000 people reside.",dailysabah,9/6/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058201,Assad regime strikes kill 92 civilians in Syrias Aleppo,"Published September 24 2016 Ninety-two civilians were killed and 273 others injured Saturday by Assad regime and Russian airstrikes on residential areas in opposition-held parts of Syrias northwestern city of Aleppo a civil defense official said. Speaking to Anadolu Agency Najib Ansari said the warplanes targeted the districts of Bustan al-Qasr Mashhad al-Kallasa Salihiya and al-Fardos Sheikh Haider Ansar Bustan al-Basha Ard al-Hamra Sohr Tariq al-Bab Karam Hamud Mesir all of which were currently under siege by the Assad regime. The casualties include women and children. The death toll is expected to rise further due to the limited capacity to rescue victims trapped under collapsed buildings. On Friday 86 people were killed by regime and Russian warplanes. Aleppo has recently come under intense attacks by regime and Russian forces. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is ""appalled by the chilling military escalation"" in the Syrian city of Aleppo his spokesman said on Saturday. ""Since the announcement two days ago by the Assad regime of an offensive to capture eastern Aleppo there have been repeated reports of airstrikes involving the use of incendiary weapons and advanced munitions such as bunker buster bombs"" U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. Since Sept. 19 when Assad regime declared the end of the week-long cease-fire at least 359 civilians have been killed and 1407 injured by Assad regime and Russian airstrikes on Aleppo according to civil defense officials and medical sources in the city. The attacks have targeted districts in the eastern part of Aleppo besieged by regime forces. Syria has been locked in a devastating civil war since 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests-which had erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings-with unexpected ferocity. The Syrian Center for Policy Research a Beirut-based nongovernmental organization has put the death toll from the six-year-old conflict at more than 470000.",dailysabah,9/24/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058203,Assad air strikes kill at least 80 civilians including children in Syrias Aleppo,"Published September 23 2016 Intense bombardment by the Assad regime and its ally Russia killed over 80 civilians including three children in the battleground city of Aleppo on Friday a monitor said. ""At least 27 civilians including three children were killed and dozens more wounded by raids by Russian aircraft and regime helicopters on several opposition districts of Aleppo"" said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Ibrahim al-Hajj a volunteer with the group said residents of the opposition-held side which is under siege could not flee and people were largely cowering inside their homes. ""Nothing about what the regime said about corridors is real nothing. How can we move on the streets if we dont feel safe. If it was real I would leave now"" says Mustafa a 48-year-old man who lives with his two elderly parents his wife and daughter. ""They want only a humanitarian corridor to get out of Aleppo they do not want anything else. They want a road to leave Aleppo"" says al-Hajj. ""People are waiting on Gods mercy. No one is leaving his house."" 5-year-old girl pulled out of rubble after Assad regime strikes her home in Syrias Aleppo killing her familyhttpst.covmL19MbvV0 pic.twitter.comNmnkCa2ue7 DAILY SABAH (DailySabah) September 23 2016 Video images filmed by residents showed a young girl screaming as rescuers frantically dug her out of rubble pulling her out alive. Another showed rescuers digging out a toddler with their bare hands shouting ""God is Great"" as they lifted him from the debris. The boy showed no signs of life as he was rushed off in a rescuers arms. The airstrikes include the use of incendiary bombs and cluster munitions according to residents who blame forces loyal to the Assad regime and the Russians for the aerial attacks. ""We feel the earth trembling and shaking under our feet. Aleppo is burning"" activist Bahaa al Halabi told dpa from the besieged opposition-held districts. ""People are not safe anymore even in shelters"" resident Yassin Abu Raed said. Other residents also said the latest raids were destroying underground shelters people had built. Water stations have been badly damaged and humanitarian aid has not reached the opposition-held district in many weeks. One resident said people were eating mostly rice and lentils which had been stockpiled noting that there were few vegetables left. ""I am now going to eat my last potato"" Rami an Aleppo resident said.",dailysabah,9/14/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058204,Airstrikes on clinic kill 5 medics in Syrias Aleppo,"Published September 21 2016 Five medics were killed and a nurse critically wounded when an air strike hit a clinic in a village near Syrias second city Aleppo late Tuesday the aid group that supports it said. The four staff of the Union of Syrian Medical Relief Organisations (UOSSM) were in two ambulances that had been called to the clinic to take some patients for more specialised treatment the group said. The clinic in the village of Khan Tuman was completely levelled in the 1100 pm (2000 GMT) strike and more dead were feared to be buried under the rubble the group added. ""The building has three floors including a basement. Because of the intensity of the bombardment the three storeys collapsed and are completely destroyed"" the groups hospitals and trauma director for the area Ahmed Dbais said in a statement. ""We dont yet know exactly how many dead there are."" The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said that nine members of the Army of Conquest rebel alliance who were working in the clinic were also killed. The alliance groups rebels with former Al-Qaeda affiliate the Fateh al-Sham Front and Moscow has repeatedly demanded that it be disbanded to allow intensified air strikes against the terrorist faction. Khan Tuman is near Orum al-Kubrah the town where an attack on aid trucks and a warehouse killed around 20 civilians on Monday triggering a war of words between major powers after Washington accused Moscow of responsibility. According to the World Heath Organization Syria is the most dangerous country in the world for health professionals with 135 strikes on clinics and hospitals last year. The head of UOSSM France Dr Ziad Alissa condemned the ""unacceptable"" attack on the groups clinic and staff. ""Deliberately targeting humanitarian workers and medical professionals is a clear violation of international humanitarian law"" he said. ""We appeal to the international community to act swiftly to put a stop to these atrocities. Too many lives have been lost."" The UOSSM is a medical aid group originally founded by Syrian expatriates but now international.",dailysabah,9/7/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1924058205,Air strikes kill 23 civilians in Daesh-held Syria town monitor,Published September 15 2016 Twenty-three civilians including nine children were killed in air strikes on a town in eastern Syria held by Daesh on Thursday a monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it did not know whether Syrian regime or Russian warplanes carried out the strikes on Al-Mayadin in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor. A US-Russian brokered truce in force since Monday does not include areas where Daesh is present.,dailysabah,9/17/2016,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1924058208,19 civilians killed in Assad regime bombing near Damascus,"Published November 26 2017 Assad regime air strikes and artillery fire killed 19 civilians on Sunday across the opposition-held Eastern Ghouta region outside the capital Damascus a monitor said. The deaths come despite the area falling within the ""de-escalation zone"" put in place under a deal between regime allies Russia and Iran and opposition-backer Turkey. Eastern Ghouta is already in the grip of a humanitarian crisis caused by a crushing regime siege of the area since 2013 that has caused food and medical shortages. On Sunday regime air strikes on the areas of Mesraba and Madira killed 17 civilians while artillery fire on the town of Douma killed another two civilians the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. ""The toll could rise further because of the number of wounded people in serious condition"" said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. Regime bombardment of Eastern Ghouta in the last two weeks has killed more than 100 people according to the Observatory. Rebels have also fired from the region into Damascus killing several people. Humanitarian access to Eastern Ghouta has remained limited despite the implementation of the truce zone and a United Nations official referred to the region as the ""epicenter of suffering"" in Syria. More than 340000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.",dailysabah,11/26/2017,damascus,0,,,,
1924058209,Assad regime airstrikes kill at least 9 civilians in Syrias Eastern Ghouta,"Published November 23 2017 At least nine civilians were killed Thursday in airstrikes carried out by Assad regime warplanes on residential neighborhoods controlled by moderate opposition in Syrias Eastern Ghouta district a suburb of Damascus civil defense sources told Anadolu Agency. At least four civilians were killed in the city of Arbin and one was killed in each of the cities of Harasta and Douma and the towns of Mesraba Al-Hazza and Jesreen sources from Syrian civil-defense units also known as the ""White Helmets"" told Anadolu Agency anonymously due to security concerns. The airstrikes left dozens of civilians wounded who were transported to hospitals in the area the sources added. Since the beginning of last week eastern Ghouta has been under intensive strikes by regime forces that resulted in the killing of more than 70 people and injuring of many others. The Syrian regime has been stepping up its attacks on Eastern Ghouta even though the district falls within a network of de-escalation zones - endorsed by Turkey Russia and Iran - in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited. Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating civil war that began in early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity. Since then hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the fighting and more than 10 million displaced according to the UN.",dailysabah,11/15/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1924058210,84 people including 17 children killed by Assad regime near Damascus UN says,"Published November 22 2017 The World Health Organization says Syrian health officials have reported that 84 people have been killed and another 659 injured over a four-day stretch of intensified fighting in a region near the capital Damascus. The U.N. health agency said the casualties occurred between Nov. 14 to Nov. 17 in clashes between opposition fighters and forces that support the Assad regime in the eastern Ghouta region. The area on the outskirts of Damascus has been under a regime siege for more than four years. Seventeen children and six women were among those killed. The agency also said in a statement Wednesday that more than 200 operations were conducted in eastern Ghouta despite blockages that have prevented deliveries of humanitarian aid including life-saving medicines medical equipment and surgical supplies. Elizabeth Hoff WHOs Representative in Syria said medical evacuations of critically-ill patients are ""long overdue."" Civil-defense units reportedly rushed to the scene of the attacks to treat the injured and transport them to lcoal hospitals. Regime forces have recently stepped up their attacks on Eastern Ghouta even though the district falls within a network of de-escalation zones - endorsed by Turkey Russia and Iran - in which acts of aggression are prohibited. Over the course of the past week regime forces have carried out repeated attacks on the district leaving dozens of civilian residents dead or injured. Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating civil war that began in early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity. Since then hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in the fighting and more than 10 million have been displaced according to to the U.N.",dailysabah,11/6/2017,damascus,0,,,,
1924058211,20 people killed 30 others injured in Daesh car bomb in eastern Syria,"Published November 17 2017 A Daesh car bomb killed at least 26 people and injured 30 others at a site where displaced families are located in eastern Syria near the city of Deir el-Zour Syrias SANA regime news agency reported on Friday. It said the bombing took place near the al-Jafra area which is located south of the city and is controlled by the Assad regime. The Britain-based Observatory said 12 children were among the victims of the attack on a gathering at a checkpoint run by U.S.-backed fighters where the terrorists are losing ground to two separate offensives aimed at ousting Daesh from Syria. ""Dozens of people were wounded and the death toll could rise because of the number of serious injuries"" said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman The displaced people had been on their way to neighboring Hasakeh province where camps have been set up to house them in Kurdish-controlled territory Abdel Rahman said. Daesh controls roughly one quarter of oil-rich Deir el-Zour province but is battling for survival on two fronts. One offensive against Daesh is by the Assad regime regime forces backed by Russian air power while the second is by a U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces which is dominated by the PKK terrorist groups Syrian wing the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing Peoples Protection Forces (YPG). Daesh terrorists are now cornered in part of Deir el-Zour province around the border town of Albu Kamal on the frontier with Iraq and many civilians have been trying to flee the affected areas. The terrorist group seized large areas of both Syria and Iraq in a lightning 2014 campaign.",dailysabah,11/6/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1924058212,Regime shelling kills 10 civilians including 6 children in Syrias Damascus,"Published November 17 2017 Shelling by the Assad regime on the opposition-held area of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus Friday killed at least 10 civilians among them six children a monitor said. The deaths were the result of the latest bout in an escalating cycle of tit-for-tat attacks between regime forces and the opposition fighters holding the enclave on the Syrian capitals eastern outskirts. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a total of 43 civilians have been killed in the process most of them in Eastern Ghouta which has been besieged since 2013 and where humanitarian conditions are dire. Seven people including five children were killed in regime shelling and air strikes in Douma the main town in the Eastern Ghouta area Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Elsewhere in Eastern Ghouta another child was killed in Harasta he said adding that two members of the White Helmets rescue organization were also among Fridays victims. On Tuesday the Ahrar al-Sham group which has positions in Harasta launched an attack on a regime military base in the area which is supposed to be a so-called ""de-escalation zone"" as part of a deal agreed between Russia Iran and Turkey to bring violence levels down. The fighting on that front has left at least 37 dead on the regime side according to the Observatory a toll the regime has not confirmed. Abdel Rahman said ""dozens"" of Islamist rebels were also killed. In retaliation for the latest deadly Ghouta shelling rebels fired rockets on Damascus killing three civilians Friday the same source said. Six had been killed the previous day including Syrias national karate coach Fadel Fadi who died of his wounds after being struck by shrapnel as he left his Damascus sports club the state-run Sana agency said. More than 330000 people are estimated to have been killed in the Syrian war that began in 2011 as anti-regime protests and millions have been displaced.",dailysabah,11/6/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1924058213,Regime airstrikes kill 61 civilians in Aleppos opposition-held Atareb,"Published November 13 2017 A Syrian war monitoring group on Tuesday raised the death toll from airstrikes on a market in a northern opposition-held town in Syria the previous day to 61 as rescue workers continued searching for victims buried under the rubble. According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights there were at least three airstrikes on the market in the town of Atareb. Those killed included six women five children and three police officers according to the monitoring group. The Observatorys director Rami Abdurrahman says the rest were male civilians. Atareb and the countryside around it remain outside the control of the Assad regime in Damascus. Regime forces retook the nearby city of Aleppo Syrias largest following a ferocious assault on the opposition-held neighborhoods there in 2015. The town population has swelled with the arrival of Syrians fleeing from the fighting elsewhere in the countrys north. Atarabs market drew not just the townspeople but also shoppers from the countryside and nearby villages. ""You can see the body fragments in the rubble"" said Yasser Hmeish a medical technician at the scene. ""This morning I saw civilians and rescue workers trying to lift the cement chunks to find the missing."" ""There were restaurants mobile phone shops butchers it was a market in the full sense of the word"" Hmeish added. ""Its been completely destroyed."" The airstrikes ripped through the market crushed buildings and damaged an adjacent traffic police station. Survivors found limbs in the rubble and corpses with their heads crushed by the pressure of the blasts. The Syrian Civil Defense search-and-rescue volunteers popularly known as the White Helmets told The Associated Press they gave up hope of finding more survivors after dawn on Tuesday but were continuing recovery operations. The Observatory said it couldnt determine whether Russia or the Syrian government was behind the attack. The opposition Syrian National Coalition accused Russia Bashar Assads chief military backer. The attack was the latest breach in a ""de-escalation"" agreement mediated by Russia that sought to protect the civilian population but that has largely proven unenforceable. Syrias civil war now in its seventh year has killed at least 400000 people and displaced 11 million half of Syrias pre-war population.",dailysabah,11/17/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058215,At least 17 killed in triple bombing in Syrias Damascus,"Published October 2 2017 At least 17 people were killed in a triple bombing in central Damascus the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday. A car bomb went off near a police station in the Syrian capitals al-Midan neighborhood shortly before two suicide bombers detonated their explosive belts the group added. Lt. Gen. Mohammad al-Shaar Syrias interior minister told reporters that two ""terrorists"" attacked the police station in the al-Midan neighborhood of Damascus with a number of bombs on Monday before one of them blew himself up. He said the other bomber made it inside the compound where police killed him causing his bomb to explode. The blasts damaged the lower floors of the building and shattered the windows along one side. Blood stained the floors. The interior ministry also reported the attack saying two suicide bombers had blown themselves up killing civilians and police officers but giving no precise toll. Pro-Assad regime state media said earlier that a ""terrorist explosion"" struck the al-Midan neighborhood in Damascus. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.",dailysabah,10/14/2017,damascus,0,,,,
1924058217,Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists execute 40 gunmen their families for attempt to surrender arms,"August 12 2016 Terrorists executed militants and members of their families who tried to lay down arms and leave the city via humanitarian corridors to areas controlled by government troops. Groups constituting Jabhat al-Nusra and Islamic State terrorist organizations (both outlawed in Russia) continue attempts to break down regime of cessation of hostilities in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo and Damascus the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria said in its regular daily news bulletin posted on the Russian defense ministrys website on Friday. Thus according to the bulletin Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists executed 40 gunmen and members of their families for an attempt to surrender arms. ""In Aleppos Qaryat al-Ansari neighborhood Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists executed militants and members of their families who tried to lay down arms and leave the city via humanitarian corridors to areas controlled by government troops. In all 40 people were killed"" the center said.",tass,8/15/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058218,More than 100 civilians killed 700 injured in Aleppo shelling in August,"August 13 2016 More than 100 civilians have been killed and 700 got injured in August shelling of Syrias Aleppo local authorities told reporters on Saturday stressing more than half of the dead are women and children. Hundreds of badly injured civilians are at hospitals throughout the city. They all are in desperate need for qualified medical assistance. Biggest destruction is in Aleppos southern Hamdaniya. Militants seized an artillery school there and began shelling houses in southern Aleppo. On August 10 a gas tank filled with striking elements hit a passenger bus several shells were laid on the local market killing 14 and leaving injured about 50. Pathologist at the Aleppo University Hashim told reporters in August the militants have been using the tactics of ""scorched earth"" as they used against civilians the most heavy weapons they had. ""I saw pits of five meters deep which were left from the explosions. Those shells can destroy a house. My house was also hit"" he said. People of all ages are facing terrifying tragedy in the city. ""I am 17 I have graduated from the 11th grade. I was sleeping at home then woke up all in blood and could not realize what was happening - I was taken to hospital underwent surgery - this is all I can remember. Later on I learned the terrorists had thrown a shell my father also was injured my brothers too"" a local resident Malik Kasab said. Another local resident Nadzhua Katvi said terrorists were hit the city with artillery shells gas tanks and self-made missiles. ""A shell has hit this shop. The owner lost legs. Fragments hit my house balcony I could barely manage hide my children"" she said.",tass,8/10/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1924058219,Syrian forces destroy over 60 terrorists on approached to Palmyra media,"August 13 2016 2037 UTC+3 A representative of the Syrian Armed Forces told SANA that government forces clashed with terrorists from the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization (banned in Russia) in 15 kilometers to the east of the city. ""The attack of terrorists was repelled. The military and self-defense forces destroyed over 60 terrorists. Several SUVs with machine guns were put out of action"" the military representative said. Among killed militants is IS military emissary Abu Turab who commanded formations in central Syria. The Syrian forces freed Palmyra from IS gangs on March 27 with support of Russian Aerospace Defense Forces. Russian sappers helped Syrian authorities to demine historical monuments of the ancient city which used to be called ""a pearl of the Syrian desert.""",tass,8/7/2016,homs,1,,,,
1924058225,Chemical attack claimes over 1000 lives in Syria,August 22 2013 1849 UTC+3 A total of 1500 people have fallen victims of the chemical attack in Syria member of the Kurdish National Council Mustafa Sino said. Mostly Kurds live in the eastern suburbs of Damascus where the incident occurred Sino told journalists on Thursday. In order to estimate the number of victims a special international commission is indispensable to reveal all circumstances of the tragedy the Kurdish official said. There is no alternative to the peace process. Kurds always call for resolving the conflict by political means and for convening the Geneva conference as soon as possible Sino said.,tass,8/15/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1924058228,US-led coalition airstrikes kill 14 civilians in northern Syria,April 30 2017 At least 14 civilians were killed by airstrikes carried out by the US-led international coalition in the outskirts of Raqqa in northern Syria Al Mayadeen TV channel reported on Sunday. The alliances Air Force delivered a series of strikes on Raqqa and Tabqa resulting in casualties among the civilians the report said. The two cities are currently controlled by terrorists of the Islamic State group (outlawed in Russia). The offensive against positions of extremists is carried out by the Arab-Kurdish armed coalition Syrian Democratic Forces supported by the coalitions Air Force led by the United States,tass,4/16/2017,raqqa,0,,,,
1926478910,8 persons killed 58 others injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo city,8 persons killed 58 others injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo city 6 October 2016 Aleppo SANA-Terrorist organizations fired tens of shells on the residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city claiming the lives of 8 persons and injuring more than 58 others. A source at Aleppo Police Command said that terrorist organizations located in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city targeted al-Jamilia neighborhood in Aleppo city with 4 rocket shells killing 8 persons injuring more than 55 persons most of them are children and women and causing material damage to private and public properties. The source pointed out that 3 other persons were injured when terrorists fired a rocket shell on al-Kallasa Street in al-Sulimaniah neighborhood in the city. Manar/Mazen,sana,10/6/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478911,Ten civilians some of them children killed in airstrike by US-led coalition in Raqqa,Ten civilians some of them children killed in airstrike by US-led coalition in Raqqa 21 November 2016 SANA Aircrafts of the US-led international coalition committed a new massacre against Syrians claiming the lives of more than ten persons in an airstrike on al-Salehia village in the northern countryside of Raqqa province. Local and media sources said that coalition aircrafts targeted a modest cotton-spinning plant in al-Salehia village claiming the lives of three workers an entire family of six displaced people who were residing the village some of whom were children in addition to one local man. The sources added that a number of locals were injured and significant material damage was caused to the locals properties and houses due to the airstrike. Manar al-Freih / Hazem Sabbagh,sana,11/21/2016,raqqa,1,,,,
1926478913,135 Civilians Killed in Escalating Bombardment on Idlib in Last Three Days,Wednesday 07 December 2016 135 Civilians Killed in Escalating Bombardment on Idlib in Last Three Days Activists in Idlib province said that at least 135 civilians have been killed and hundreds more injured in airstrikes and barrel bomb attacks by the Assad regime and Russian forces on the province over the past three days. The bombardment targeted mainly public markets and residential buildings in a grave escalation in parallel with the ongoing brutal onslaught on Aleppo and its countryside. Member of the Syrian Coalitions political committee Adnan Rahmoun condemned the escalating war crimes being committed by the Russian and Assad regime forces in Idlib and Aleppo. He lamented the lack of any response by the international community which is standing idly by as the Assad regime and Russia are committing these crimes using internationally banned weapons including vacuum bombs cluster bombs and white phosphorous. Rahmoun called upon the UN Security Council and the international community to put an end to the war crimes being committed by the Assad regime and its allies and to assume their responsibilities to protect civilians. He stressed that those who keep silent over war crime are partners to their perpetrators. Idlib administration on Monday announced it was suspending its work as a result of intensive aerial bombardment by the Russian and Assad regime air forces with the exception of civil defense and medical services. Idlib University and the Department of Education in Idlib also announced they were closing down until the weekend for fear of aerial bombardment. Activists in rural Idlib said that three regime airstrikes hit a public market in the town of Sarmin on Tuesday killing 10 people including four children and two women. Russian jets launched multiple airstrikes on the main high street in the town of Maaret Alnouman killing eight people and wounding dozens more. Two more civilians were killed in regime airstrikes on the town of Maarrat Masrin. In total over 40 civilians were killed in the aerial bombardment that hit at least 11 towns and villages across Idlib on Tuesday. On Monday Russia and China vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for the imposition of a 7-day cease-fire in Aleppo so that humanitarian aid could reach the citys besieged eastern neighborhoods. The draft resolution was proposed by New Zealand Spain and Egypt. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Office) Twitter,etilaf,12/7/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1926478914,Abdah: Assads Bombing of Aleppo Encouraged by International Communitys Bias,Saturday 23 April 2016 Abdah: Assads Bombing of Aleppo Encouraged by International Communitys Bias President of the Syrian Coalition Anas al-Abdah said that the international communitys soft stance in dealing with Assad who continues to commit massacres against civilians in Syria is seen by him as a license to carry on with his crimes against the Syrian people. Abdah also said that this complete inaction towards Assads atrocities represents a bias in favor of a serial killer and a war criminal. At least 13 civilians mostly women and children were killed and over 30 others were wounded on Saturday when regime forces bombed a popular market in the District of Douma in Rural Damascus with heavy artillery. The Assad regimes air force continues to relentlessly hit residential areas in the Aleppo neighborhoods of Tariq al-Bab Bustan al-Qasr Salahaddin al-Mashhad al-Amiriyah Baidin al-Jandoul and Bani Zeid. No figure of the casualties resulted has been released by civil defense teams as they are still recovering victims from under the rubble. Activists said that at least 20 civilians including children were killed and many more wounded in intensifying aerial bombing of Aleppo on Friday by regime and Russian forces. Three more civilians were killed and around 15 others were injured on Friday evening in a barrel bomb attack by the Assad regime. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,4/23/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1926478915,18 Civilians Killed in Barrel Bomb Attack on Rural Aleppo,Wednesday 22 July 2015 18 Civilians Killed in Barrel Bomb Attack on Rural Aleppo The Assad regime committed a horrific massacre in the village of al-Bureij northeast of Aleppo where 18 civilians were killed and dozens wounded in a barrel bomb attack that targeted the town. Twenty-six civilians were also killed yesterday when Assads air force pounded the neighborhood of Al-Maghayer in Aleppo killing 26 civilians mostly children and women. The Syrian Coalition extends condolences to families of the victims and wishes the wounded speedy recovery praising the steadfastness of the people of Aleppo and stressing its solidarity with them. Despite all the odds the Syrian people will not hesitate to uphold the rights to freedom justice and dignity. The Syrians belief their goals will grow even stronger inspired by the determination of those who sacrificed their lives to continue the revolution until victory is achieved. The Syrian Coalition emphasizes that the Assad regimes continued atrocities lay responsibility on the international community to protect Syrian civilians through the imposition of a safe areas to rein in Assads air force. All kinds of legal recognition of the Assad regime must be withdrawn as it would not have committed all these atrocities had it not been for its confidence of the inaction of the international community. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,7/22/2015,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478916,10 civilians killed 15 injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo and Deir Ezzor,10 civilians killed 15 injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo and Deir Ezzor 6 September 2016 SANA reporter in Aleppo said that 6 civilians including a woman and two children were killed and 12 other civilians were injured by rocket shells fired by terrorist groups on al-Athamiyeh neighborhood in Aleppo city on Tuesday. Meanwhile four civilians were killed when ISIS targeted residential neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor with rocket shells. SANA reporter in Deir Ezzor said that 20 rocket shells fired by ISIS terrorists positioned in Hweijet Saqer al-Rashdiyeh and al-Hweiqa targeted locals houses in al-Qusor and Hrabesh neighborhoods in the city. The terrorist attack killed four civilians and wounded three others causing material damage to locals houses and properties and infrastructure. Qabas / Hazem Sabbagh/Mazen,sana,9/6/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478917,ISIS executes three people in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor,ISIS executes three people in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor 8 November 2016 SANA Members of ISIS terrorist organization executed three persons including two women in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces. Local sources told SANAs reporter that the so-called al-Hisbah which is one of ISIS bodies had detained on Monday a woman from an internet cafe in Raqqa city and executed her while a man and his wife were also executed in al- Mayadin city in Deir Ezzor. Manar al-Freih / Hazem Sabbagh,sana,11/8/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1926478924,16 Civilians Dead in Coalition Strikes near Raqqa,May 24 2017 16 Civilians Dead in Coalition Strikes near Raqqa At least 16 civilians were killed in bombing raids by the US-led coalition near the ISIL groups Syrian bastion Raqqa a monitor said on Wednesday. The UK-based opposing Syrian Observatory said five young siblings were among the dead in the strikes on the village of Al-Baruda about 15 kilometers (10 miles) west of Raqqa city.,manar,5/24/2017,raqqa,0,,,,
1926478925,2 killed 8 injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo,4 September 2016 2 killed 8 injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo Two people were killed and eight others were injured when terrorists from Jaish al-Fateh fired rocket shells on residential areas in Aleppo city. A source at the Aleppo Police Command said that terrorists fired rocket shells on Salah-Eddin al-Zahraa and al-Akramiya neighborhoods in the city on Saturday evening killing two people injuring eight and causing material damage to public and private properties. Hazem Sabbagh,sana,9/4/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478926,35 cases of suffocation in terrorist chemical attack on al-Hamadaniyeh area in Aleppo city,30 October 2016 35 cases of suffocation in terrorist chemical attack on al-Hamadaniyeh area in Aleppo city,sana,10/30/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478927,51 martyrs from Kefraya and al-Fouaa escorted from Military Hospital in Aleppo,25 April 2017 51 martyrs from Kefraya and al-Fouaa escorted from Military Hospital in Aleppo,sana,4/25/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1926478929,Civilian killed 3 injured in terrorist attacks on Aleppo,14 August 2016 Civilian killed 3 injured in terrorist attacks on Aleppo SANA One civilian was killed and three others were injured due to terrorist attacks with rocket shells and explosive rounds on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorists fired rocket shells and explosive rounds at al-Zahraa and Nile Street neighborhoods in Aleppo city killing one person injuring three others and damaging public and private properties. Hazem Sabbagh,sana,8/14/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926478934,At least 6 civilians suffer suffocation cases in ISIS terrorist attack with toxic gas on Mare city Aleppo,17 August 2016 At least 6 civilians suffer suffocation cases in ISIS terrorist attack with toxic gas on Mare city Aleppo A number of people suffered suffocation cases due to a terrorist attack by ISIS terrorists with shells containing toxic gas on Mare city to the north of Aleppo city in the northern province of Aleppo. Local sources in the city said in a phone call with SANA that ISIS terrorists fired on Tuesday afternoon rocket shells containing gas that caused suffocation and dyspnea cases for at least 6 civilians. The sources said that the cases were treated at a health center in the city. ISIS terrorist organization had previously targeted the residential neighborhoods of Mare city with tens of shells that contain toxic gases which caused many suffocation cases among citizens. Manar al-Frieh/Manal,sana,8/17/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926478939,Terrorist rocket attack targets Aleppo city killing one civilian,7 December 2014 Terrorist rocket attack targets Aleppo city killing one civilian. A civilian was killed while many others were injured in a terrorist attack with a rocket shell that targeted Aleppo city on Saturday. According to a source in the province the terrorists fired a rocket shell which fell near the Public Park in al-Aziziyeh neighborhood killing one civilian and injuring many others. The source told SANA reporter that the attack caused material damage to a number of nearby houses. A day ago a 5-year-old child was killed and six other civilians including three children (5-8 years) were injured as a result of terrorist mortar attack which hit Jaramana city in Damascus Countryside. Rasha Raslan/ Haifa Said,sana,12/7/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478941,Syrian Army Kills 11 ISIL Terrorists Destroy Their Posits in Deir Ezzor,May 30 2017 Syrian Army Kills 11 ISIL Terrorists Destroy Their Posits in Deir Ezzor. Syrian army killed 11 terrorists in an attack on their positions in Deir Ezzor SANA news agency reported on Tuesday. SANA said Syrian army units launched an intensive strike on the terrorist groups movement axes while attacking military posts in the vicinity of the gas plant west of the regiment 137 at the southern axis of Deir Ezzor. The agency quoted its reported as saying that the army units backed by air force engaged last night in fierce clashes with terrorist groups of the Takfiri organization in the cemetery area the surrounding of panorama and the regiment 137. Clashes followed by artillery fire at the terrorists supply routes and their centers in al-Reshidiya al-Hamidiya and Sheikh Yassin according to SANA reporter who said that the clashes ended up with killing and injuring a number of terrorists and destroying their fortified positions and weapons.,manar,5/30/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1926478942,8 persons killed 58 others injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo city,6 October 2016 8 persons killed 58 others injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo city. Terrorist organizations fired tens of shells on the residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city claiming the lives of 8 persons and injuring more than 58 others. A source at Aleppo Police Command said that terrorist organizations located in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city targeted al-Jamilia neighborhood in Aleppo city with 4 rocket shells killing 8 persons injuring more than 55 persons most of them are children and women and causing material damage to private and public properties. The source pointed out that 3 other persons were injured when terrorists fired a rocket shell on al-Kallasa Street in al-Sulimaniah neighborhood in the city. Manar/Mazen,sana,10/6/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478952,Four killed including two women in terrorist attacks in Aleppo and Quneitra,18 October 2016 Four killed including two women in terrorist attacks in Aleppo and Quneitra. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA that a woman was killed and three other civilians got injured by terrorists rocket shells on the neighborhoods of al-Hamadaniyeh and al-Midan in Aleppo city. Later two more people were reported killed and 22 others were injured in a similar terrorist rocket attack that hit al-Jamiliyeh neighborhood in the city. Quneitra Another woman was killed in a sniper fire of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists who targeted civilians with sniper shots and mortar shells in Quneitra province. A source at Quneitra Police Command told SANA that the woman succumbed to her wounds after she was injured by a terrorists sniper shot in Hadar town. Terrorists also targeted the town with mortar shells leaving material damage to the houses they landed in. R. Milhem / Ghossoun/H. Said,sana,10/18/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926478955,Terrorist attacks kill a woman injure 9 in Hasaka and Aleppo,23 October 2016 Terrorist attacks kill a woman injure 9 in Hasaka and Aleppo. A woman was killed and six other people got injured when a landmine of those left behind by ISIS terrorists exploded in Jarez village in the northern countryside of Aleppo province. Local sources told SANA that the landmine which exploded in Jarez village in the countryside of Azaz city claimed the life of a woman and injured six members of one family. Hasaka In a relevant context three people were injured in a booby-trapped motorcycle detonated by terrorists in al-Mshairfeh neighborhood in Hasaka city. A source at Hasaka Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorists on Sunday morning remotely detonated a motorcycle that was parked in al-Mshairfeh residential neighborhood in Hasaka city injuring three citizens including a woman and causing a material damage to the place. On October 13th 30 people were killed and 90 others were injured after a suicide terrorist blew himself up with an explosive belt inside al-Sanabel hall for weddings near Safyiah village on Hasaka-Qamishli highway. R.J/ Ghossoun/R. Milhem/H. Said,sana,10/23/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926478956,US-led coalition airstrikes kill at least ten civilians in Raqqa,24 November 2016 US-led coalition airstrikes kill at least ten civilians in Raqqa Ten Syrian civilians were killed Wednesday in airstrikes launched by the aircrafts of the US-led coalition on tents for displaced people who fled away from ISIS terrorist acts to the north of Raqqa city. Local and media sources said aircrafts of the international US-led coalition bombed Wednesday evening tents for displaced people who escaped from Hazimah town in Maisaloun farm to the north of Raqqa city claiming the lives of more than 10 civilians. Other people were injured in the air attack which caused massive destruction in the area according to the sources. M. al-Frieh/H. Said,sana,11/24/2016,raqqa,0,,,,
1926478959,Three people killed five injured in terrorist rocket attack in Aleppo,31 October 2016 Three people killed five injured in terrorist rocket attack in Aleppo. Three people were killed in a terrorist attack with rocket shells on the citizens houses in Aleppo City. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorists positioned in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo and in some areas on the western outskirts of the city fired rocket shells on the neighborhoods of al-Hamadanyia and Halab al-Jadida killing three people including a woman and injuring five others. The source added that the attack also caused a huge material damage to the houses infrastructures and the citizens properties. On Sunday more than 35 people suffered suffocation after the terrorist organizations targeted al-Hamadanyia neighborhood and al-Assad residential suburb with shells that contained toxic gases.,sana,10/31/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478960,Nine persons killed 12 injured in terrorist attack in Aleppo city,15 August 2016 Nine persons killed 12 injured in terrorist attack in Aleppo city. Six civilians were killed among them 4 children and a woman while eight persons were injured in terrorist attacks with rocket shells on al-Hizam al-Akhdar ( Green belt) area in New Aleppo SANA reporter said on Monday. earlier three persons were killed a woman among them and four others got injured due to a terrorist attack with rocket shells and explosive rounds on residential neighborhoods of Aleppo city. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorist groups fired rocket shells and explosive rounds on the neighborhoods of al-Hamadanyiah al-Sheikh Taha al-Sulaimaniah and Aleppo al-Jadida killing three persons among them a woman and injuring four others among them two girls. The source added that the attack also caused material damage to citizens houses and properties. Manar al-Frieh/Manal,sana,8/15/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478963,title: ISIL Kills over 50 in Central Syria Attack,May 18 2017 ISIL Kills over 50 in Central Syria Attack. ISIL terrorist group killed more than 50 people in an attack on two villages in central Syrias Hama province on Thursday a monitor said. The Britain-based opposing Syrian Observatory said the attack on two villages killed 15 civilians and 27 popular fighters with another 10 bodies yet to be identified as fighters or local residents. ISIL also lost 15 militants in the attack the monitor said.,manar,5/18/2017,hama,1,,,,
1926478964,Two children killed 5 others injured in terrorist rocket attack in Aleppo,13 October 2016 Two children killed 5 others injured in terrorist rocket attack in Aleppo. Two children were killed and 5 others were injured as the terrorist organizations fired a rocket shell on al-Sulaimaniyeh area in Aleppo city. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA Thursday that a rocket shell fired by the terrorist organizations on Hatim al-Taie school in al-Telifoun al-Hawaei neighborhood in al- Sulaymaniyah area in Aleppo city claimed the lives of two children and injured five others two of them critically. H. Zain/ Ghossoun,sana,10/13/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926478966,Ten civilians some of them children killed in airstrike by US-led coalition in Raqqa,21 November 2016 Ten civilians some of them children killed in airstrike by US-led coalition in Raqqa. Aircrafts of the US-led international coalition committed a new massacre against Syrians claiming the lives of more than ten persons in an airstrike on al-Salehia village in the northern countryside of Raqqa province. Local and media sources said that coalition aircrafts targeted a modest cotton-spinning plant in al-Salehia village claiming the lives of three workers an entire family of six displaced people who were residing the village some of whom were children in addition to one local man. The sources added that a number of locals were injured and significant material damage was caused to the locals properties and houses due to the airstrike. Manar al-Freih / Hazem Sabbagh,sana,11/21/2016,raqqa,0,,,,
1926478968,Three civilians killed 12 others injured in terrorist attacks in Aleppo,12 November 2016 Three civilians killed 12 others injured in terrorist attacks in Aleppo. Three civilians were killed and 12 others were injured on Saturday in terrorist attacks with shells and explosive bullets on Aleppo residential neighborhoods . A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorists targeted al-Sulaymaniyah neighborhood with rocket shells killing three persons and injuring 9 others some critically The source added that the attack also caused material damage to the citizens houses and their properties. Later the source said that three persons were injured by explosive shots fired by terrorists on the neighborhoods of al-Furqan and al-Azamiyah . R.J/ Ghossoun,sana,11/12/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926478970,Family of six die in east Aleppo chlorine gas attack,Tuesday 22 November 2016 A photo apparently showing a family of six killed in a suspected chlorine gas attack in rebel-held eastern Aleppo has gone viral on social media. If genuine it would not be the first picture from Aleppo showing civilians including women and children being killed in the heavy bombardments carried out by Russian and Syrian airstrikes. On Sunday it is claimed a helicopter struck the Al Sakhour neighborhood with chlorine gas killing the four siblings and their father. Media activists from Aleppo told Al Arabiya English that the mother died shortly after from shock.,arabiya,11/22/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926478971,Syrian Coalition: FSA is the Only Force Able to Stand against Assad and ISIS,Thursday 31 July 2014 10:59 Syrian Coalition: FSA is the Only Force Able to Stand against Assad and ISIS. The Syrian Coalition condemns the massacre committed by ISIS militants against elements of the FSA in the town of Al Bab northeast of Aleppo and in Joban Bai near the Syrian-Turkish borders. Activists said that around 41 FSA rebels were rounded up and executed by the extremist group in the first day of Eid al-Fitr. We call on the international community to support the FSA as it is the only disciplined and organized revolutionary force that it is committed to achieving the goals of the revolution and defending the Syrian people against the massacres of Assad and ISIS. This is also the only viable option to prevent the expansion of ISIS which is seeking to enforce its own agenda in Syria and the region. We pledge to do everything possible to prosecute all leaders and officials of the Assad regime and ISIS and bring them to fair trials. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,7/31/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478973,Russian forces kill 120 ISIS fighters over 60 foreign mercenaries in Syria,Saturday 7 October 2017 Russian forces kill 120 ISIS fighters over 60 foreign mercenaries in Syria. Some 120 ISIS fighters and 60 foreign mercenaries were killed in a series of Russian air strikes in Syria over the past 24 hours the defense ministry in Moscow said. A command post of the terrorists and up to 80 fighters including nine natives of the Northern Caucasus were destroyed in the area of Mayadeen the ministry said adding some 40 ISIS fighters were killed around the town of Abu Kamal. Last Update: Saturday 7 October 2017 KSA 16:06 - GMT 13:06 3885,arabiya,10/7/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478976,One person killed 16 others injured in terrorists rocket attacks in Aleppo,28 September 2016 One person killed 16 others injured in terrorists rocket attacks in Aleppo. SANA-One civilian was killed while 16 others were injured in terrorist rocket attacks on many neighborhoods in Aleppo city. A source at Aleppo Police Command said that one person was killed and 16 others were injured in terrorists rocket shells hitting al- Aziziyeh and al-Sayyed Ali Moghambo and Zaharaa neighborhoods in Aleppo city on Wednesday. The source added that the terrorist organizations fired rocket shells on many neighborhoods claiming the life of a person and injuring 16 others in addition to causing material damage to the citizens houses and to public and private properties. H. Zain H. Said,sana,9/28/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478977,35 Civilians Killed in Regime Air Raids on Rural Aleppo,Friday 21 November 2014 10:13 35 Civilians Killed in Regime Air Raids on Rural Aleppo The Syrian National said that the Assad regime still exploits the international anti-ISIS campaign to commit more massacres against the Syrian people citing the death of 35 civilians including women and children in barrel bomb attacks launched by Assads air force on the towns of Al Bab and Kafr Hamra in rural Aleppo. Regime forces also conducted air raids on the town of Zamalka in rural Damascus killing seven people and injuring dozens more. The Syrian Coalition stresses that these criminal acts requires taking concrete measures by the international community to protect the unarmed civilians and also raises the need to speed up the arming of the Free Syrian Army and the establishment of safe havens along Syrias northern and southern borders. (Source: Syrian Coalition),etilaf,11/21/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478981,Three killed including 2 women 29 injured in terrorist rocket attacks in Aleppo city,16 October 2016 Three killed including 2 women 29 injured in terrorist rocket attacks in Aleppo city. Fresh terrorist rocket attacks on residential areas in Aleppo city on Sunday killed 3 people including two women and left 29 other people injured. SANA reporter quoted a source at Aleppo Police Command as saying that two women were killed and 16 other people were injured as the terrorist organizations fired rocket shells on al-Sayyed Ali neighborhood in the city. More rocket shells later hit al-Hamidiyeh neighborhood leaving one person dead and 13 others injured. The source noted that the terrorist attacks caused material damage to the locals houses and properties. English Bulletin,sana,10/16/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478982,Dozens of Casualties in Syrias Aleppo Bomb Blast,April 19 2017 Dozens of Casualties in Syrias Aleppo Bomb Blast. Casualties as Syria terrorists shell Aleppo city (archive) A bomb exploded in Aleppos Salaheddin district on Wednesday killing six and wounding 32 people Syrian state television reported. The blast hit the southwestern neighborhood of Salaheddin which was once on the front line between terrorists and army forces before the army retook full control of the city in December. State television did not specify whether the explosion was the result of an attack or unexploded ordnance left over from the four and a half years of fighting that preceded the militants pullout.,manar,4/19/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1926478984,10 civilians killed 15 injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo and Deir Ezzor.,6 September 2016 10 civilians killed 15 injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo and Deir Ezzor. SANA reporter in Aleppo said that 6 civilians including a woman and two children were killed and 12 other civilians were injured by rocket shells fired by terrorist groups on al-Athamiyeh neighborhood in Aleppo city on Tuesday. Meanwhile four civilians were killed when ISIS targeted residential neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor with rocket shells. SANA reporter in Deir Ezzor said that 20 rocket shells fired by ISIS terrorists positioned in Hweijet Saqer al-Rashdiyeh and al-Hweiqa targeted locals houses in al-Qusor and Hrabesh neighborhoods in the city. The terrorist attack killed four civilians and wounded three others causing material damage to locals houses and properties and infrastructure. Qabas / Hazem Sabbagh/Mazen,sana,9/6/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926478986,Girl child killed two others injured in terrorist rocket attack on neighborhood in Aleppo city,27 November 2016 Girl child killed two others injured in terrorist rocket attack on neighborhood in Aleppo city. A girl child was killed and two others were injured on Sunday by rocket shells fired by terrorists on al-Furqan neighborhood in Aleppo city. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANAs correspondent that terrorists fired rocket shells at al-Furqan residential neighborhood in Aleppo on Sunday evening claiming the life of a girl child and injuring two people one of them a woman in addition to causing material damage to public and private properties. Hazem Sabbagh,sana,11/27/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926478992,A child killed 7 people injured in terrorist attacks in Aleppo Damascus Countryside and Quneitra,20 October 2016 A child killed 7 people injured in terrorist attacks in Aleppo Damascus Countryside and Quneitra. A girl child was killed and a woman was injured in a terrorist rocket attack on al-Hamadaniyeh neighborhood in Aleppo city on Thursday according to a source at Aleppo Police Command. The source added that the attack also caused material damage to citizens properties. Damascus Countryside Earlier on the day four people were injured in mortar shells fired by terrorists of the so-called Jaish al-Fateh on the surroundings of Damascus Central Prison in Adra area. A source at Damascus Countryside Police Command told SANA that three mortar shells fired by terrorists positioned in Eastern Ghouta fell on the surroundings of Damascus Central Prison causing the injury of three of the prisoners visitors in addition to a member of the Internal Security Forces. The neighborhoods of Damascus and the towns and villages in Damascus Countryside are usually attacked with shells fired by terrorists of the so-called Jaish al-Islam in an attempt to undermine the stances of the locals in support of the Syrian Arab Army in its war against Takfiri terrorism. Quneitra Jabhat al-Nusra-linked terrorist groups targeted with 8 rocket shells the village of Hadar in Quneitra countryside injuring a woman and a young man and causing material damage to the citizens houses and properties a source at Quneitra Police Command told SANA. SANA reporter said that two shells landed on the Martyr Ayham Hamad School for Basic Education causing only material damage to the schools classrooms. H. Zain/ R.J/ Ghossoun/H. Said,sana,10/20/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479003,Alabdah: Deir Ezzor Subjected to Twofold Suffering Because of Assad Regime & ISIS,Saturday 17 September 2016 21:09 Alabdah: Deir Ezzor Subjected to Twofold Suffering Because of Assad Regime & ISIS. President of the Syrian Coalition Anas Alabdah called upon the United Nations to take urgent action to protect civilians in Deir Ezzor who have been suffering injustices by the Assad regime and ISIS. Alabdah met earlier on Saturday with representatives of the Deir Ezzor Consultative Forum. Both sides discussed preparations for the forum due to be held in the Turkish city of Gaziantep on September 25 as well as its objectives and commitments to achieving the goals of the Syrian revolution. Alabdah explained that the Syrian Coalition will prioritize the alleviation of the suffering of civilians in all Syrian provinces including residents of Deir Ezzor in its upcoming meetings most notably its General Assembly meeting to be held on Monday. Deir Ezzor city was the scene of bloody attacks during Eid al-Adha with Russia and the Assad regime bombing ISIS-held parts of the city and its countryside while ISIS bombed regime-held parts. ISIS published a grisly video showing the savage execution of 17 young men from the town of Altibni on the first day of Eid. Organizers of the forum said that it is aimed at utilizing the talents in Deir Ezzor serving the interests of its people and putting an end to the chaos plaguing the province especially after it almost completely fell to ISIS. The forum also seeks to serve as an umbrella bringing together representatives from across the civil and revolutionary spectrum in Deir Ezzor as a first and essential step towards stabilizing and rebuilding the province. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,9/17/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1926479005,Deadly Russian Airstrikes Kill 35 & Destroy Hospital in Idlib,Tuesday 31 May 2016 18:14 Deadly Russian Airstrikes Kill 35 & Destroy Hospital in Idlib. The Syrian Coalition condemned the deadly overnight airstrikes by Russian forces on Idlib city describing the attacks as a heinous massacre and a war crime. A total of 20 rockets fired by Russian jets hit the National Hospital of Idlib residential buildings surrounding Aljalaa Park Alkastanaa roundabout area Alrawda mosque and other areas in the city late on Monday. At least 35 civilians were killed and dozens more injured in the airstrikes. Medical sources in the city said that the bombed hospital went out of service. Regime and Russian forces have lately intensified aerial bombardment on Idlib province. Two children were killed and dozens more were injured in airstrikes on Tuesday morning in the towns of Kafar Takharim Kafranbil Khan Alsibil and Saraqeb in rural Idlib. Civil defense teams said that the death toll resulting from the airstrikes in Idlib is likely to increase as many victims are still trapped under the rubble of their homes. The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the massacre committed by Russian aircrafts yesterday calling on the international community to assume its duty to protect civilians in Syria. On May 14 the UN Security Council expressed its outrage at attacks in Syria targeting civilians and medical facilities stressing that these attacks may amount to war crimes. Members of the Security Council reiterated their call on all parties to immediately implement in full the provisions of Security Council resolutions relating to health care in armed conflict. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Agencies),etilaf,5/31/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1926479006,Zarif Urges Intl. Fact-Finding Mission to Probe Syria Gas Attack.,April 10 2017 Zarif Urges Intl. Fact-Finding Mission to Probe Syria Gas Attack. Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Iran - Live News - Middle East - News - Top Tweet Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has reiterated the Islamic Republics stance on the need for the establishment of an international fact-finding committee to investigate the recent chemical attack in Syria. Zarif made the call during phone conversations on Monday with the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini as well as his Russian Omani Syrian and Algerian counterparts Sergei Lavrov Yusuf bin Alawi Walid al-Muallem and Mourad Medelci respectively. The senior officials exchanged views about the terrible suspected chemical attack in the Syrian town of Khan Shaikhoun in Idlib Province which killed at least 86 people. Anti-Damascus militants and Western countries rushed to blame the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad for the incident without providing any evidence to support their accusations. Syria has categorically denied carrying out the gas attack with the foreign minister stressing that an Idlib airstrike had targeted a depot where terrorists stored chemical weapons.,manar,4/10/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1926479008,13 civilians killed 43 others injured due to terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo Damascus,30 September 2016 13 civilians killed 43 others injured due to terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo Damascus. Thirteen civilians were killed on Friday due to terrorist rocket attacks that targeted the neighborhoods of Sulaiman al-Halabi al-Midan al-Sulimaniah and al-Furqan in Aleppo city. A source at Aleppo Governorate said that 9 persons were killed and 28 others were injured including children and women when terrorists targeted al-Sulimaniah and al-Furqan neighborhoods as worshipers were leaving mosques after Friday prayers. The source added that the attacks caused significant material damage to a number of cars and houses in the two targeted neighborhoods. Earlier a source at Aleppo Police Command said that terrorist organizations positioned in some eastern neighborhoods fired rocket shells on Sulaiman al-Halabi and al-Midan neighborhoods killing 4 civilians injuring 10 others 4 of them in a critical condition and causing material damage to public and private properties. Three injured in terrorist rocket attack on Bab Touma neighborhood in Damascus Three people were injured when terrorists from Jaish al-Islam fired a rocket shell on Bab Touma neighborhood in Damascus. A source at the Damascus Police Command told SANA that terrorists located in the Eastern Ghouta in Damascus Countryside fired a rocket shell at Bab Touma with the shell falling in the main square of the neighborhood injuring three people and causing material damage to properties. Manar al-Frieh/Manal / Hazem Sabbagh,sana,9/30/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479014,Assad Regime & Allies Intensify Attacks on Damascus & Its Countryside,Friday 21 April 2017 18:32 Assad Regime & Allies Intensify Attacks on Damascus & Its Countryside. Bombardment by regime forces and the Iranian-backed foreign militias on rebel-held areas in Damascus and its suburbs continues unabated. The bombing from the air by warplanes rockets and heavy artillery has been ongoing for over a month now and is part of an attempt to take over the liberated areas. Activists in Damascus said that dozens of airstrikes have been targeting the districts of Qaboun Tishreen and Barzah in eastern Damascus on a daily basis for the 40th consecutive day. The Assad regime and Russian jets on Friday raided towns and villages in eastern Ghouta hitting residential neighborhoods and civilian facilities. The area also came under intense bombardment by heavy artillery and rockets. The Unified Medical Office in Eastern Ghouta said that two people were killed in what they believed were Assad regime airstrikes on the town of Douma. The airstrikes also left dozens of people injured including women and children and caused damage to residential buildings. Activists in eastern Ghouta said that the Assad regime and Russian jets bombed the towns of Housh Salhiya Nishabiya and Otaya in Almarj area causing civilian casualties. Regime forces also shelled the towns of Arbin Kafarbatna Jisreen Otoya and Housh Salhiya with heavy artillery. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Department),etilaf,4/21/2017,damascus,0,,,,
1926479015,Silence over Russias Crimes Serves Its Goal of Undermining Political Solution,Monday 11 January 2016 18:41 Silence over Russias Crimes Serves Its Goal of Undermining Political Solution. The Syrian Coalition strongly condemned the heinous massacre carried out by Russian warplanes in which 35 civilians mostly schoolchildren and teachers were killed and many more wounded. Three schools were targeted by Russian aircrafts earlier this morning in the town of Ain Jara in rural Aleppo. The Syrian Coalition stressed that the international community must act quickly against Russias flagrant crimes against the Syrian people including children women and the elderly. Russias actions in Syria while representing a continuation of Assads terror since the start of Syrian revolution are designed to break the will of the Syrian people and undermine the political solution. The Syrian Coalition reiterated that this crime and other crimes by the Assad regime and its allies represent a clear violation of UN Security Council resolution 2254 which calls for immediate cessation of all attacks against civilians. The silence of the international community over the crimes of the Assad regime and its allies against Syrian civilians as well as its complete disregard for their blood is a shameful stain on humanity. The failure to explicitly and clearly condemn the Russian aggression and the inaction towards Russias massacres against the Syrian people constitute outright support for these crimes. This silence also represents complicity in undermining efforts to find a political solution in Syria the Syrian Coalition added.,etilaf,1/11/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479016,ISIS kills more than 50 in central Syria attack.,Thursday 18 May 2017 ISIS kills more than 50 in central Syria attack. The ISIS group killed more than 50 people in an attack on two government-held villages in central Syrias Hama province on Thursday a monitor said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack on two villages killed 15 civilians and 27 pro-government fighters with another 10 bodies yet to be identified as government fighters or local residents. ISIS also lost 15 fighters in the attack the monitor said. Thursdays attack comes as government forces are on the offensive against the extremists in other parts of Syria. Syrias state news agency SANA said troops and pro-government gunmen repelled the ISIS attack on villages in Hama province. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said ISIS captured several army positions in the area and killed nine troops. It said troops launched a counteroffensive under the cover of airstrikes. State TV said two people were wounded in ISIS shelling on the nearby town of Salamiyeh. The ISIS-linked Aamaq news agency confirmed an attack is ongoing in the area without giving details.,arabiya,5/18/2017,hama,1,,,,
1926479017,Seven killed 37 others injured due to terrorist attacks in Aleppo and Sweida,7 October 2016 Seven killed 37 others injured due to terrorist attacks in Aleppo and Sweida. Six civilians were killed and others were injured due to rocket shells fired by terrorists on al-Midan al-Hamadaniah New Aleppo and al-Muhafaza neighborhoods in Aleppo on Friday. A source at Aleppo Police Command said that terrorists located the citys eastern neighborhoods fired 10 rocket shells on al-Midan neighborhood in the morning and that the attack claimed the lives of two civilians one of them a child and left two other persons injured in addition to causing material damage to public and private properties. The source added later that 6 persons were injured including a young girl when terrorists fired a rocket shell and explosive rounds on al-Hamadaniah area. Later in the evening the source said that four people were killed and 28 were injured due to rocket attacks by terrorists on New Aleppo and al-Muhafaza neighborhoods and that the attack caused significant material damages to citizens homes and properties. Civilian killed other injured in terrorist explosive device blast in Sweida A civilian was killed and his son was injured on Friday in a terrorist explosive device blast in al-Lojat area in the northwest countryside of Sweida. A source at Sweida Police Command told SANA reporter that an explosive device that was planted earlier by terrorists near Sadcob Fuel tanks on al-Haj Road which connects between Arika town and Sweida exploded in a car that was headed for Arika killing the driver and injuring his son. Manar/Manal,sana,10/7/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479024,Eight civilians killed others injured in terrorist rocket attacks in Aleppo and Homs,25 August 2016 Eight civilians killed others injured in terrorist rocket attacks in Aleppo and Homs. Six civilians were killed on Thursday and 34 others were injured in terrorist rocket attacks on several neighborhoods in Aleppo city According to a source at Aleppo Police Command two people were killed and 15 others were injured in a rocket attack launched by terrorists on Salah Eddin neighborhood. Two other people were reported killed and 4 others injured in a similar attack on al-Zahraa neighborhood in Aleppo city. Rocket attacks on al-Hamadaniyeh and Saif al-Dawleh neighborhoods left one person dead and three others injured. Al-Jaberiyeh neighborhood was also targeted by the terrorists shelling where a woman was killed and 13 other people were injured some of them are in critical condition. The terrorist attacks caused massive material damage to buildings and public and private properties in the aforementioned neighborhoods. Homs Meanwhile two civilians were killed and others were injured as ISIS terrorists fired rocket shells on Um al-Serj village in the eastern countryside of the central Homs province. According to SANA reporter in Homs the shells were launched by terrorists positioned in al-Msheirfeh village to the east of Homs city claiming the lives of a man and a woman and injuring others. The reporter added that the attack caused huge material damage to the citizens houses and to public and private properties. R.J/H.Said,sana,8/25/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479025,Death toll in Syrian bombing raid on Aleppo rises to 76: monitor.,December 16 2013 Death toll in Syrian bombing raid on Aleppo rises to 76: monitor. Seventy-six people including 28 children were killed on Sunday when Syrian army helicopters dropped barrel bombs on the northern city of Aleppo the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday. Barrel bombs are explosive-filled cylinders or oil barrels often rolled out of the back of helicopters with little attempt at striking a particular target but capable of causing widespread casualties and significant damage. The Britain-based Observatory said that rebel groups in Aleppo issued a statement asking civilians in government-held parts of the city to move away from state security buildings which they said would be targeted in retaliation for the bombings. Slideshow (3 Images) President Bashar al-Assads forces battling rebels in a 2-1/2 year conflict that has killed more than 100000 people frequently deploy air power and artillery against rebel-held districts across the country. They have been unable to recapture eastern and central parts of Aleppo which rebels stormed in the summer of 2012 but they have driven rebel fighters back from towns to the southeast of the city in recent weeks. The conflict has grown sectarian with majority Sunni rebels battling Assads own Alawite sect and Shiite militia. The Observatory - which has a network of opposition pro-government and medical sources - also said on Monday that rebels in northern Aleppo province were threatening to strike two Shiite villages they have surrounded with missiles if barrel bombs were used again by the army. Reporting by Oliver Holmes; Editing by John Stonestreet Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,12/16/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479026,Iran says Syria to let U.N. inspectors visit chemical sites,Sunday 25 August 2013 Irans foreign minister said the Syrian government had told Tehran it would allow U.N. inspectors to visit areas reportedly affected by chemical weapons Irans Press TV reported on Sunday. The Syrian opposition has accused government forces of killing well over 1000 civilians with poison gas in Damascus suburbs on Wednesday - an accusation dismissed by the government. World powers have urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to allow U.N. chemical weapons inspectors already in Damascus to examine the sites. We are in close contact with the Syrian government and they have reassured us that they had never used such inhumane weapons and would have the fullest cooperation with the U.N. experts to visit the areas affected Mohammad Javad Zarif told Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino in a telephone conversation on Saturday according to Press TV. Iran is Syrias closest ally and is supporting Assad against opposition forces seeking to overthrow him. The Syrian government has accused rebels of launching the chemical attacks to provoke an international reaction an account backed by Iran and Russia another ally. The international community must show a serious reaction to the use of chemical weapons by the terrorists in Syria and condemn this move Zarif said according to the English-language Press TV report.,arabiya,8/25/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1926479027,Terrorist rocket attacks on Salah Eddin neighborhood in Aleppo kill 10 civilians injure 16,17 August 2016 Terrorist rocket attacks on Salah Eddin neighborhood in Aleppo kill 10 civilians injure 16. Ten civilians were killed and 16 others were injured as terrorist groups targeted Salah Eddin neighborhood in Aleppo city with rocket attacks on Wednesday. A source at Aleppo Police Command said in a statement to SANA that terrorist groups targeted Salah Eddin neighborhood with a number of rocket shells claiming the lives of three civilians injuring eight others some of them are in critical condition and causing material damage to citizens houses and properties. Earlier on Wednesday a source at Aleppo province said that seven civilians were killed among them a child and two women and nine others were injured due to terrorist rocket attack on the same neighborhood. The death toll from Tuesdays terrorist rocket attacks on the same neighborhood was put at 8 civilians in addition to 12 injured. Meanwhile Jaish al-Islam terrorists targeted on Wednesday afternoon al-Adawi residential area in Damascus with two rocket shells. A source at Damascus Police Command said in a statement to SANA that terrorists fired two rocket shells which fell in al-Adawi area causing material damage without any casualties among civilians. English Bulletin,sana,8/17/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479032,Russian Aerospace Forces destroy ISIS oil refining stations kill 77 terrorists during past week,1 February 2016 Russian Aerospace Forces destroy ISIS oil refining stations kill 77 terrorists during past week. The Russian Aerospace Forces in cooperation with Syrian army air forces carried out 468 sorties targeting 1354 terrorist targets in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo Raqqa Lattakia Homs Hama and Deir Ezzor during the past week a military source told SANA. The source said the sorties resulted in killing 17 terrorists in Kanasba in Lattakia countryside who had been crossing the borders from Turkey destroying ammo and fuel depots in Aleppo countryside in addition to destroying 17 vehicles and killing more than 50 terrorists in Daraa countryside. The sorties also destroyed two machinegun-equipped vehicles and killed 10 ISIS members in al-Qadahat valley in Homs countryside destroying 8 artillery pieces and a truck with a trailer filled with explosives in Hama countryside the source added. The source said that the Russian airstrikes destroyed 23 terrorist targets in Deir Ezzor province as well as oil refining stations for ISIS in Raqqa countryside. Since the beginning of their operations in Syria on September 30th 2015 the Russian Aerospace Forces have destroyed more than 2000 oil tankers and dozens of refining stations used by ISIS in Syria. Hazem Sabbagh,sana,2/1/2016,daraa,1,,,,
1926479033,Turkey says tests on Syria attack victims point to possible sarin exposure,Thursday 6 April 2017 Turkey says tests on Syria attack victims point to possible sarin exposure . Initial results of tests on victims of an attack which killed dozens of people in Syrias Idlib province point to possible exposure to sarin gas Turkeys health ministry said on Thursday. It said 31 people hurt in Tuesdays attack were being treated in Turkish hospitals and three people had died since being brought from Syria. Based on the test results evidence was detected in patients which leads one to think they were exposed to a chemical substance (sarin) the statement said. At least 86 people were killed early on Tuesday in rebel-held Khan Sheikhoun and dozens more have received treatment for convulsions breathing problems and foaming at the mouth. World powers have pointed the finger at the government of Bashar al-Assad but Foreign Minister Walid Muallem repeated the governments denial on Thursday. The Syrian army has not did not and will not use this kind of weapons - not just against our own people but even against the terrorists that attack our civilians with their mortar rounds he said. Russia also stood by its longtime ally with President Vladimir Putin warning against a rush to judgement.,arabiya,4/6/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1926479036,Syrian Coalition: Targeting Civilians Is Terrorism Pure and Simple as over 19 Civilians Killed in Russian Airstrikes on Rural Deir Ezzor,Wednesday 10 August 2016 20:02 Syrian Coalition: Targeting Civilians Is Terrorism Pure and Simple as over 19 Civilians Killed in Russian Airstrikes on Rural Deir Ezzor. Activists said that at least 19 civilians including women and children were killed and dozens more wounded in airstrikes believed to be carried out by the Russian air force on the village of Almehemdiya in western rural Deir Ezzor. The Syrian Coalition strongly condemned the attack on Almehemdiya and the targeting of civilians across Syria especially the escalating Russian aggression on Syria after rebels managed to break the siege on Aleppo. The Coalition rejected any and all excuses used to justify the bombings in Syria stressing that targeting civilians including women and children cannot not be justified by fighting terror. Whether it was with a knife or an aircraft any attack on civilians is terrorism pure and simple the Coalition added. Meanwhile over 10 civilians were also killed and 18 more wounded in Russian airstrikes and barrel bomb attacks on the neighborhoods of Karam Alnozha and Tal Alzarazir in Aleppo on Tuesday. Activists in Daraya west of Damascus said that the rebel-held district was pounded with a barrage of barrel bombs as well as artillery and rocket shells while violent clashes between FSA fighters and regime forces on the outskirts of the district were reported. (Source: Syrian Coalition),etilaf,8/10/2016,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1926479037,Saudi Arabia calls for emergency U.N. Council meeting on Syria,August 21 2013 Saudi Arabia calls for emergency U.N. Council meeting on Syria. Saudi Arabia called on Wednesday for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting to discuss reports of a chemical attack that opposition groups say killed hundreds of people in Syria. It is time for the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility and overcome differences between its members and restore the confidence of the international community by convening immediately to issue a clear and deterrent resolution that will put an end to this human crisis Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said in a statement. Leading Syrian opposition figure George Sabra said in Turkey the attack in which chemical weapons were used had killed 1300 people. Syria described the reports its army had used chemical weapons as completely untrue. Video footage from districts east of Damascus showed people choking some of them foaming at the mouth and many bodies with no signs of injuries. Prince Saud whose country has been a major supporter of rebels fighting to topple Assad also urged European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels to discuss the Syrian crisis. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ... warns that continuing to shy away from responsibility in dealing with the Syrian crisis will lead to more of these tragedies he said. A U.N. team is in Syria investigating allegations that both rebels and government forces have used chemical weapons in the past. The Swedish scientist leading the team Ake Sellstrom said the latest reports should be looked into but doing so would require a request from a U.N. member state. Reporting by Angus McDowall; writing by Sami Aboudi; editing by Andrew Roche Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/17/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1926479038,Assads forces bombard Damascus suburbs after gas attack: activists,August 22 2013 Assads forces bombard Damascus suburbs after gas attack: activists. Syrian President Bashar al-Assads forces bombarded rebel-held suburbs of Damascus on Thursday activists said keeping up pressure on the besieged region a day after the opposition accused the army of gassing hundreds in a chemical weapons attack. Rockets fired from multiple launchers and heavy mortar rounds hit the neighborhoods of Jobar and Zamalka which are on the eastern outskirts of the capital. Between 500 and 1300 people died on Wednesday from chemical weapons attacks in those areas which are part of what is known as the Ghouta the activists said. Rockets also hit the nearby district of Qaboun to the north where rebel fighters have repelled attempts by loyalist forces to overrun the area and the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp area to the south the activists added. Speaking from Ghouta activist Khaled Amer said explosions from rockets hitting Zamalka were being heard. In Jobar a Damascus neighborhood only 3 km (2 miles) from the historic center of the ancient capital explosions were heard at an army fortification and another compound housing tanks apparently from a rebel attack on the facilities. Fadi al-Shami of the Tarhrir al-Sham Brigade which operates in the eastern Ghouta region said scattered fighting was taking place along the Jobar-Zamalka axis and that opposition forces have moved closer to loyalist lines partly to be in safer positions in case of another chemical attack. Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis Amman newsroom; Editing by Eric Walsh and Lisa Shumaker Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/17/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1926479041,Syrian Coalition Urges UN to Relieve Deir Ezzor Residents,Thursday 01 September 2016 20:22 Syrian Coalition Urges UN to Relieve Deir Ezzor Residents. The Syrian Coalition called upon the United Nations and international organizations to act urgently to save the lives of residents of Deir Ezzor city caught in the middle of fierce fighting between regime forces and ISIS. Member of the Syrian Coalitions political committee Badr Jamous said that the Assad regime continues to brutalize the Syrian people and refuses to implement UN resolutions on Syria in order to cling to power. Activists in Deir Ezzor said that three civilians were killed and many more injured in mortar shelling by ISIS militants on the regime-held parts of the city on Wednesday. Regime forces responded by launching airstrikes on the ISIS-held parts killing three civilians and wounding many more. Cluster bombs an internationally banned weapon were used in the airstrikes. Jamous pointed out that the Assad regime continues to show the utmost disregard for the lives of civilians trapped in Deir Ezzor and seeks to undermine all chances of reaching a political solution. He stressed that the formation of a transitional government body is the only way to gain popular support for the fight against ISIS. Member of the Syrian Coalitions political committee Safwan Jandali called upon the United Nations to shoulder their responsibilities towards the protection of civilians in Syria. He called on international aid organizations to take urgent action to alleviate the suffering of civilians trapped in Deir Ezzor. The task of distributing aid must be left to aid organizations not to regime forces that seized previous shipments of UN aid to the city Jandalai said. (Source: Syrian Coalition),etilaf,9/1/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1926479043,26 People Killed in Russian & Assad Regime Airstrikes on Schools & Public Market in Rural Idlib,Wednesday 26 October 2016 26 People Killed in Russian & Assad Regime Airstrikes on Schools & Public Market in Rural Idlib. Airstrikes by the Assad regime and Russia air forces earlier on Wednesday hit a schools complex and a public market in the town of Hass in rural Idlib killing at least 26 civilians and wounding dozens more mostly schoolchildren and teachers. High-explosive parachute-retarded bombs were used in the airstrikes launched in a joint attack by the Assad regime and Russian air forces. The Syrian Coalition condemned this heinous crime against schoolchildren and civilians. In a statement released following the attack the Coalition stressed that the deliberate targeting of civilians using high-explosive weapons is clearly aimed at killing as many people as possible; causing mayhem; forcing civilians to leave their homes; and forcing them to agree to local truces out of the framework of the political process. Responsibility for this heinous crime lies with the international community as world leaders and active members of the United Nations continue to ignore these war crimes thus risk further fueling the conflict and undermining all chances of a political solution the Coalition added. The Coalition earlier said that the United Nations continues to ignore Russias crimes and its violations of international law urging it to make a thorough and real reconsideration of its positions and performance on Syria after the election of a new secretary-general. (Source: Syrian Coalition),etilaf,10/26/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1926479047,Three civilians killed in rocket attack in Aleppo ISIS attacks Hasaka city with mortars and car bombs,10 July 2015 Three civilians killed in rocket attack in Aleppo ISIS attacks Hasaka city with mortars and car bombs . Terrorists attacked al-Ramouseh neighborhood in Aleppo city with rockets leaving civilian casualties. A source at the Police Command told SANA on Friday that terrorists positioned in al-Rashidin neighborhood fired rockets that fell in the southwestern part of al-Ramouseh killing three civilians. Seven others were reported injured in the attack who were taken to al-Jamieh (university) Hospital to receive treatment. Hasaka In a relevant context ISIS terrorists detonated two car bombs in al-Villat al-Homr neighborhood in the eastern part of Hasaka city according to field sources in the northeastern Hasaka province. The sources told SANA that ISIS attack was an attempt to hold back the army units and the national backup forces and prevent their further advance on the city. The army and national forces continued operations to expel ISIS terrorists from the neighborhoods they infiltrated on June 24th re-establishing control over Ghweiran and al-Nashwa al-Sharqi neighborhoods last week. The two terrorist explosions the sources affirmed caused no human casualties but left huge material damage. Meanwhile an ISIS mortar shell hit the building of the Civil Register Department in Hasaka city causing a fire to break out. Haifa Said,sana,7/10/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479049,6 citizens killed 22 injured in terrorist attacks with shells in Damascus Aleppo and Idleb,18 November 2016 6 citizens killed 22 injured in terrorist attacks with shells in Damascus Aleppo and Idleb. The Takfiri terrorist organizations on Friday targeted with rocket and mortar shells the cities of Damascus and Aleppo and al-Fouaa town in Idleb. Damascus Terrorists of the so called Jaish al-Islam targeted with rocket shells a number of the residential neighborhoods in Damascus city. A source at Damascus Police Command said that terrorist groups positioned in the Eastern Ghouta targeted al-Salyhiah neighborhood killing a woman and injuring three others. The source added that other shells hit the neighborhoods of al-Mazzeh and Ruken Eddin and al-Mazra area causing material damage to private and public properties. Aleppo Death toll from terrorist rocket attacks on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city rose to 5 killed and 17 injured. SANA reporter in Aleppo said that terrorists fired a rocket shell on Iskandaron Street in al-Jamilyeh neighborhood in Aleppo city killing 3 citizens and injuring 8 others. Earlier the reporter noted that a rocket shell was fired by terrorists positioned in the eastern neighborhoods and landed in al-Mohafazah neighborhood killing 2 children injuring 9 others and causing material damage to the houses. Idleb Two persons were injured when terrorist organizations located in Binnish and Maaret Masrin fired mortar shells on the terrorist-besieged town of al-Fouaa to the north of Idleb city according to local sources. The sources said that a number of mortar shells hit citizens houses in the town injuring a 45-years-old woman and a 9-years-old girl in addition to causing material damage to a number of houses. The sources pointed out that one of the shells landed on the towns mosque during Friday prayer causing material damage to the mosque. Manar/Manal/Ghossoun,sana,11/18/2016,damascus,1,,,,
1926479049,6 citizens killed 22 injured in terrorist attacks with shells in Damascus Aleppo and Idleb,18 November 2016 6 citizens killed 22 injured in terrorist attacks with shells in Damascus Aleppo and Idleb. The Takfiri terrorist organizations on Friday targeted with rocket and mortar shells the cities of Damascus and Aleppo and al-Fouaa town in Idleb. Damascus Terrorists of the so called Jaish al-Islam targeted with rocket shells a number of the residential neighborhoods in Damascus city. A source at Damascus Police Command said that terrorist groups positioned in the Eastern Ghouta targeted al-Salyhiah neighborhood killing a woman and injuring three others. The source added that other shells hit the neighborhoods of al-Mazzeh and Ruken Eddin and al-Mazra area causing material damage to private and public properties. Aleppo Death toll from terrorist rocket attacks on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city rose to 5 killed and 17 injured. SANA reporter in Aleppo said that terrorists fired a rocket shell on Iskandaron Street in al-Jamilyeh neighborhood in Aleppo city killing 3 citizens and injuring 8 others. Earlier the reporter noted that a rocket shell was fired by terrorists positioned in the eastern neighborhoods and landed in al-Mohafazah neighborhood killing 2 children injuring 9 others and causing material damage to the houses. Idleb Two persons were injured when terrorist organizations located in Binnish and Maaret Masrin fired mortar shells on the terrorist-besieged town of al-Fouaa to the north of Idleb city according to local sources. The sources said that a number of mortar shells hit citizens houses in the town injuring a 45-years-old woman and a 9-years-old girl in addition to causing material damage to a number of houses. The sources pointed out that one of the shells landed on the towns mosque during Friday prayer causing material damage to the mosque. Manar/Manal/Ghossoun,sana,11/18/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479049,6 citizens killed 22 injured in terrorist attacks with shells in Damascus Aleppo and Idleb,18 November 2016 6 citizens killed 22 injured in terrorist attacks with shells in Damascus Aleppo and Idleb. The Takfiri terrorist organizations on Friday targeted with rocket and mortar shells the cities of Damascus and Aleppo and al-Fouaa town in Idleb. Damascus Terrorists of the so called Jaish al-Islam targeted with rocket shells a number of the residential neighborhoods in Damascus city. A source at Damascus Police Command said that terrorist groups positioned in the Eastern Ghouta targeted al-Salyhiah neighborhood killing a woman and injuring three others. The source added that other shells hit the neighborhoods of al-Mazzeh and Ruken Eddin and al-Mazra area causing material damage to private and public properties. Aleppo Death toll from terrorist rocket attacks on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city rose to 5 killed and 17 injured. SANA reporter in Aleppo said that terrorists fired a rocket shell on Iskandaron Street in al-Jamilyeh neighborhood in Aleppo city killing 3 citizens and injuring 8 others. Earlier the reporter noted that a rocket shell was fired by terrorists positioned in the eastern neighborhoods and landed in al-Mohafazah neighborhood killing 2 children injuring 9 others and causing material damage to the houses. Idleb Two persons were injured when terrorist organizations located in Binnish and Maaret Masrin fired mortar shells on the terrorist-besieged town of al-Fouaa to the north of Idleb city according to local sources. The sources said that a number of mortar shells hit citizens houses in the town injuring a 45-years-old woman and a 9-years-old girl in addition to causing material damage to a number of houses. The sources pointed out that one of the shells landed on the towns mosque during Friday prayer causing material damage to the mosque. Manar/Manal/Ghossoun,sana,11/18/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479049,6 citizens killed 22 injured in terrorist attacks with shells in Damascus Aleppo and Idleb,18 November 2016 6 citizens killed 22 injured in terrorist attacks with shells in Damascus Aleppo and Idleb. The Takfiri terrorist organizations on Friday targeted with rocket and mortar shells the cities of Damascus and Aleppo and al-Fouaa town in Idleb. Damascus Terrorists of the so called Jaish al-Islam targeted with rocket shells a number of the residential neighborhoods in Damascus city. A source at Damascus Police Command said that terrorist groups positioned in the Eastern Ghouta targeted al-Salyhiah neighborhood killing a woman and injuring three others. The source added that other shells hit the neighborhoods of al-Mazzeh and Ruken Eddin and al-Mazra area causing material damage to private and public properties. Aleppo Death toll from terrorist rocket attacks on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city rose to 5 killed and 17 injured. SANA reporter in Aleppo said that terrorists fired a rocket shell on Iskandaron Street in al-Jamilyeh neighborhood in Aleppo city killing 3 citizens and injuring 8 others. Earlier the reporter noted that a rocket shell was fired by terrorists positioned in the eastern neighborhoods and landed in al-Mohafazah neighborhood killing 2 children injuring 9 others and causing material damage to the houses. Idleb Two persons were injured when terrorist organizations located in Binnish and Maaret Masrin fired mortar shells on the terrorist-besieged town of al-Fouaa to the north of Idleb city according to local sources. The sources said that a number of mortar shells hit citizens houses in the town injuring a 45-years-old woman and a 9-years-old girl in addition to causing material damage to a number of houses. The sources pointed out that one of the shells landed on the towns mosque during Friday prayer causing material damage to the mosque. Manar/Manal/Ghossoun,sana,11/18/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479056,15 Medics Killed in Russian Airstrikes on Hospital in Southern Aleppo Syrian Coalition Describes the Attack War Crime,Wednesday 21 September 2016 21:51 15 Medics Killed in Russian Airstrikes on Hospital in Southern Aleppo Syrian Coalition Describes the Attack War Crime. Russian jets bombed a medical center in the town of Khan Tuman in southern rural Aleppo earlier on Wednesday killing 15 members of medical staff activists in the town reported. The attack on the hospital comes two days after Russian jets hit a UN-Syrian Red Crescent aid convoy near the town of Urum Alkobra near Aleppo. The attack left 12 people killed including aid workers. The Syrian Coalition said that this barbaric attack on the hospital represents a continuation of the criminal acts perpetrated by Russia aimed to quell the Syrian revolution and force the Syrian people to agree to Russian dictations. The Coalition strongly condemned these crimes calling on the international community and the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) to assume its responsibilities towards the protection of civilians in Syria; the establishment mechanisms to enforce the truce; and holding violators of the truce to account. Russia and the Assad regime violated the truce no fewer than 264 times since it came into force last week. Over 65 people have been killed as a result of these violations. These crimes and violations have effectively ended the truce; undermined all chances of a political solution; and demonstrated insistence by the Assad regime and its allies on pursuing the policy of killing and destruction the Coalition added. (Source: Syrian Coalition),etilaf,9/21/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479061,Steifo: Regime & Allies Onslaught on Aleppo Failed to Achieve Its Objectives,Saturday 03 December 2016 17:53 Steifo: Regime & Allies Onslaught on Aleppo Failed to Achieve Its Objectives. Vice-president of the Syrian Coalition Abdul Ahad Steifo said that the ongoing brutal assault on Aleppo by the Assad regime Russia and the Iranian militias has so far failed to achieve its objectives to retake the entire city in spite of the genocidal crimes being committed against civilians. Aleppo has seen the gravest war crimes since World War II Steifo said adding that the regime Russia and Iran have not achieved their objectives in Aleppo. Russia is now seeking to get of the trouble it brought upon itself in Syria. Aleppo and its countryside have been subjected to ferocious onslaught by the Assad regime and Russian forces since November 15. Over 750 people mostly women and children have so far been killed and thousands more injured in the ongoing bombing campaign on the city and its countryside. Steifo stressed the urgent need for the resumption of the political process through negotiations in Geneva and the enforcement of UN resolutions especially the humanitarian provisions that call for an end to the bombing lifting the sieges the delivery of aid to civilians in need and the release of detainees. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Office) Twitter,etilaf,12/3/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479062,Terrorist organizations target with shells the UN offices in al-Meridian neighborhood in Aleppo,1 November 2016 Terrorist organizations target with shells the UN offices in al-Meridian neighborhood in Aleppo. Terrorist groups positioned in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo City on Tuesday attacked with shells the building of Shahba hotel in al-Meridian neighborhood in Aleppo. SANA reporter said that terrorists positioned in Bustan al-Qaser neighborhood fired three shells on Shahba Hotel in Aleppo which is the residence for the UN staff and no causalities were reported among the hotel guests or the UN staff. The reporter added that two of the shells fell on a residential building near the hotel causing a huge material damage. In turn the UN Resident Representative in Syria Ali al-Zaatari said in a statement that the UN Office to the west of Aleppo City was shelled with tanks causing a material damage in the upper floors of the building. Al-Zaatari said that targeting the building which includes the offices of the UN is still very shocking. The statement mentioned that more than 40 people were killed and many others were injured due to the terrorist attacks with rocket shells on civilian areas to the west of Aleppo. R.J/Ghossoun,sana,11/1/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479066,Bombs in Syrias Aleppo kill 13 pro-Assad fighters: monitor,July 30 2014 Bombs in Syrias Aleppo kill 13 pro-Assad fighters: monitor. Opposition forces in Syria exploded bombs in tunnels under Aleppo late on Tuesday and killed at least 13 fighters loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in the northern city a group tracking the violence said. The bombs were placed in two tunnels running under historic parts of the city close to an old police station said the Observatory a Britain-based group which reports on Syria using a network of sources on the ground. The attack appeared to have been carried out by Islamic brigades fighting Assad it said. The blast killed government soldiers and other forces fighting alongside them the Observatory added without giving details. Syrias state news agency made no mention of the attack. Aleppo is one of Syrias main contested cities and government forces took strategic ground around it in June squeezing the main rebel supply line into the city after months of battlefield gains by Damascus. The government advance was backed by fighters from the Lebanese Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah an ally of President Bashar al-Assad sources close to the group told Reuters earlier this month. Rebels advanced into Aleppo once Syrias commercial hub in 2012 from the north and took districts in the center of the city. The army has since mainly held the west and south of Aleppo but has been unable to push out opposition fighters. Forces loyal to Assad now control most of Damascus along with the main highway from the capital through to Homs and the western Mediterranean coast. Opposition fighters including a powerful al Qaeda offshoot Islamic State control much of the desert in the north and east. Reporting by Sylvia Westall; Editing by Ron Popeski Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,7/30/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479070,Ten civilians injured in terrorist attacks in Daraa countryside Aleppo Damascus,21 August 2016 Ten civilians injured in terrorist attacks in Daraa countryside Aleppo Damascus. Three civilians were injured in terrorist organizations rocket attacks on Izraa town in the northeastern countryside of Daraa Province. SANA reporter said Sunday that the terrorists positioned in Busr al-Harir town fired rocket rounds on the old neighborhoods of Izraa town injuring a number of civilians and causing material damage to the citizens houses and public and private properties. Director of Daraa Health Directorate Abdel Wadoud al-Homsi said that the three injured persons arrived at Izraa National Hospital to be hospitalized. Four civilians injured in terrorist rocket attacks in Aleppo Four civilians were injured in rocket shells fired by terrorist groups which fell in the area surrounding Saadallah al-Jabiri Square and al-Hamadaniya on Sunday. A source at Aleppo police command told SANA reporter that the terrorist groups fired rocket shells which fell near of Saadallah al-Jabiri Square and al-Hamadaniya in Aleppo injuring four civilians and causing material damage to properties. Terrorists fire explosive ammunition on Damascus injuring 3 civilians In the same context three civilians were injured due to attacks carried out by Jaish al-Islam terrorists on the neighborhoods of al-Sabaa Bahrat and al-Sinaa in Damascus city. The terrorists who are positioned in Eastern Ghouta targeted the two neighborhoods with a number of explosive ammunition injuring three people in al-Sabbaa Bahrat according to a source at Damascus Police Command. The attack on al-Sinaa neighborhood caused minor material damage as two explosive rounds hit al-Nidal Sports Club and a building in the area the source said. English Bulletin,sana,8/21/2016,daraa,1,,,,
1926479072,13 citizens killed in terrorist attacks on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo,28 October 2016 13 citizens killed in terrorist attacks on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo. The death toll from terrorist attacks on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city has risen to 13 and 106 injured including women and children. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorist groups positioned in al-Zahraa al-Rashideen and the eastern neighborhoods continued targeting citizens houses in Aleppo city with rocket and mortar shells killing 6 citizens and injuring 36 others some of them are in a critical situation. Earlier the source said that 7 citizens were killed and 70 others were injured due to terrorist attacks with shells on a number of residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city. The source added that the attack also caused significant material damage to citizens properties. Terrorist rocket attack injures three civilians in Lattakia countryside Three civilians were injured in a terrorist rocket attack on Kilmakho area in Lattakia province on Friday morning. SANA reporter said terrorist groups positioned in the northeastern countryside of Lattakia fired a number of rocket shells on Kilmakho leaving three people wounded. The attack caused material damage to public and private properties in the area. Manar/Manal,sana,10/28/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479074,Alhassan Calls for UN Action to Stop Russias Use of Banned Weapons in Syria,Tuesday 21 June 2016 Alhassan Calls for UN Action to Stop Russias Use of Banned Weapons in Syria. Secretary of the Syrian Coalitions political committee Riyad Alhassan said that Russian air force has been using cluster munitions in attacks on towns and villages in Aleppo. Alhassan called on the United Nations and the UN Security Council to take urgent measures to prevent the use of internationally prohibited weapons against civilians in Syria. Russian jets on Monday bombed the towns of Huraytan Hayyan Anadan Kafar Hamra Maaret Alartiq Urm Alqubra Messibin Babees and Anjara in rural Aleppo killing at least 21 civilians and injuring dozens more. Activists published videos and photos showing the remains of cluster munitions used in airstrikes on rural Aleppo. Five civilians of one family including a child were killed and dozens injured in Russian airstrikes on the neighborhood of Tareeq Albab in Aleppo on Monday. Alhassan stressed that Russia cannot claim to be a sponsor of the political process while it is carrying out acts that amount to state terrorism in Syria. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,6/21/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479076,Assads Air Force Kills 65 Civilians in Raqqa,Wednesday 26 November 2014 10:07 Assads Air Force Kills 65 Civilians in Raqqa. The Syrian Coalition condemns the brutal massacre committed by Assads air force in Raqqa today where 65 civilians were killed and dozens wounded in multiple air raids that targeted civilian neighborhoods in the city. Hadi al-Bahra president of the Syrian Coalition warns that the Assad regime will repeat such brutal aerial shelling; pointing out that many seem now convinced that Assad is the major beneficiary of the US-led coalition strikes against ISIS. He calls for the US-led coalition to rethink its strategy in Syria. Activists said that Assads warplanes conducted nine air raids on the city of Al Raqqa killing dozens of civilians and causing massive material damage to the residential areas pointing out none of ISIS positions were targeted in the attacks. Bahra calls on civil and human rights organizations and activists around the world to take action to support the Syrian peoples demands for freedom democracy by all means. it is disappointing how there are dozens of sides that support extremist organizations with money and men and how there are several international sides that support Assad with militiamen weapons money and diplomatic backing while the international community has so far failed to support the Syrian peoples demands for freedom and democracy. (Source: Syrian Coalition),etilaf,11/26/2014,raqqa,1,,,,
1926479080,Syrian Coalition Condemns Attack on Syrian Interim Government Headquarters in Azaz Aleppo,Wednesday 03 May 2017 22:35 Syrian Coalition Condemns Attack on Syrian Interim Government Headquarters in Azaz Aleppo. The Syrian Coalition condemned the bombing that targeted the headquarters of the Syrian interim government in the town of Azaz in northern Aleppo province. At least five civilians were killed and many more wounded in the attack. This terrorist attack is clearly aimed at hindering efforts by the Syrian people to rebuild their country said the Coalition in a press release published on Wednesday. The bombing came ahead of preparations by the Syrian interim government to hold meetings with foreign personalities in the building which was targeted by a car bomb. The bombing serves the goal the regime and terrorist groups share which is to undermine efforts to set up an administration at all levels and to restore infrastructure and public institutions the Coalition added. The Syrian Coalition held the Assad regime responsible for exposing Syria to various kinds of hegemony foreign occupation terrorism and destruction. It also renewed its calls to build an international coalition to confront the murderous Assad regime and its supporter and work to end it but also to help reach a political solution and continue the fight against terrorism in all its forms including those represented by the Assad regime and its allied foreign militias. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Department) Twitter,etilaf,5/3/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479081,Nine Civilians Killed in Regime Airstrikes on Rural Homs Today,Thursday 28 January 2016 17:27 Nine Civilians Killed in Regime Airstrikes on Rural Homs Today. Activists in Homs said that the Assad regimes air force intensified aerial bombardment on northern rural Homs earlier today leaving dozens of civilian casualties and causing massive destruction in the area. Activists in the area said that one of the airstrikes targeted the town of Al-Ghanto in the early hours of Thursday killing nine civilians and wounding many more including women and children. Other airstrikes also hit the towns of Rastan and Talbeesah with reports of civilian casualties and massive destruction in the residential neighborhoods. The escalating aerial bombardment on northern rural Homs coincided with ground attacks by regime forces seeking to encircle the area particularly the Al-Houla area and cut the rebels last supply lines. Northern rural Homs already suffers from lack of food and medical supplies as a result of the regimes blockade of most of the roads leading to the area. Meanwhile clashes resumed today between regime forces and rebel fighters on the fronts of Um Sharshouh Talbeesah and Rastan amid renewed attempts by regime forces to advance on the town of Harbnafsah and complete the encirclement of Al-Houla. (Source: Syrian Coalition),etilaf,1/28/2016,homs,0,,,,
1926479084,Seven people killed scores injured in terrorist attacks in Aleppo and Damascus,28 November 2016 SANA Seven people were killed and 72 others were injured on Monday due to terrorist rocket attacks on the neighborhoods of New Aleppo Bab al-Faraj al-Ismailiya al-Furqan Maisaloun and al-Jabiryieh in Aleppo city. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANAs correspondent that terrorists located in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo fired a number of rocket shells at residential neighborhoods in the city claiming the life of a woman and injuring 19 in the neighborhoods of Bab al-Faraj al-Ismailiya and injuring 3 in al-Furqan neighborhood. Earlier today the source said that terrorists fired rocket shells at New Aleppo neighborhood killing 2 people injuring 7 others and causing material damage to houses and properties. Later in the evening SANA reporter said that 4 people were killed including 3 children and 43 others were injured in rocket shells fired by the terrorist organizations on the neighborhoods of Maisaloun and al-Jabiryieh in Aleppo City Meanwhile in Damascus city one person was injured by explosive rounds fired by terrorists from Jaish al-Islam on al-Mazraa neighborhood. A source at Damascus Police Command told SANAs correspondent that terrorists located in the Eastern Ghouta area in Damascus Countryside fired explosive rounds at the residential neighborhood of al-Mazraa injuring one person.,sana,11/28/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479085,ISIS Continues to Displace Locals in Rural Deir Ezzor,Friday 10 July 2015 19:14 ISIS Continues to Displace Locals in Rural Deir Ezzor. The Syrian Network for Human Rights said in a report released today that ISIS had forced at least 33000 residents out of their homes in the town of Abu Hamam in rural Deir Ezzor since 10 August 2014. According to report ISIS has executed around 367 people in the town while 240 more have gone missing. The Syrian Coalition has previously condemned the heinous crime committed by ISIS in eastern rural Deir Ezzor where residents discovered a mass grave containing 230 corpses of tribesmen who were summarily executed by ISIS in late 2014. The area was the scene of fierce battles between the Shaitat tribesmen and ISIS militants who eventually took control of the area and rounded up hundreds of tribesmen and executed them on charges of apostasy. The Syrian Coalition stresses that modern dictatorships have left nothing but a legacy of mass graves death and destruction. Four years have passed since Assad embarked on his brutal campaign on the Syrian people and now ISIS to pursue the same campaign and one can hardly find any difference between the two in terms of the scale of their criminality and barbarity. Despite the unprecedented sacrifices Syrians are determined to move forward in their revolution with the aim of building a state justice law freedom and dignity for all its citizens. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,7/10/2015,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1926479088,54 Killed in Aleppo as Regime Commits Massacre against Civilians Fleeing Besieged Neighborhoods,Wednesday 30 November 2016 14:28 54 Killed in Aleppo as Regime Commits Massacre against Civilians Fleeing Besieged Neighborhoods. The Assad regime on Tuesday morning committed a horrific massacre in the neighborhood of Bab Alnairab killing at least 25 civilians mostly women and children. The victims were hit by airstrikes while trying to escape the eastern neighborhoods on foot. Dozens more were injured. The Syrian Coalition condemned this heinous crime holding the international community responsible as it has so far failed to take action to protect civilians or stop the onslaught on Aleppo. A total 54 civilians were killed in airstrikes by the Assad regime and Russian air forces on Aleppo and its countryside on Tuesday including 9 in the neighborhood Alsaliheen 8 in Ansari 5 in Almiyassar 3 and Karm Albeiq and 1 in each of the districts of Marjah Alizaa and Salah Addin. Regime aircraft also bombed a medicine factory in the town of Mansoura in rural Aleppo. The massacre came amid complete international silence over the brutal onslaught by the Assad regime as well as its Russian and Iranian allies on the besieged eastern Aleppo where hundreds of civilians have been killed over the past few days in deliberate bombardment on residential areas the Coalition said. The Coalition highly commended the steadfastness and courage being shown by civilians members of the civil defense and FSA fighters in Aleppo who have not spared any effort to repel the aggression by the Assad regime and Russia on their city. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Office) Twitter,etilaf,11/30/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479090,Abdah: Assads Bombing of Aleppo Encouraged by International Communitys Bias,Saturday 23 April 2016 18:20 Abdah: Assads Bombing of Aleppo Encouraged by International Communitys Bias. President of the Syrian Coalition Anas al-Abdah said that the international communitys soft stance in dealing with Assad who continues to commit massacres against civilians in Syria is seen by him as a license to carry on with his crimes against the Syrian people. Abdah also said that this complete inaction towards Assads atrocities represents a bias in favor of a serial killer and a war criminal. At least 13 civilians mostly women and children were killed and over 30 others were wounded on Saturday when regime forces bombed a popular market in the District of Douma in Rural Damascus with heavy artillery. The Assad regimes air force continues to relentlessly hit residential areas in the Aleppo neighborhoods of Tariq al-Bab Bustan al-Qasr Salahaddin al-Mashhad al-Amiriyah Baidin al-Jandoul and Bani Zeid. No figure of the casualties resulted has been released by civil defense teams as they are still recovering victims from under the rubble. Activists said that at least 20 civilians including children were killed and many more wounded in intensifying aerial bombing of Aleppo on Friday by regime and Russian forces. Three more civilians were killed and around 15 others were injured on Friday evening in a barrel bomb attack by the Assad regime. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,4/23/2016,damascus,1,,,,
1926479095,2 killed others injured in terrorist attacks with shells and mortars in Aleppo and Quneitra.,23 November 2016 2 killed others injured in terrorist attacks with shells and mortars in Aleppo and Quneitra. One civilian was killed and 13 others were injured in terrorist attacks with shells on Maisaloun neighborhood in Aleppo city and on the towns of Nubbul and al-Zahraa in the provinces northern countryside. SANAs correspondent said that terrorists located in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city fired rocket shells at on Maisaloun neighborhood injuring 13 people and causing material damage to properties. The correspondent said that terrorists affiliated with Jabhat al-Nusra fired 8 rocket shells at the towns of Nubbul and al-Zahraa causing material damage only. Later the correspondent said that one person was killed others were injured and considerable damage was caused to industrial facilities due to rocket shells fired by terrorists on the industrial area in al-Arqoub. In Quneitra one civilian was killed and nine others injured by rocket and mortar shells fired by terrorists on Khan Arnabeh and al-Baath cities. SANA reporter in Quneitra said terrorist organizations fired nearly 10 shells on the two cities in Quneitra killing one person and wounding another nine among them a child in a critical condition. Among the wounded in al-Baath city were four members of the same family. One of the shells hit their house and destroyed in completely. Hazem Sabbagh/Manal,sana,11/23/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479096,18 Civilians Killed in Barrel Bomb Attack on Rural Aleppo,Wednesday 22 July 2015 22:33 18 Civilians Killed in Barrel Bomb Attack on Rural Aleppo. The Assad regime committed a horrific massacre in the village of al-Bureij northeast of Aleppo where 18 civilians were killed and dozens wounded in a barrel bomb attack that targeted the town. Twenty-six civilians were also killed yesterday when Assads air force pounded the neighborhood of Al-Maghayer in Aleppo killing 26 civilians mostly children and women. The Syrian Coalition extends condolences to families of the victims and wishes the wounded speedy recovery praising the steadfastness of the people of Aleppo and stressing its solidarity with them. Despite all the odds the Syrian people will not hesitate to uphold the rights to freedom justice and dignity. The Syrians belief their goals will grow even stronger inspired by the determination of those who sacrificed their lives to continue the revolution until victory is achieved. The Syrian Coalition emphasizes that the Assad regimes continued atrocities lay responsibility on the international community to protect Syrian civilians through the imposition of a safe areas to rein in Assads air force. All kinds of legal recognition of the Assad regime must be withdrawn as it would not have committed all these atrocities had it not been for its confidence of the inaction of the international community. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,7/22/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479098,Terrorist attacks leave child and woman dead and 7 others injured in Aleppo cause material damage in Daraa,12 August 2016 Terrorist attacks leave child and woman dead and 7 others injured in Aleppo cause material damage in Daraa. A child and a woman were killed and seven others were injured by terrorist rocket and sniper attacks that targeted Aleppo city and al-Hader town in Aleppos southern countryside on Friday. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA that terrorists fired rocket shells at al-Hamadaniya neighborhood in Aleppo city killing one woman and injuring four others in addition to causing material damage to properties while one child was killed by a terrorist snipers gunfire in Baron Street in the city. The source added that three people sustained injuries of varying severity due to a rocket shell fired by terrorists on al-Hader town in Aleppos southern countryside. In Daraa province Terrorist groups fired on Friday evening several rocket shells at residential neighborhoods in Daraa city causing material damage to citizens properties. A source at Daraa Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorists located in al-Nazihin Camp fired several rocket shells at al-Kashef and Shamal al-Khatt neighborhoods in the city causing material damage to locals houses and properties. Hazem Sabbagh,sana,8/12/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479099,France Britain say U.N. must access alleged Syria attack site,August 21 2013 France Britain say U.N. must access alleged Syria attack site. France and Britain said on Wednesday that United Nations inspectors currently in Syria should be allowed immediate access to the site of an alleged deadly chemical weapons attack. Syrias opposition accused government forces of gassing many hundreds of people - by one report as many as 1300 - in a pre-dawn attack on Wednesday. The government of President Bashar al-Assad denied using chemical weapons. I hope this will wake up some who have supported the Assad regime to realize its murderous and barbaric nature British Foreign Secretary William Hague told reporters in Paris. Survivors from what activists say is a gas attack rest inside a mosque in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus August 21 2013. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh We hope the U.N. team in Damascus will be given immediate and unrestricted access to this area to try and establish the truth. There is no reason not to be given access when (the site) is not so many miles from where they are doing their work now he added heading into a working dinner with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius. Fabius who earlier spoke over the phone with the head of the opposition Syrian National Coalition called the alleged attack a horrendous tragedy not seen since thousands of Iraqi Kurds were gassed by Saddam Husseins forces at Halabja in 1988. The U.N. Security Council of which Britain and France are permanent members will hold an emergency meeting at 1900 GMT to discuss the alleged attack. Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Andrew Heavens Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/21/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1926479101,Terrorist attacks kill 10 injure scores in Aleppo and Idleb,26 November 2016 Terrorist attacks kill 10 injure scores in Aleppo and Idleb. Terrorists on Saturday targeted with shells and gunfire groups of civilians as they were leaving the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city towards safe areas. SANAs correspondent said that terrorists located in al-Haidariye neighborhood targeted tens of civilians with rocket shells and gunfire as the civilians were moving from the eastern neighborhoods to Syrian Arab Army positions in Hanano area killing 3 of them and injuring 22 most of them women and children. Earlier a source at Aleppo Police Command said that terrorists fired a number of rocket shells at al-Midan neighborhood in Aleppo city killing 3 civilians including 2 women injuring 15 others and causing material damage to public and private properties. Moreover 4 civilians were killed and 5 others were injured as the terrorist groups targeted Saturday evening Seif al-Dawla neighborhood with rocket shells. A woman injured due to terrorist attack on al-Fouaa Idleb In the meantime a woman was injured as terrorist groups from Jaish al-Fatah organization attacked the besieged al-Fouaa town located 10 km north of Idleb city. Local sources in the town told SANA that terrorist groups positioned in Binnesh town shelled al-Fouaa with heavy machine guns. The attack left a woman injured and caused material damage to the locals houses and other properties. English bulletin,sana,11/26/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479102,Interim Minister of Health: Aleppos Hospitals out of Service as Bombardment Continues,Saturday 10 December 2016 14:47 Interim Minister of Health: Aleppos Hospitals out of Service as Bombardment Continues. Minister of health in the Syrian interim government Mohammad Jundi said that the brutal onslaught on Aleppo by the Assad regime Russia and the Iranian militias continues unabated in an unprecedented military escalation that began three weeks ago. Local activists said that at least 56 civilians were killed in Russian and Assad regime airstrikes on besieged eastern Aleppo and its countryside on Friday. The most intense airstrikes targeted the neighborhoods of Jalloum and Maadi as well as the town of Deir Jamal in rural Aleppo. The victims mostly women and children included 25 civilians who were displaced from the neighborhood of Jalloum. Over 1 000 civilians have been killed and thousands more injured in the ongoing ferocious assault on eastern Aleppo since it was launched on November 15. Medical workers in eastern Aleppo are unable to provide treatment for the injured as a result of the acute shortages of essential medical supplies and lack of necessary medical equipment Jundi said. Jundi appealed to the United Nations and human rights organizations to exercise pressure on the Russia and the Assad regime to stop the indiscriminate bombardment on Aleppo pointing out that Russias claims about a halt to the bombing on Aleppo are sheer deception. Jundi warned that the constant bombardment of Aleppo is aimed at forcing the people of Aleppo out of their homes and change the demography of the city in a repeat of what the Assad regime has done in the Damascus suburbs and Homs province. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Office),etilaf,12/10/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479104,Syrian Coalition Mourns 5 Rescue Workers Killed by Airstrikes on Rural Aleppo,Tuesday 26 April 2016 21:41 Syrian Coalition Mourns 5 Rescue Workers Killed by Airstrikes on Rural Aleppo. Secretary-General of the Syrian Coalition Abdul Ilah al-Fahd sent a letter of condolence to the Civil Defense Corps in Aleppo following the death of five rescue workers in airstrikes by the Russian and regime forces on a center for the group in the town of Al-Atareb on Monday. We were deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the death of five of the finest volunteering rescue workers in the Civil Defense Corps in Al-Atareb Fahd said. He added that the Syrian people highly appreciate the bravery and the daily heroic deeds of the civil defense workers to rescue civilians in the ongoing brutal war the Assad regime has waged against our people and our country for over five years. On behalf of the Syrian Coalition Fahd extended the most sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims expressing hope that their death will only strengthen the Syrian peoples determination to continue with the revolution. Fahd concluded his letter by saying that our struggle for freedom and justice will continue. Criminals and those with blood on their hands will not be able to get away with their crimes. (Source: Syrian Coalition),etilaf,4/26/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479106,Russian General Staff Warns Against New US Missile Strikes on Syria,April 11 2017 Russian General Staff Warns Against New US Missile Strikes on Syria. Moscow warns against new US missile strikes on Syria chief of the Russian General Staffs Main Operational Directorate Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi said at a news briefing on Tuesday. Militants are delivering toxic chemicals in Khan Shaikhoun the Jira airport East Ghouta and to the West of Aleppo the Russian General Staff said. The aim of these actions is to forge another pretext for accusing the Syrian government of using chemical weapons and for triggering new US strikes. We warn against such inadmissible steps the general staff said. The general reiterated that the Syrian army does not possess chemical weapons while the remaining two chemical weapons production and storage facilities in Syria are located on the territory controlled by the so-called armed opposition groups. We demand a thorough investigation of the alleged chemical attack by Syrian aviation on the city of Khan-Shaikhoun Rudskoi said. On April 4 a chemical weapons incident in Syrias Idlib province claimed the lives of some 80 people and inflicted harm on an additional 200 civilians. The Syrian National Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces as well as a number of Western states accused the Syrian government troops of carrying out the attack while Damascus refuted these allegations with a Syrian army source telling Sputnik that the army did not possess chemical weapons.,manar,4/4/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1926479108,Syrian Coalition: Russia Offering the Syrian People a Choice between Accepting Assads Terms or Total Annihilation,Monday 02 May 2016 20:08 Syrian Coalition: Russia Offering the Syrian People a Choice between Accepting Assads Terms or Total Annihilation. Vice-president of the Syrian Coalition Muwaffaq Nyrabia said that Russias policies in Syria are designed to put Syrians in front of two hard choices: either to accept Assads terms in the Geneva negotiations or the bombing and destruction of whole cities and vital civilian facilities will continue. Nyrabia pointed out that the aftermath of the deadly airstrikes by the Assad regime and Russian forces on Aleppo over the past ten days indicates systematic and deliberate attacks against residents of the city. He added that this brutal onslaught on Aleppo is clearly aimed at thwarting the political process. The Syrian Institute of Justice said it had documented 270 civilians killed by Russian and regime bombing in Aleppo during April. The victims included 51 children 28 women five rescue workers and seven medical staff members. The Institute pointed out that the Assad regime and Russian forces pounded the rebel-held parts of the city with 270 barrel bombs 907 air-to-surface missiles 68 surface to-surface missiles 6 bombs containing white phosphorous 36 cluster bombs and one missile suspected to be containing chemical substances. The regime and Russian attacks targeted 517 civilian homes three industrial zones 240 agricultural areas 13 archaeological sites 6 hospitals a school 4 houses of worship 3 popular markets 4 civilian services centers 19 roads 2 civil defense centers and a bakery. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,5/2/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479109,Russia: Terrorists breached cessation of hostilities 3 times in 24 hours all breaches in Aleppo,30 April 2016 Russia: Terrorists breached cessation of hostilities 3 times in 24 hours all breaches in Aleppo. The Russian coordination center in Hmeimim stated on Saturday that armed terrorist groups breached the cessation of hostilities agreement 3 times in the past 24 hours with all breaches taking place in Aleppo city. In a statement the center said that militants from the groups known as Liwa al-Fateh and Liwa Ahrar Helfaya shelled the areas of al-Midan and al-Muhafaza in Aleppo city with mortar shells while from the group known as Liwa Fursan al-Haq shelled Bab al-Faraj neighborhood with mortar shells killing 15 civilians and injuring 50 others. According to the centers statistics this raises the total number of breaches since the agreement came into effect to 465. The center went on to state that 3 new towns have joined the cessation of hostilities agreement during the past 24 hours raising the number of towns that joined the agreement to 83 while the number of armed groups that announced their joining of the agreement remains unchanged at 52 reiterating that the Russian Aerospace Forces have not targeted any of the groups that joined the agreement and that announced the areas where they are active to the Russian or the American centers. The center also said that there are discussions with the eladers of some armed groups in Homs regarding the cessation of hostilities adding that theres a commitment to the truce in the north of Lattakia and Damascus suburbs with Russian and US military figures observing this truce from the centers in Hmeimim and Amman. Hazem Sabbagh,sana,4/30/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479112,Syrian Coalition Demands UN Action under Chapter VII Following Regime Chlorine Attacks on Saraqib Idlib,Tuesday 02 August 2016 19:11 Syrian Coalition Demands UN Action under Chapter VII Following Regime Chlorine Attacks on Saraqib Idlib. Activists said regime forces bombed the town of Saraqib in rural Idlib with chlorine-filled barrel bombs on Monday causing over 30 cases of asphyxiation among civilians. The attacks were carried out in a blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions 2118 and 2235 banning the use of chemical weapons and toxic substances. In a press release issued earlier on Tuesday the Syrian Coalition called upon the UN Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities towards stopping such attacks. It stressed that urgent measures must be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to protect the Syrian people. Any further delay in taking firm stance towards such attacks will open the door to more crimes and violations by the Assad regime the Coalition said. Separately over 12 civilians were killed and dozens injured including women and children when Russian jets raided the village of Abu Alduhour in rural Idlib on Monday. Five civilians were also killed in similar attacks on the village of Tal Toughan in rural Idlib. Activists said that the bombings were carried out by Russian forces in revenge for the death of five crewmen killed when their helicopter crashed near the town of Saraqib on Monday. The Syrian Coalition emphasized the need for the international community to assume its responsibilities regarding the protection of civilians in accordance with International Law (IL) and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to stop war crimes and eliminate the constant threat of the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,8/2/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1926479112,Syrian Coalition Demands UN Action under Chapter VII Following Regime Chlorine Attacks on Saraqib Idlib,Tuesday 02 August 2016 19:11 Syrian Coalition Demands UN Action under Chapter VII Following Regime Chlorine Attacks on Saraqib Idlib Twitter font size Activists said regime forces bombed the town of Saraqib in rural Idlib with chlorine-filled barrel bombs on Monday causing over 30 cases of asphyxiation among civilians. The attacks were carried out in a blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions 2118 and 2235 banning the use of chemical weapons and toxic substances. In a press release issued earlier on Tuesday the Syrian Coalition called upon the UN Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities towards stopping such attacks. It stressed that urgent measures must be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to protect the Syrian people. Any further delay in taking firm stance towards such attacks will open the door to more crimes and violations by the Assad regime the Coalition said. Separately over 12 civilians were killed and dozens injured including women and children when Russian jets raided the village of Abu Alduhour in rural Idlib on Monday. Five civilians were also killed in similar attacks on the village of Tal Toughan in rural Idlib. Activists said that the bombings were carried out by Russian forces in revenge for the death of five crewmen killed when their helicopter crashed near the town of Saraqib on Monday. The Syrian Coalition emphasized the need for the international community to assume its responsibilities regarding the protection of civilians in accordance with International Law (IL) and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to stop war crimes and eliminate the constant threat of the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,8/2/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1926479115,Syrian Coalition Declares Idlib Disaster Area amid Deadly Aerial Campaign,Thursday 02 June 2016 16:02 Syrian Coalition Declares Idlib Disaster Area amid Deadly Aerial Campaign. The Syrian Coalition has declared the entire province of Idlib a disaster area in light of continued deadly aerial campaign by the Assad regime and Russian forces. The Coalition has urged the Syrian interim government and all relief and medical organizations in the province to stay on full alert and make all efforts to address the deteriorating situation across Idlib province and meet the needs of civilians there. The Coalition called upon international humanitarian organizations and friendly countries to take urgent action in order to support medical and relief organizations working on the ground. The Coalition also called for expeditiously stepping up support for the Free Syrian Army and enable it defend civilians as well as thousands of internally displaced people against brutal attacks by the Assad regime and Russian forces. The Coalition called upon the international community to unequivocally condemn the Russian aggression on Syria and the crimes committed by the Assad regime against the Syrian people. It stressed the need for exercising pressure on the regime and its allies in order to stop the onslaught on Idlib and across all Syrias territories in line with UN Security Council resolutions. The Assad regime and Russian forces have lately intensified aerial bombardment on Idlib province targeting mostly civilian areas hospitals mosques and IDPs camps. The aerial campaign is clearly aimed at destroying rebel-held areas and forcing the civilian population out of their homes. At least 72 civilians including 15 children have been killed and over 325 wounded in the bombing on Idlib over the past few days. The bombings destroyed 4 health facilities a power station a school and a mosque. The Coalition criticized the lack of serious UN action to force an immediate halt to the military operations by the Assad regime and Russian forces and to force the Assad regime to immediately lift the blockades on besieged areas. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,6/2/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1926479120,Assad Regime Escalates Attacks on Besieged Alwaer District in Homs to Force Residents out,Monday 07 November 2016 19:02 Assad Regime Escalates Attacks on Besieged Alwaer District in Homs to Force Residents out. Activists in the district of Alwaer in Homs said that at least 6 civilians were killed and dozens more injured in shelling by regime forces on the neighborhood on Sunday. Regime forces shelled the besieged district with explosive cylinders rockets and heavy artillery targeting mainly residential areas. The Homs Media Center said the Assad regime is escalating attacks on Alwaer after a two-month period hiatus following a truce reached between residents of the district and regime forces. The Syrian Coalition said that the Assad regimes latest escalation in Alwaer is part of a systematic plan to force residents of Alwaer to leave their homes and bring about a demographic change in the area. Activists in Alwaer said that the regimes shelling caused several buildings to collapse adding that regime forces encircling the district prevented the evacuation of the wounded for treatment despite pleas by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. The activists urged residents of the district not to send their children to schools on Monday for fear of their safety and to stay away from the areas exposed to the regimes snipers. The Syrian Coalition earlier stressed that the barbaric crimes death and destruction the Assad regime and its allies have been wreaking in Syria will not succeed in breaking the will of the Syrian people. It warned of dire consequences as a result of the international communitys continued silence over these crimes. The Coalition has repeatedly called on the European Union the United States and friends of the Syrian people to take immediate action in order to stop crimes carried out by the Assad regime and Russia against civilians in Syria. The Coalition warned that mass killings destruction and displacement by the Assad regime and its allies undermine all chances of reaching a political settlement needed to end the suffering of the Syrian people. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Office) Twitter,etilaf,11/7/2016,homs,1,,,,
1926479123,Islamic State killed 270 in Syrian gas field battle: monitor,July 19 2014 Islamic State killed 270 in Syrian gas field battle: monitor. Militant group Islamic State killed 270 soldiers guards and staff when they captured a Syrian gas field on Thursday in the bloodiest clash yet between the al Qaeda offshoot and President Bashar al-Assads forces a monitoring group said on Saturday. The anti-Assad Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Thursday that 90 people had been killed and that many were missing after the attack against the Shaar gas field east of Homs in central Syria. But on Saturday the Observatory which monitors violence in Syria through a network of sources in the country on both sides quoted trusted sources as saying that the Islamic State had killed and executed 270 people during the assault. It said at least 40 Islamic State fighters were killed in the offensive. Islamic State has made rapid gains in Syria mostly by seizing territory from rival rebel groups using weaponry brought in from Iraq where last month it managed to take large areas from government forces. It was not immediately possible to verify the Observatorys report. Syrian state media made no mention of the attack. About 30 people had managed to escape to the nearby Hajjar field the Observatory report added. Activists say the Syrian air force has in recent weeks stepped up attacks on positions held by Islamic State formerly known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. Islamic State fighters have previously taken control of oilfields in Iraq as well as in Syrias eastern Deir al-Zor province. The group was once the Iraqi affiliate of al Qaeda but al Qaeda disowned it in February after tensions mounted over its expansion into Syria. Islamic State has declared a caliphate in the areas where it operates in Iraq and Syria. There the group has imposed Islamic law carrying out harsh penalties including several executions. In Raqqa in eastern Syria two women were stoned to death for adultery the Observatory said. One was killed on Friday and one on Saturday according to the report which could not immediately be corroborated. More than 170000 people have been killed in Syrias conflict which started as a peaceful protest movement in 2011 but descended into a multifaceted civil war after a government crackdown. Reporting by Oliver Holmes; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,7/19/2014,homs,0,,,,
1926479123,Islamic State killed 270 in Syrian gas field battle: monitor,July 19 2014 Islamic State killed 270 in Syrian gas field battle: monitor. Militant group Islamic State killed 270 soldiers guards and staff when they captured a Syrian gas field on Thursday in the bloodiest clash yet between the al Qaeda offshoot and President Bashar al-Assads forces a monitoring group said on Saturday. The anti-Assad Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Thursday that 90 people had been killed and that many were missing after the attack against the Shaar gas field east of Homs in central Syria. But on Saturday the Observatory which monitors violence in Syria through a network of sources in the country on both sides quoted trusted sources as saying that the Islamic State had killed and executed 270 people during the assault. It said at least 40 Islamic State fighters were killed in the offensive. Islamic State has made rapid gains in Syria mostly by seizing territory from rival rebel groups using weaponry brought in from Iraq where last month it managed to take large areas from government forces. It was not immediately possible to verify the Observatorys report. Syrian state media made no mention of the attack. About 30 people had managed to escape to the nearby Hajjar field the Observatory report added. Activists say the Syrian air force has in recent weeks stepped up attacks on positions held by Islamic State formerly known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. Islamic State fighters have previously taken control of oilfields in Iraq as well as in Syrias eastern Deir al-Zor province. The group was once the Iraqi affiliate of al Qaeda but al Qaeda disowned it in February after tensions mounted over its expansion into Syria. Islamic State has declared a caliphate in the areas where it operates in Iraq and Syria. There the group has imposed Islamic law carrying out harsh penalties including several executions. In Raqqa in eastern Syria two women were stoned to death for adultery the Observatory said. One was killed on Friday and one on Saturday according to the report which could not immediately be corroborated. More than 170000 people have been killed in Syrias conflict which started as a peaceful protest movement in 2011 but descended into a multifaceted civil war after a government crackdown. Reporting by Oliver Holmes; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,7/19/2014,homs,1,,,,
1926479125,France seeks U.N. resolution on Syria chemical arms.,September 10 2013 France seeks U.N. resolution on Syria chemical arms. France sought to seize the diplomatic initiative on Syria on Tuesday saying it would push for a U.N. resolution setting out terms for the destruction of its chemical weapons and warning of serious consequences if it resisted. The announcement by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius came a day after a surprise proposal by Russia that its Syrian ally hand over its chemical weapons stocks in a move that could avert possible U.S. military strikes. Fabius said the proposed resolution would be under Chapter 7 of the U.N.s charter covering the possible use of military action to restore peace and would require Damascus to reveal without delay the extent of its chemical program and place it under international control for dismantlement. The Russian foreign minister made an offer ... This cannot be used as a maneuver to divert us said Fabius whose country has been a strong backer of action including possible strikes against Syrian leader Bashar al-Assads forces. That is why we have decided to take this initiative. France will put forward a resolution at the U.N. Security Council in this sense and the procedure starts today. All options remain on the table he added. Western officials have expressed skepticism about the Russian proposal fearing it could simply be a delaying tactic aimed at averting strikes but offering no real prospect of resolving a civil war which sprung from a March 2011 uprising. The draft resolution would include an explicit condemnation of an August 21 chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of Damascus which the United States says came from Assads forces and killed more than 1400 people. It would also contain a call for those behind the attack to be punished at the International Criminal Court. Fabius said he was looking to schedule visits to China later this week and Russia early next week for talks with the two veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council. Reporting by Mark John; Editing by Nicholas Vinocur and James Regan Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/21/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1926479133,80 Civilians Killed by Russian Airstrikes on Aleppo despite 48-Hour Truce,Friday 17 June 2016 Civilians Killed by Russian Airstrikes on Aleppo despite 48-Hour Truce. The Syrian Coalition said that Russia has lost its credibility as a sponsor of negotiations. The Coalition said that Russia proves day after day it cannot claim to be a guarantor of the political process in Syria as it is directly complicit in the crimes and terrorism perpetrated against the Syrian people. The Coalition stressed that the latest political developments and the situation on the ground clearly show that every time Russia declares a temporary truce in Syria it is the first to violate it through airstrikes carried out by its forces or those of the Assad regime. On Wednesday Russias Defense Ministry declared a 48-hour truce in Aleppo set to begin on Thursday night with the aim of reducing violence and stabilizing the situation in the city. Russian and Regime forces soon violated the truce. Activists said they recorded no fewer than 30 beaches during the first 24 hours. Over 85 civilians were killed in aerial and artillery bombardments by Russian and regime forces on the city of Aleppo and its surrounding towns and villages on Thursday. Breaches of the 48-hour truce recorded included: 20 by Russian forces 13 by regime forces 2 by the PYD militia and 1 by Iranian-backed foreign militias. The attacks by the Russian regime and PYD forces were concentrated on the Castello road the last supply route into the liberated parts of the city of Aleppo. The road was hit with over 100 missiles. Three civilians two women and a man were killed. Many civilian vehicles were burned as a result of the shelling on the road. Barrel bombs dropped by regimes helicopters also hit Alsabireen mosque in Jisr Alhaj district causing huge fire inside the mosque. Russian jets bombed the towns of Anadan Khan Touman Alzorba Qibtan Aljabal Kafarnaha and Babees in rural Aleppo with the internationally-banned phosphorous. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,6/17/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479136,Death toll from terrorist rocket attacks in Aleppo rises to 8 more casualties reported in Idleb and Damascus,16 August 2016 Death toll from terrorist rocket attacks in Aleppo rises to 8 more casualties reported in Idleb and Damascus. The death toll from the terrorist groups rocket attacks on Salah Eddin neighborhood in Aleppo city rose to 8 civilians in addition to 12 injured a source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA late on Tuesday. The source earlier put the death toll at 5 civilians while 9 other people were reported injured. Some of the injured were in critical condition the source said noting that the shelling attacks on Salah Eddin neighborhood caused material damage to the locals houses and other properties. Terrorist groups also fired rocket shells on Saif al-Dawleh neighborhood in Aleppo city injuring 3 civilians and causing material damage to properties according to the source. One civilian killed due to terrorist rocket attack on besieged al-Fouaa town in Idleb In the same context a civilian was killed as terrorists from Jaish al-Fatah fired rocket shells on the besieged al-Fouaa town 10 km to the north of Idleb city. Local sources in al-Fouaa told SANA over the phone that terrorists positioned in Binnesh town targeted the locals houses in the besieged town with rocket shells killing a civilian and causing material damage to public and private properties. Material damage due to terrorist rocket attack in Homs city Terrorist groups fired two rocket shells on al-Zahraa neighborhood in Homs city in the central province of Homs. A source at Homs Governorate told SANA reporter that two rocket shells fired by terrorist groups located in the northern countryside and landed in al-Zahraa neighborhood caused material damage to the locals houses and other properties. Two civilians injured in terrorist mortar attack on Bab Touma Terrorists targeted Bab Touma neighborhood in Damascus with a mortar shell injuring two civilians. A source at Damascus Police Command said in a statement to SANA that a mortar shell fired by terrorist groups on Tuesday evening fell in Bab Touma neighborhood in the Old City in Damascus injuring two civilians and causing material damage to locals properties. English Bulletin,sana,8/16/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479140,Syrian Coalition: Assad Used Chemical Weapons 136 Times since Ghouta Massacre,Wednesday 24 August 2016 16:58 Syrian Coalition: Assad Used Chemical Weapons 136 Times since Ghouta Massacre. The Syrian Coalition called upon the UN Security Council to re-open the file of the Ghouta Massacre and refer it to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to determine perpetrators of the massacre and bring them to justice so as to make sure such a heinous crime cannot be repeated. Reports by independent human rights groups indicated that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons 136 times since the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2118 on September 27 2013 under which Assads declared stockpiles of chemical weapons were destroyed. The Syrian Coalition stressed that the Assad regime would not have used banned weapons against Syrian civilians had it not been for its total disregard for the international community as well as its sense of protection and impunity. The Syrian Coalition denounced the extraordinary claims made by the Assad regimes UN representative Bashar Aljaafari who on Monday blamed France for the Ghouta Massacre that claimed the lives of over 1127 civilians a third of them women and children. The Coalition said Aljaafaris claims showed the utmost disregard for the victims of the Ghouta Massacre and are a desperate attempt to deny Assads responsibility for the sarin attack on the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta. Following the massacre the Assad regime surrendered its cache of chemical weapons under the threat of UN sanctions and the use of force by the United States. Over the past three years the Assad regime has persistently denied responsibility for the Ghouta Massacre while seeking to blame opposition groups. However probes by the United Nations and international organizations produced a mass of evidence and facts pointing to the Assad regimes direct responsibility for the chemical attack on eastern Ghouta. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,8/24/2016,damascus,1,,,,
1926479142,Mother child killed in east Aleppo bombardment,Monday 21 November 2016 One mother and her child have died after an aerial bomb targeted their home near Masaken Hanano neighbourhood in eastern Aleppo according to human rights group. At least 19 people were killed overnight according to the Syrian Obervatorty for Human Rights due to heavy shelling and regime forces advance to entrances of Masaken Hanano. Clashes on Monday continued between regime forces and rebels backed by Fateh al-Sham around eastern Aleppo amid mutual bombardment from both sides. Aerial bombardments were focused on Ferdous and areas of Der Hafir according to Syrian activists. The situation has been dire for civilians as news confirmed that there were no more functioning hospitals in eastern Aleppo where more than 250000 people are currently living under siege and in need of urgent medical care according to the UN has said. United States President Barack Obama confessed the crisis could persist for quite some time. I am not optimistic about the short-term prospects in Syria Obama said at a news conference in Lima at the conclusion of a summit with leaders of Pacific Rim countries. UN agencies including WHO have been barred from entering eastern Aleppo since July when regime troops seized the last access route leaving the area cut off from food and medical aid for more than four months. (With Reuters) Last Update: Tuesday 22 November 2016 KSA 23:28 - GMT 20:28 5938,arabiya,11/21/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479150,Syrian Coalition Condemns Horrific Massacre by Russian Air Force in Town of Atareb Aleppo Province,Tuesday 14 November 2017 Syrian Coalition Condemns Horrific Massacre by Russian Air Force in Town of Atareb Aleppo Province. The Syrian Coalition strongly condemns the brutal crime which was committed by aircraft of the Russian occupation forces in the town of Atareb in western rural Aleppo on Monday November 13. Initial reports indicated that over 40 civilians were killed and hundreds more were injured when Russian jets fired vacuum missiles on a popular market in the town. Russia which has used every possible means to undermine the will of the Syrian people and impose devious schemes and projects on them continues to wriggle out of its commitments and obligations towards the de-escalation zones agreement. Instead of honoring its role as a so-called guarantor of the agreement Russia bombed a popular market that was full of civilians in the town of Atareb in broad daylight destroying dozens of houses and buildings though no rebel groups were stationed in the town which is under the authority of a civilian council and a local police force. Instead of changing its positions and exerting pressure on the Assad regime to force it to seriously participate in the Geneva process and abide by UN Security Council resolutions and engage in direct and serious negotiations this crime one again demonstrated that Russia is unwilling to change its stance. The crime has also proved that Russia is determined to side with the Assad regime; continue with the war crimes Against the Syrian people; and that it is not interested in stopping its crime nor forcing its allies to stop the crimes they are committing against the Syrian people. The Syrian Coalition holds Russia directly and fully responsible for the war crimes it has committed in Syria since the beginning of its direct military intervention in Syria as well as for the crimes of genocide and the Assad regimes use of chemical weapons and other internationally prohibited weapons. The Coalition calls on the UN Security Council to condemn this massacre and its perpetrators as well as to prosecute them by all possible means as war criminals and to take serious action to protect Syrian civilians from these continued massacres. Twitter,etilaf,11/13/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479154,Assad Regime Commits Horrific Massacres After Loss of Idlib,Saturday 11 April 2015 18:05 Assad Regime Commits Horrific Massacres After Loss of Idlib. Determined to prevent any aspect of life in areas controlled by rebels the Assad regime continues to wreak havoc and destruction in residential neighborhoods causing mass displacement of civilians and massive damage to the infrastructure. The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) said in a report that the liberation of the city of Idlib on Saturday March 28 2015 was followed by escalated bombardment from government forces targeting the city and its vital centers such as markets and mosques and some Idlib rural cities most notably Sraqb Sarmin and Maara Al-Numan. Most bombing was carried out by air forces raining barrel bombs and missiles some containing toxic gasses on the city and its surroundings. In less than two weeks the Idlib province has been shelled with about 47 barrel bombs and a minimum of 100 missiles. Before government forces left Idlib they executed 15 detainees by shooting the report added. According to SNHR victims documentation team; the number of victims from Friday March 27 2015 to Friday April 10 2015 has reached 236 individuals as follows: 82 armed opposition gunmen 154 civilians including 54 children and 39 women. Vice president of the Syrian Coalition Nagham al-Ghadiri said that we have repeatedly called on friendly countries to supply rebels with advanced weapons capable of warding off Assads air force and also called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities towards civilians in Syria. Assads strategy aims to kill any chance for Syrians in the liberate areas to establish civil governance or restore public services. The fierce bombing on Idlib is causing a massive exodus of civilians estimated at over 70% of the population. she added. Local councils civil bodies and rebel factions are making a great effort to run and secure public institutions and facilities to provide services for civilians warning that ISIS might step in and exploit the vacuum and chaos caused by the Assad regime vengeful attacks on the city. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,2/2/2015,idlib,0,,,,
1926479154,Assad Regime Commits Horrific Massacres After Loss of Idlib,Saturday 11 April 2015 18:05 Assad Regime Commits Horrific Massacres After Loss of Idlib. Determined to prevent any aspect of life in areas controlled by rebels the Assad regime continues to wreak havoc and destruction in residential neighborhoods causing mass displacement of civilians and massive damage to the infrastructure. The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) said in a report that the liberation of the city of Idlib on Saturday March 28 2015 was followed by escalated bombardment from government forces targeting the city and its vital centers such as markets and mosques and some Idlib rural cities most notably Sraqb Sarmin and Maara Al-Numan. Most bombing was carried out by air forces raining barrel bombs and missiles some containing toxic gasses on the city and its surroundings. In less than two weeks the Idlib province has been shelled with about 47 barrel bombs and a minimum of 100 missiles. Before government forces left Idlib they executed 15 detainees by shooting the report added. According to SNHR victims documentation team; the number of victims from Friday March 27 2015 to Friday April 10 2015 has reached 236 individuals as follows: 82 armed opposition gunmen 154 civilians including 54 children and 39 women. Vice president of the Syrian Coalition Nagham al-Ghadiri said that we have repeatedly called on friendly countries to supply rebels with advanced weapons capable of warding off Assads air force and also called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities towards civilians in Syria. Assads strategy aims to kill any chance for Syrians in the liberate areas to establish civil governance or restore public services. The fierce bombing on Idlib is causing a massive exodus of civilians estimated at over 70% of the population. she added. Local councils civil bodies and rebel factions are making a great effort to run and secure public institutions and facilities to provide services for civilians warning that ISIS might step in and exploit the vacuum and chaos caused by the Assad regime vengeful attacks on the city. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,2/2/2015,idlib,1,,,,
1926479155,Deir Ezzor Civilians Stuck between the Regimes Hammer and ISISs Anvil,Thursday 25 August 2016 Deir Ezzor Civilians Stuck between the Regimes Hammer and ISISs Anvil. Activists in Deir Ezzor said that nearly 58 people including women and children were killed in mutual shelling between regime forces and ISIS militants on the city and its countryside on Wednesday. The plight of civilians in Deir Ezzor is further aggravated as a result of the lack of basic needs including food and medicine. In Deir Ezzor civilians are trapped in a cycle of violence where Russian and regime air forces raid ISIS-held neighborhoods in the city and the extremist group shells the regime-held parts with rockets and mortar rounds. Recent airstrikes by the Assad regime jets targeted civilians queuing at a bakery in the neighborhood of Alommal causing dozens of casualties. The ISIS terrorist group has laid a siege on the regime-held parts of Deir Ezzor since early 2014. ISIS militants prevent civilians from entering regime-held parts while regime forces prevent civilians from leaving parts of the city under their control. Member of the Syrian Coalition Hussein Albuseis condemned the crimes committed by the Assad regime and its allies as well as by ISIS against civilians in Deir Ezzor. He called upon the international community to step up support for the local FSA and rebel groups to enable them oust ISIS and the Assad regime from all Deir Ezzor province. Albuseis pointed out that nearly 200 000 civilians trapped in Deir Ezzor have been suffering a double siege by the Assad regime and ISIS warning of a humanitarian disaster should the citys civilian population be left prey to the barbarity of the Assad regime and ISIS. He expressed hope that these appeals will not fall on deaf ears and prompt an immediate response from the internationally community. Dozens of civilians have starved to death since ISIS tightened the siege on Deir Ezzor in early 2014. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,8/25/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1926479156,Five killed four injured in terrorist attacks in Aleppo Hama Damascus and its Countryside,25 November 2016 Five killed four injured in terrorist attacks in Aleppo Hama Damascus and its Countryside. Five citizens were killed and four others were injured in terrorist attacks with explosive device and shells in Aleppo Hama Damascus and its countryside on Friday. Two people one of them a child killed in terrorist rocket attack on al-Midan neighborhood in Aleppo Two people one of them a child were killed on Friday due to a terrorist rocket attack on the residential neighborhood of al-Midan in Aleppo city. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANAs correspondent that terrorists fired rocket shells at al-Midan neighborhood in the city killing two people including a child and causing serious injuries to a woman in addition to causing material damage to public and private properties. Three killed two injured in explosive device blast in Hama countryside Three citizens were killed and two others were injured due to an explosive device blast on the outskirts of Khneifis town in Hama countryside. A source at Hama Police Command told SANA that an explosive device which was planted earlier by terrorists exploded in a car on one of the agricultural roads to the east of Khneifis town. The source added that the explosion claimed the lives of three citizens injured two others and caused the destruction of the car. A person injured in terrorist attacks with shells in Damascus and its Countryside A person was injured in terrorist attacks with shells by Jaish al-Islam on the neighborhoods of al-Dokhanyeh Mazzeh 86 and Harasta residential suburb in Damascus and its Countryside. A source at Damascus Police Command told SANA that terrorists positioned in Joubar neighborhood targeted with a rocket shell al-Dokhanyeh neighborhood on the eastern outskirts of Damascus city injuring a person and causing material damage to the place. The source added that material damage was also caused to a number of the houses when terrorists fired a number of rocket shells on Harasta residential suburb and Mazzeh 86 neighborhood. Manar al-Frieh/Manal,sana,11/25/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479157,Kerry discusses chemical attack with Syrian foreign minister,Sunday 25 August 2013 Kerry discusses chemical attack with Syrian foreign minister. The Syrian government should have granted United Nations inspectors access to the site of an alleged gas attack John Kerry reportedly told Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem in a call on Saturday. Kerry called to make clear that if as they claimed the Syrian regime has nothing to hide it should have allowed immediate and unimpeded access to the site rather than continuing to attack the affected area to block access and destroy evidence a State Department was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. Syrian opposition groups have accused President Bashar al-Assads forces of launching massive chemical attacks near Damascus on August 21 and killing as many as 1300 people. Infographic: Chemical weapons claims (Design by Farwa Rizwan / Al Arabiya English) The Syrian government has strongly denied those allegations but has yet to accede to demands that U.N. inspectors already in the country be allowed to visit the sites of the alleged attacks AFP news agency reports. The secretary further emphasized ... that he had received full assurances from Free Syrian Army commanders that they would ensure the safety of U.N. investigators into the targeted areas the official said. In all these calls the secretary emphasized the importance of quickly determining the facts and underscored the seriousness and gravity of any chemical weapons use the official said. U.S. President Barack Obama received a detailed review of a range of potential options from his top advisers on Saturday on how Washington and its allies could respond to an alleged chemical weapons attack on Damascus by the Syrian government Reuters reported the White House as saying. Obama also spoke with British Prime Minister David Cameron about Syria and agreed to consult about potential responses by the international community the White House said. (With AFP and Reuters) Last Update: Sunday 25 August 2013 KSA 15:55 - GMT 12:55 1,arabiya,8/25/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1926479159,Dozens Killed in Intensified Russian & Regime Airstrikes on Idlib,Friday 22 July 2016 Dozens Killed in Intensified Russian & Regime Airstrikes on Idlib. Activists said that at least 10 civilians were killed and 50 wounded in airstrikes by Russian forces on Idlib city on Friday morning. The civil administration of Idlib on Thursday announced the full mobilization of the emergency medical services to cope with the high number of casualties among residents of the city and its countryside following a brutal wave of airstrikes by Russian jets that left at least 38 civilians killed and dozens more wounded. The most violent airstrikes targeted civilian neighborhoods of Idlib city as well as the towns of Tal Minnis Sarmada and Maaret Alnouman. Vice-president of the Syrian Coalition Muwaffaq Nyrabiya said that military escalation against civilians by the Assad regime and Russian forces comes as the date set by the United Nations for the start the transitional process in Syria nears. Nyrabiya said that such an escalation reinforced doubts repeatedly raised by the Syrian Coalition about the willingness of Russia and the Assad regime to engage seriously in the political process. Nyrabiya pointed out that Russias actions in Syria demonstrate it is insistent on pursuing a military solution in Assads favor. Russias actions however will not weaken the resolve of the Syrian people and the Syrian opposition to reclaim freedom and dignity and build a civil state based on inclusivity and the rule of law he stressed. Nyrabiya called on all rebel and FSA groups to reconsider their strategies and lend an ear to calls for them to pull out of Idlib and assign the task of managing the affairs in the city to the local council and the free police forces. The intensified Russian airstrikes on Idlib prompted an exodus of civilians towards the surrounding cities towns and farmlands. Secondary education exams were also postponed as a result of the airstrikes and Friday prayers cancelled in all of the citys mosques. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,8/20/2013,idlib,0,,,,
1926479161,Russian Airstrikes Hit MSF Hospital in Idlib,Monday 15 February 2016 Russian Airstrikes Hit MSF Hospital in Idlib. A hospital supported by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in the town of Maaret al-Nouman in rural Idlib was hit earlier today by Russian air airstrikes. At least seven people were killed and many more wounded in the deliberate attack on the hospital. The hospital was completely destroyed and the fate of at least eight members of staff is still unknown. The Syrian Coalition condemned the attack saying it is not the first hospital to be targeted by Russian warplanes. Russia has targeted civilian neighborhoods medical centers schools and houses of worship. This crime will not be the last as long as the international community keeps silent and shirks its responsibility to respond to them. While we hold Moscow fully responsible for these crimes we warn that the international communitys continued inaction serves as an incentive for Russia to commit more crimes in Syria. Russias acts in Syria will not only negatively affect the political process but will also encourage the spread of terrorism the Syrian Coalition stressed. The Syrian Coalition called upon the ceasefire task force formed as part of the Munich agreement not to ignore the horrible crimes Russia continues to commit against the Syrian people. These crimes would undermine all chances of reaching a political settlement to the conflict. The continued silence over Russias behavior in Syria undoubtedly represents complicity in these crimes and would ruin what has been achieved in Munich the Coalition said. These ongoing crimes especially after the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2254 and the signing off on the Munich agreement undermine all chances of restoring trust in the international community. They cast doubt about the international communitys ability to find a real political solution to end the tragedy unfolding in Syria the Coalition added. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,2/15/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1926479162,Iranian Militias Carry out Summary Executions against Civilians in Aleppo.,Saturday 24 December 2016 Iranian Militias Carry out Summary Executions against Civilians in Aleppo. The Syrian Coalition condemned the war crimes the Iranian militias are committing against civilians in Aleppo stressing that the international community bears responsibility for these crimes as it failed to prevent them. Activists in Aleppo said that the Iranian militias summarily executed six young men in the neighborhood of Sakhour on Friday after those men returned to their homes in eastern Aleppo which completely fell to regime forces. Member of the Syrian Coalitions political committee Yasser Farhan said that the Free Syrian Army and forces of the Syrian revolution will continue to resist the Russian and Iranian invaders until they are ousted from of all Syrian territory. Activists in rural Aleppo said that the Assad regime and Russian air forces having finished the brutal bombing campaign on eastern Aleppo carried out intense airstrikes on western Aleppo over the past two days. Six civilians from one family were killed in airstrikes on the town of Atareb west of Aleppo on Saturday. Regime forces have also significantly escalated aerial and artillery bombardment on Wadi Barada valley northwest of Damascus pounding the rebel-held enclave with tens of barrel bombs and airstrikes over the past two days. Farhan stressed that the international community has a responsibility to stop such crimes pointing out that Russia is still not able to control the situation in Syria or sponsor any peace process. Farhan raised questions about the UN Security Council resolution passed earlier this week which called for the deployment of UN observers in Aleppo. He said that the latest resolution has not yet been implemented just as earlier UNSC resolutions on Syria which called for stopping attacks on civilians; unhindered delivery of aid to besieged and hard-to-reach areas; and the release of detainees were not implemented. Iran is seeking to consolidate its presence in Syria through the deployment of sectarian foreign militias in key areas across the country Farhan warned. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Office) Twitter,etilaf,12/24/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479165,Russian Airstrikes Disrupt Last Remaining Ambulance Service in Rural Aleppo,Print this page Tuesday 19 July 2016 16:45 Russian Airstrikes Disrupt Last Remaining Ambulance Service in Rural Aleppo. The relentless aerial bombardment by Russian forces has rendered dysfunctional the last remaining ambulance service in western rural Aleppo director of the service Taysir Hammoud said. Hammoud pointed out that the center for emergency medical services came under intense airstrikes by Russian forces over the past few days. The bombing caused severe damage to the equipment of the center especially ambulance vehicles. Hammoud added that they are working on restoring the medical services in the area but he did not specify a date when the services will be fully restored. Hammoud added that the ambulance service set up medical centers close to the battlefronts in rural Aleppo to provide urgent treatment to those who need it as a result of the ongoing battles. The ambulance teams lost three crewmembers who were killed trying to rescue victims of battles and airstrikes in the area. The ambulance service center in western rural Aleppo set up in 2014 comprises 15 medics 9 ambulance drivers and 4 administrative staff members. The center provided services for civilians and opposition fighters in local makeshift hospitals and helped move the wounded to border crossings with Turkey. The only hospital in the town of Kafar Hamra in northern rural Aleppo was completely destroyed in Russian airstrikes on Thursday killing three medics. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) the Russian air force targeted at least 243 vital civilian facilities including 5 IDP camps between September 30 2015 and March 15 2016 when Russia announced partial withdrawal of its forces from Syria. The targeted civilian facilities also included 51 medical centers 57 infrastructure facilities 52 educational facilities 50 religious centers 25 residential blocks and 5 IDP camps. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Smart News) Twitter,etilaf,7/14/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479178,Syrian Coalition Calls for Holding Assad Regime Accountable for Repeated Chemical Attacks,Tuesday 04 April 2017 Syrian Coalition Calls for Holding Assad Regime Accountable for Repeated Chemical Attacks. The Syrian Coalition called on the UN Security Council to hold the Assad regime accountable for the horrific crime his forces committed in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in the rural Idlib at dawn today. Chemical substances were used in the attack which left at least 100 people killed and over 400 wounded mostly women and children according to the directorate of health in Idlib province. In a press release issued on Tuesday the Coalition said that early photos and videos of the aftermath of the attack clearly show a horrible crime similar to the one the Assad regime committed in eastern Ghouta near Damascus in the summer of 2013 which the international community allowed to go unpunished. The Coalition called upon the UN Security Council to hold an emergency session to address this crime and conduct an immediate investigation into it. Urgent measures need to be taken to ensure that those who ordered executed supported and are involved in the attack are held accountable under Chapter VII of the UN Charter the Coalition said. The failure to take concrete urgent action would be understood by the Assad regime as a blessing for its actions. Inaction is no more an option as it amounts to direct involvement and even direct responsibility for those crimes the Coalition added. The Assad regimes air force also carried out a massacre against civilians in the town of Douma in eastern Ghouta on Monday claiming the lives of at least 32 people including women and children. The Assad regime continues to use internationally prohibited weapons in bombing civilian areas in a blatant violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention and UN Security Council resolutions 2118 2209 2235 and 2254. These crimes would not have happened again had it not been for the lukewarm response by the international community and its failure to ensure protection for civilians the Coalition said. The Coalition called for the implementation of Article 21 of UN Security Council resolution 2118 which says the Council would take measures under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter in case of noncompliance including the transfer and use of chemical weapons. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Department) Twitter,etilaf,4/4/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1926479179,French FM: all indications Syria behind chemical attack,Saturday 24 August 2013 French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Saturday that all indications show that Syrias government was behind a chemical massacre near Damascus that the opposition claims killed hundreds. All the information at our disposal converges to indicate that there was a chemical massacre near Damascus and that the Bashar regime is responsible Fabius said on a visit to Ramallah in the West Bank. Opponents of Bashar al-Assad said the presidents forces killed 1300 people when they unleased chemical weapons east and southwest of Damascus in the attacks on Wednesday. U.N. Under Secretary General Angela Kane arrived in the Syrian capital on Saturday for talks aimed at establishing the terms of an enquiry into the alleged attacks an AFP journalist said. We ask that the U.N. team that is there can be deployed very quickly and make the necessary inspections Fabius said. The information which we have shows that this chemical massacre is of such gravity that it obviously cannot pass without a strong reaction he added. The Syrian government has strongly denied accusations it carried out the attacks but so far it has not said whether it will let U.N. inspectors visit the sites. Fabius arrived early Saturday on a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories aimed at encouraging recently resumed peace talks his office said.,arabiya,8/24/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1926479180,Death toll from terrorist attacks on Aleppo rises to 12 with over 200 injured,3 November 2016 Death toll from terrorist attacks on Aleppo rises to 12 with over 200 injured. The death toll from the terrorist attacks on neighborhoods in Aleppo city rose to 12 people in addition to more than 200 others injured including a photographer from al-Alam TV channel SANA reporter said. According to earlier information provided by a source at Aleppo Police Command 5 people were killed and 46 others were injured as the terrorist organizations launched attacks on the neighborhoods of Halap al-Jadideh al-Mogambo al-Masharqeh and al-Furqan where shells hit the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. Rocket shells and explosive bullets were used in the attacks which were launched by terrorists positioned in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city and others in the provinces western countryside. SANA reporter quoted the source as saying that a girl child was among the dead and that the attacks caused material damage to public and private properties. A medical source at al-Jamiaa (University) Hospital told the reporter that the hospital received a person suffering suffocation due to an attack on Menian to the west of Aleppo city in which the terrorists used poisonous gases. Meanwhile Mohammd Joulaq a photographer formal-Alam TV channel sustained slight injuries while covering the military operations carried out by the army against terrorist groups on the southwestern outskirts of Aleppo city. Terrorist mortar attack on Izraa city in Daraa causes material damage Terrorist organizations affiliated to Jabhat al-Nusra targeted with mortar shells the city of Izraa in the northeastern countryside of Daraa province. A source at Daraa Police Command told SANA reporter that the attack caused material damage to the locals houses and public properties but left no human casualties. M. al-Frieh/H. Said,sana,11/3/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479189,25 civilians killed 80 injured in rocket terrorist attacks on Aleppo city during the past 24 hours,30 April 2016 25 civilians killed 80 injured in rocket terrorist attacks on Aleppo city during the past 24 hours. 25 civilians were killed and more than 80 others were injured due to terrorist attacks on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city during the past 24 hours. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that Jabhat an-Nusra terrorists and other terrorist groups affiliated to it targeted on Saturday with a number of rocket shells al-Neel Street and al-Hamadaniyeh neighborhoods in Aleppo city. The continued terrorist attacks resulted in killing a man and a woman and caused material damage to public and private properties. According to medical sources at the Directorate of Health in Aleppo earlier six injured civilians in the terrorist attacks on Friday died on Saturday and hospitals received more than 80 other wounded persons. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists and other terrorist groups targeted on Saturday with a number of rocket shells the area surrounding the Municipal Palace Saadallah al-Jabiri Square and al-Neel street neighborhood in Aleppo city. The terrorist attacks caused casualties among civilians who stayed at their homes to avoid more casualties due to the continued attacks. The continued shillings on the neighborhoods caused material damage to houses parked cars and public and private properties. On Friday 16 civilians were killed and scores others were injured most of whom are women and children when Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists and other terrorist groups targeted with dozens of rocket shells Ifreen area Bab al-Faraj al-Midan al-Muhafaza Saif al-Dawleh al-Izaa al-Martini and al-Neel Street while worshipers were leaving the mosques after prayers. Meanwhile SANAs correspondent in Deir Ezzor reported that two civilians were killed and nine others were injured by 6 explosive shells fired by ISIS terrorists on al-Qusour neighborhood in Deir Ezzor city. Qabas/ Manal,sana,4/30/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479206,Syrian Coalition Urges Intl Community to Stop Crimes by Regime and Russia against Syrian Civilians,Saturday 20 August 2016 Syrian Coalition Urges Intl Community to Stop Crimes by Regime and Russia against Syrian Civilians. The Syrian Coalition called on the European Union the United States and friends of the Syrian people to take immediate action in order to stop crimes carried out by the Assad regime and Russia against civilians in Syria. The Assad regime backed by Russia and allied forces continues with the campaign of terror against the Syrian people. The Coalition warned that mass killings destruction and displacement by the Assad regime and its allies undermine all chances of reaching a political settlement needed to end the suffering of the Syrian people. Activists in northern rural Homs said that the Assad regime and Russian forces have recently intensified aerial attacks on rebel-held areas. At least 13 civilians were killed and 30 others wounded in airstrikes by regime and Russian fighter jets on the town of Alghantou on Friday. Airstrikes also targeted the nearby towns of Rastan Talbeesah Ter Maaleh and Zafarana. Meanwhile Albir hospital and civilian homes in the district of Alwaer in Homs were subject to intense regime shelling on Friday with reports of civilian casualties. Activists said that the Assad regime has recently resorted to spreading rumors and misinformation to instill fear among residents of the district; a tactic Russia used in Ukraine. The Coalition stressed that the barbaric crimes death and destruction the Assad regime and its allies have been wreaking in Syria will not succeed in breaking the will of the Syrian people. The coalition warned of dire consequences as a result of the international communitys continued silence over these crimes. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,8/20/2016,homs,1,,,,
1926479207,Syrian Coalition Decries the US-led Alliances Silence over Al Raqqa Massacre,Thursday 27 November 2014 Syrian Coalition Decries the US-led Alliances Silence over Al Raqqa Massacre. Nasr al-Hariri Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition decries the silence of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition over Al Raqqa massacre in which dozens of civilians were killed by Assads air force. The world chose to remain silent over one of Assads most horrible massacres committed not only against the people of Al Raqqa but against all humanity. Over 130 civilians were killed and hundreds wounded when Assads air force carried out nine air raids on the city. The US-led coalitions lack of clear and coherent strategy on Syria would risks throwing many disappointed Syrians in the arms of extremist groups not out of conviction of their fanatic principles but out of the growing frustration over the failure of the international community to offer them a better alternative. Hariri also said that it is strange how the US-led coalitions warplanes rushed to punish the criminals who killed the US journalist James Foley but insists on ignoring Assads warplanes have killed thousands of children and women. The basic principle in the charters of Human Rights is that punishment is based on the type and characterization of the crime not on the nature of the offender. The Syrians will not accept this duality that has so far characterized the strategy of the US-led coalition which is avenging the killing of Western citizens but turn a blind eye to the killing of hundreds of thousands Syrians at the hands of the Assad regime. Moreover fighting terrorism in Syrian and the region piecemeal will not eliminate the threat of terrorism which swept the region with the direct support of Assad and his Iranian allies. Hariri pointed out that the bombing that targeted Al Raqqa yesterday is not random at all but a systematic and collective punishment inflicted on civilians. (Source: Syrian Coalition) Twitter,etilaf,11/27/2014,raqqa,0,,,,
1926479215,Security Council seeks clarity on chemical weapons reports in Syria,Wednesday 21 August 2013 Security Council seeks clarity on chemical weapons reports in Syria. The U.N. Security Council said on Wednesday that it is seeking clarity on reports suggesting that Syrian regime forces killed 1300 people using chemical weapons. There must be clarity on what happened and the situation must be followed carefully Argentinas envoy Maria Cristina Perceval said after the council met behind closed doors adding that members welcomed the determination of the secretary general to ensure a thorough impartial investigation. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moons office had said he was shocked by the reports and that U.N. weapons experts in Syria to probe previous allegations were in discussions with Damascus according to AFP. Security Council members France Britain the United States Luxembourg and South Korea had called for the meeting which was held behind closed doors. Diplomats said the joint letter cited credible reports of the use of chemical weapons. We urge you to do all you can to ensure that the mission has urgent access to all relevant sites and sources of information the letter said. The United States called for immediate access to the site of the alleged chemical attack. We are working urgently to gather additional information said White House spokesman Josh Earnest in a statement expressing deep concern over the reports. International action was expected to be limited with permanent U.N. member Russia standing firmly by the Assads regime. Russia hastened to back up denials from the Assads administration by saying it looked like a rebel provocation to discredit him according to Reuters. Neighboring Israels Channel 10 television quoted Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon as telling reporters that Syria had used chemical weapons and not for the first time. U.S. President Barack Obama has made the use of chemical weapons by Assads forces a red line that already in June triggered more U.S. aid to the rebels. But previous smaller and disputed cases of their deployment have not brought the all-out military intervention that rebel leaders have sought to break a stalemate. If confirmed a major gas attack could increase pressure on Obama to do more to support rebels whose links to militant Islam have helped dampen Western enthusiasm for their cause. (With AFP and Reuters) Last Update: Thursday 22 August 2013 KSA 01:41 - GMT 22:41 99,arabiya,8/21/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1926479219,Factbox: Congress debates Obamas plan for Syria strikes,September 9 2013 Factbox: Congress debates Obamas plan for Syria strikes. President Barack Obamas request for congressional authorization for military strikes against Syria is set to dominate the Congress this week and next with the outcome in doubt. Obama is seeking backing for the strikes in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus on August 21. Washington blames the Syrian government for the attack which it says kills more than 1400 people. Here are the important steps in Congress: - On Monday Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid began moving to limit debate on the motion to proceed to a resolution authorizing the use of military force. The motion to proceed is the mechanism for bringing legislation before the full Senate. It is not yet clear whether opponents will allow a simple majority vote on this procedural step or insist on a more difficult 60-vote majority in the 100-member chamber in which Obamas Democrats control 54 seats. This first test vote is now set for Wednesday. - On Monday evening many members of Congress will receive a classified briefing from administration and military officials. For scores of lawmakers this will be their first inside look at the Syria situation. - Reid in consultation with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell will likely decide how many and which amendments to the bill will be debated on the Senate floor. - Obama is due to lunch on Tuesday with Senate Democrats in an attempt to sway enough of them to support a military strike. - He then plans a speech to the nation on Tuesday night which could be a defining moment. Many undecided members of the Senate and House are likely to make up their minds on how they will vote after that speech and into Wednesday. - If the Senate votes to debate the resolution itself opponents could erect another procedural hurdle that would require 60 votes to limit this debate. Should those votes prove necessary and if Reid succeeds in rounding them up a vote on passing the Syria resolution could come on Thursday or Friday. A simple majority vote in favor of the bill would send it to the House for consideration. - The House could simply vote for or against the Senate-passed bill. Or it could amend the bill pass it and send it back to the Senate for approval. Another option though one that seems less likely now is for a House committee to write its own bill for debate in the 435-member House. In any event it could be next week before the full House takes action. Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by David Brunnstrom Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/21/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1926479220,Syrias Assad regime likely responsible for chemical attack: rights group,September 10 2013 Syrias Assad regime likely responsible for chemical attack: rights group Reuters Staff. Evidence strongly suggests Syrian government forces were responsible for a poison gas attack that killed more than 1400 people Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday contradicting repeated denials by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The U.S.-based rights group in a report issued in New York said it had reached its conclusion after analyzing witness accounts information of the likely source of the attacks remnants of the weapons used and medical records of victims. The evidence concerning the type of rockets and launchers used in these attacks strongly suggests that these are weapon systems known and documented to be only in the possession of and used by Syrian government armed forces Human Rights Watch said. Human Rights Watch and arms experts monitoring the use of weaponry in Syria have not documented Syrian opposition forces to be in possession of the 140mm and 330mm rockets used in the attack or their associated launchers. The chemical weapons attack near Damascus on August 21 killed more than 1400 people. Syria has been torn by a bitter civil conflict between Assads troops and rebel forces who want to end the Assad familys four-decade rule. The Human Rights Watch report comes as the United States pushes for congressional approval for military strikes on Syria and as U.S. President Barack Obama explores a Russian proposal to put Syrias chemical weapons under international control. Obama has argued that Assad must be punished for the use of poison gas on rebel areas but his plan faces significant resistance from U.S. lawmakers who are worried that a strike could draw the U.S. into the conflict and spark wider conflicts in the Middle East. Assad in an interview on the U.S. CBS television network denied there was any evidence to link his government to the gas attack and warned the United States to expect reprisals for any military strike on his country. Human Rights Watch said it also investigated suggestions the chemical attacks came from opposition forces. Human Rights Watch has investigated alternative claims that opposition forces themselves were responsible for the August 21 attacks and has found such claims lacking in credibility and inconsistent with the evidence found at the scene. Reporting by James Grubel; Editing by Nick Macfie Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/21/2013,daraa,0,,,,
1926479221,Three killed over 70 injured in terrorist attacks including with chemical weapons in Aleppo,30 October 2016 Three killed over 70 injured in terrorist attacks including with chemical weapons in Aleppo. Terrorist organizations affiliated to Turkish and Saudi regimes targeted on Sunday al-Hamadaniyeh area and al-Assad residential suburb in Aleppo city with shells that contained toxic gases. According to SANA reporter more than 35 people suffered suffocation due to the attack which was launched by the terrorist organizations positioned on the western outskirts of Aleppo city. Upon visiting the injured in al-Jamiaa (University) and al-Razi hospitals the reporter said the injured are suffering from vomiting shortness of breath mydriasis numbness in the limbs and muscle spasms adding that the medical cadres are taking all measures to prevent the health condition of the injured from getting worse. In 2013 the terrorist organizations launched toxic gas attacks on a number of residential areas in the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus al-Sukkari neighborhood in Aleppo city and a number of villages and towns in the northern countryside of Aleppo. According to reports members in the Turkish Parliament revealed on various occasions that the Turkish regime under Recep Tayyip Erdogan has provided the terrorist organizations in Syria with toxic gases and is protecting those who are involved in producing chemical weapons of sarin and other toxic gases. Two killed 6 injured in terrorist rocket attacks in Aleppo Earlier two persons including a child were killed and 6 others were injured in terrorist rocket shells attack on al-Hamadaniyeh and al-Meridian neighborhoods in Aleppo according to SANA reporter in Aleppo. The reporter quoted a source at Aleppo Police Command as saying that the terrorist organizations positioned in the eastern neighborhoods of the city and some terrorist hotbeds in the western side of it targeted with rocket shells al-Hamadaniyeh and al-Meridian neighborhoods in Aleppo killing two people including a child and injuring 6 others. The source added that the terrorist attacks caused material damage to the citizens houses and properties. A woman killed 30 injured in ISIS attacks in Deir Ezzor In the same context a woman was killed and 30 other people were injured due to ISIS shelling attack on al-Joura and al-Qusour neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor city. A source at Deir Ezzor Police Command told SANA that 40 rocket and mortar shells hit the two neighborhoods noting that five of the injured are in critical condition. H.Zain/ Ghossoun /M. al-Frieh/H. Said,sana,10/5/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479222,The army advances on al-Rasafa in Raqqa shoots down a drone for ISIS terrorists,11 June 2016 The army advances on al-Rasafa in Raqqa shoots down a drone for ISIS terrorists. Army units have killed many ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists as they continued their operations against the two organizations positions in various areas. Raqqa Army units in cooperation with the popular defense groups have advanced in Raqqa countryside inflicting losses upon the ranks of ISIS terrorists whose positions have received direct strikes. After establishing control over the oil pumping station and electricity station of al-Tabqa city in addition to two oil fields in the western countryside of Raqqa the army has continued advancing and swiftly established control over areas where ISIS terrorists spread in Harbiyat and Anbaj villages a military source told SANA on Saturday. Having advanced that far the army units are now only 6 km from al-Rasafa area after they have already secured a 57 km long area extending between Atherya near Hama and al-Rasafeh in the eastern Badiya (desert) the source said. It added that al-Safih Triangle that is located near al-Habbari field has now been under the armys full control after the remaining gatherings of ISIS terrorists were eliminated before the rest fled the area. A drone for ISIS terrorists was shot down while it was trying to monitor the armys movement towards the eastern Badiya to hinder its advance the source noted. Deir Ezzor Units of the army and armed forces killed 15 ISIS terrorists and injured others in al-Reshdia neighborhood vicinity of al-Tharda mount and Ayash villge in the Deir Ezzor city and its countryside during the last hours a field source told SANA reporter. The source added that an army unit destroyed an ammunition and weapons-loaded vehicle for ISIS at the vicinity of Tharda mount at the southern side of the city. Tens of ISIS terrorists including foreigners were killed in the last few days in several areas of Deir Ezzor province by army units which also destroyed a number of ISIS heavy machine gun-equipped vehicles. Daraa Army units carried out military operations against Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in the southern Daraa province destroying some of their fortifications and gatherings to the south of al-Kark roundabout in Daraa al-Mahatta neighborhood and to the south of al-Menshiyeh neighborhood in Daraa al-Balad area. The source added that another army unit clashed with a Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group that attempted to infiltrate into the vicinity of a military post in Daraa al-Mahatta killing or injuring most of the groups members. English Bulletin,sana,6/11/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1926479223,Obama says is shifting to domestic priorities from Syria focus,September 12 2013 Obama says is shifting to domestic priorities from Syria focus. Mark Felsenthal. President Barack Obama said on Thursday he is shifting his focus to domestic priorities from a tense period during which he sought congressional approval to use military force against Syria for its suspected use of chemical weapons. Even as we have been spending a lot of time on the Syria issue and making sure that international attention is focused on the horrible tragedy that occurred there it is still important to recognize that weve got a lot more stuff to do here in this government the president said before a meeting with his Cabinet at the White House. The president said he hopes meetings between Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will result in action to eliminate Syrias ability to use chemical weapons again. Obama has asked Congress to authorize military strikes against Syria in response to what the United States says was a chemical weapons attack by the government that killed more than 1400 people on August 21. The issue is on hold pending diplomatic efforts to disarm Syria of chemical weapons. I am hopeful that the discussions that Secretary Kerry had with Foreign Minister Lavrov as well as some of the other players in this can yield a concrete result Obama said. U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a cabinet meeting in the West Wing of the White House in Washington September 12 2013. REUTERS/Jason Reed Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov were to hold talks on Syria in Geneva. The president cited the budget immigration and implementation of his signature healthcare legislation as concerns he is turning to. The administration faces daunting obstacles on all three fronts and a ticking clock on the budget in particular. Congressional Republicans have sought to eliminate funding for the health law known as Obamacare and want the president to agree to spending cuts in exchange for raising the nations debt limit. Lawmakers must pass legislation to continue funding for government operations by the end of the month or force a government shutdown. Failure to raise the nations debt limit after a date expected in mid-October would trigger a debt default. The administration is also scrambling to make sure Americans lacking health coverage sign up for insurance under the new law starting October 1. Were going to focus on some specific issues including managing some of the budget debates that are going to take place over the next several weeks Obama said. Were going to be talking about the rollout of the Affordable Care Act. Reporting by Mark Felsenthal and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Vicki Allen Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/21/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1926479226,A new family escapes the crimes of terrorists and gets out of Aleppo eastern neighborhoods,20 November 2016 A new family escapes the crimes of terrorists and gets out of Aleppo eastern neighborhoods. A family of 6 persons has been able to get out of Aleppo eastern countryside on Sunday. They were received by Aleppo governor at al-Baath partys building in the city. The situation in the eastern neighborhoods is very difficult due to the crimes of armed terrorist organizations which prevent civilians from leaving the area and perpetrate the most ugliest crimes against the citizens Mohammad Idelbi father of the family told SANA reporter. Aleppo Governor for his part affirmed that all demands of the family of the basic materials for living and shelter were provided for them. Earlier two families of ten members managed to leave the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city where they were welcomed by Aleppo Governor Hussein Diab and Secretary of Aleppo Brach of the al- Baath Arab Socialist Party Ahmad Saleh Ibrahim. Mohammad Ali al-Hassan his wife and three children in addition to Abdul Azeem Sammaqiyeh his wife and three children managed to cross and reach safe areas according to SANA. Al-Hassan told SANA reporter that they tried more than once to exit but every time the terrorists groups prevent them by the force of weapon adding that today he and his family were able to leave through Hanano area. He noted that the terrorist groups are preventing the locals from getting food and medicines as they have exclusive access to these materials. In turn Sammaqiyeh talked about the critical situation of the families in the eastern parts of Aleppo city due to terrorism and terrorist atrocities indicating that they ( families) are waiting for the Syrian Arab Army to save them and liberate their areas. He said that if the locals were able to leave not a single family would stay in those areas. Governor Diab indicated to the governorates efforts to welcome families who leave the eastern neighborhoods and provide them with their food service and health needs. For the second day hundreds of families continued their protests against the takfiri terrorist organizations demanding them to immediately get out of the residential areas. Earlier the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said that the gunmen suppressed protests in which more than 1500 people took part in the neighborhoods of Bustan al-Qasr al-Kallaseh al-Ameriyeh and al-Fardous adding that the terrorists have trapped all streets leading to the humanitarian routes in addition to killing 27 civilians and injuring hundreds of others while dispersing the protesters. R. Raslan / Ghossoun,sana,11/20/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479236,U.N. inspectors to visit Syria chemical attacks sites,Thursday 1 August 2013 U.N. inspectors to visit Syria chemical attacks sites. U.N. inspectors will go to Syria to investigate three sites where chemical weapons attacks have been reported the United Nations said Wednesday. The Syrian government has blocked the inspectors since calling for a U.N. inquiry into the use of the banned arms in March. The mission will travel to Syria as soon as possible to contemporaneously investigate three of the reported incidents said U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky. The announcement followed an accord reached with the Syrian government when two U.N. envoys went to Damascus last week. According to diplomats the inspectors are being assembled in Europe now and could go to Syria as soon as next week. The U.N. says that Syria Britain France and the United States have informed it of 13 alleged chemical weapons attacks during the 28-month-old conflict. While the initial inquiry will focus on three sites Nesirky said U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon remains mindful of other reported incidents and the mission will also continue to seek clarification from the member states concerned. The spokesman said the first sites to be visited will include Khan al-Assal near the Syrian city of Aleppo where the government reported a chemical weapons attack on March 19. It said at least 26 people including 16 government soldiers were killed. The government and its ally Russia have blamed Syrian rebels for the attack. The Syrian opposition says President Bashar al-Assads forces staged the attack. The other two sites to be visited by the inspectors are Ataybah near Damascus where a suspected attack was staged in March and Homs where chemical weapons are alleged to have been used on December 23 diplomats said. Britain and France have submitted evidence to the United Nations on the Ataybah and Homs attacks which they say was carried out by the government. The Syrian government called for the U.N. inquiry in March. But it then blocked the U.N. inspectors insisting that they be limited to Khan al-Assal. Ban had demanded wider access for the investigation. Ake Sellstrom the Swedish expert in charge of the U.N. inquiry and U.N. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Angela Kane went to Damascus last week to negotiate the access accord.,arabiya,8/1/2013,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479237,Kurd-led forces press Islamic State near Syrias Raqqa,December 19 2016 Kurd-led forces press Islamic State near Syrias Raqqa. Several villages held by Islamic State have been captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) a coalition of militias backed by the United States that includes a strong Kurdish contingent an organisation that monitors the war said on Monday. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters walk in Tal Samin village north of Raqqa city Syria November 19 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said The advance is part of a military campaign backed by an international coalition led by the United States to drive Islamic State from its Syrian capital of Raqqa. It follows SDF gains against the jihadist group across the north of the country. The strongest group in the SDF is the Peoples Protection Units or YPG a Kurdish militia but Washington has said that any operation to retake Raqqa should be predominantly Arab the ethnicity of most of the citys residents. The latest advances in the countryside about 50 km (30 miles) west and northwest of Raqqa follow an earlier phase of SDF gains on another front about 30 km north of the city. Three SDF soldiers were killed fighting Islamic State after the capture of five villages the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based war monitor said on Monday. Islamic State had been on the back foot in both Syria and Iraq where it is under attack in Mosul its biggest and most important possession and after a string of U.S. air strikes that have killed many of its leaders this year. However earlier this month it launched a surprise attack 160 km southwest of Raqqa to retake the ancient desert city of Palmyra which it had lost in March to Syrian army forces backed by Russian air power after a nine-month occupation. That attack demonstrated the risks still posed by the group across Syria even after its territorial losses there since mid-2015 including holdings along the Turkish border which were once its main route for supplies and recruits. Complicating the efforts against Islamic State is a second campaign being waged against it in northwest Syria by Turkey and Syrian rebel groups allied to Ankara. This has taken a large area from the jihadist group but is also aimed at stopping Kurdish expansion. The Turkish-backed Syrian rebels are now attempting to capture the city of al-Bab from Islamic State a move that will end Kurdish hopes of uniting their two separated areas of self rule in northern Syria. Early on Monday the Turkish military said one of its soldiers had been killed in a car bomb in al-Bab on Sunday and that 11 militants were also killed in clashes that day. Reporting by Angus McDowall; Editing by Mark Trevelyan Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,12/19/2016,raqqa,1,,,,
1926479240,Syrian army Islamic State clash near army airport: monitor,July 18 2014 Syrian army Islamic State clash near army airport: monitor. Syrian soldiers clashed with Islamic State militants outside a government-controlled army airport on Friday a British-based monitoring group said part of a major escalation of fighting between the al Qaeda offshoot and the military. The hardline Sunni militants have gained ground in Syria over the past five weeks bolstered by equipment seized in a lightning offensive last month in neighbouring Iraq. On Thursday the group seized the Shaar oilfield east of the central city of Homs in what the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said was one of its bloodiest clashes with President Bashar al-Assads forces. On Friday the death toll from the raid rose to 115 the Observatory said. The fate of 250 others was unknown it said. A video posted online on Thursday purportedly of the battle site showed armed men pacing through a barren desert space speaking in Arabic and German as they reviewed what appeared to be more than 50 bodies many with gunshot wounds to the head chest and legs. Some of the bodies appeared to be young men. Here lie two pigs said one of the men speaking German. At least two multiple-rocket launchers and other military vehicles were visible. The Observatory an anti-Assad group which tracks the violence through a network of contacts in Syria said the government had sent reinforcements backed by helicopters to the nearby Hajjar oil field. In Raqqa province which borders Turkey a woman - sentenced to death for adultery by the Islamic State - was stoned to death the Observatory said. The report could not immediately be corroborated. MILITARY AIRPORT On Friday fighting also broke out between Islamic State militants and government forces at the army airport in Deir al-Zor one of the last major strategic locations in Deir al-Zor province not under the control of the Islamic State. The Syrian army responded to the militants offensive by bombing areas around the airport which supplies its forces in the east of the country the Observatory said. There were no details of casualties. The fighting was just a few hundred metres (yards) from the airport the Observatorys director Rami Abdurrahman said noting that it would be tough for the Islamic State to overcome government forces there. The Islamic State expelled rival rebels from Deir al-Zor city on Monday tightening its hold on the eastern province bordering Iraq. [ID:nL6N0PP2YH] Capturing most of Deir al-Zor province has helped the Islamic State link up territorial gains across Syria and Iraq where it seized the northern city of Mosul in June. Last month it also declared an Islamic caliphate in territory it controls in both countries. The group previously known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant follows al Qaedas hardline ideology but draws strength from foreign fighters many with experience in Iraq. Reporting by Sylvia Westall and Alexander Dziadosz; Editing by Louise Ireland Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,7/18/2014,homs,0,,,,
1926479248,Over 500 Civilians Killed in One Week in Ongoing Bombing Campaign Majority of Them in Aleppo,Monday 21 November 2016 19:18 Over 500 Civilians Killed in One Week in Ongoing Bombing Campaign Majority of Them in Aleppo. At least 545 people including 84 children and 35 women have been killed and hundreds more injured in the escalating bombing campaign by the Assad regime and Russian air forces on Syrias towns and cities since Tuesday. According to figures compiled by the Syrian Coalitions media office Aleppo bore the brunt of the ferocious airstrikes and artillery bombardment with 374 people recorded killed in the city and countryside during the past week. The Russian and Assad regime forces on Tuesday resumed aerial and artillery bombardment on rebel-held areas across Syria following a brief pause targeting mainly civilian areas and vital civilian infrastructure in Aleppo Idlib Homs and eastern Ghouta. The directorate of health in Aleppo province on Saturday announced the suspension of work in all hospitals in the citys besieged neighborhoods after being directly hit by airstrikes. The directorate said in a statement that it was no longer able to offer medical care to around 300 000 civilians trapped in the eastern parts of the city. Activists said that 67 people were killed and dozens more injured in airstrikes on Aleppo and its countryside on Sunday adding that the airstrikes were concentrated on the neighborhoods of Sakhour Shaar Jabal Badro Ard Alhamra Seif Addawla and Karm Aljabal in the besieged eastern parts of the city. Two more civilians were killed in a rocket attack by regime forces on the town of Bayanoun north of Aleppo. Civil defense corps announced that two of its centers in the neighborhood of Hanano and the town of Orim Alqubra in rural Aleppo were put out of service after being hit by the Russian and Assad regime warplanes on Sunday. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on Saturday said that the only specialized pediatric hospital in besieged eastern Aleppo has come under attack for the second time since airstrikes resumed on 15 November. It pointed out that at least 130 medical facilities have been targeted by airstrikes and barrel bombs since the beginning of 2016. Meanwhile the directorate of education in Idlib province on Monday announced the closure of all schools in the province until the end of the week due to the relentless bombing campaign. Activists in rural Idlib said that five people were killed and dozens more injured in multiple Russian airstrikes on the town of Idlib on Sunday. In rural Homs meanwhile activists said that a UN aid convoy was not able to enter the town of Rastan due to artillery shelling by regime forces on Sunday. Regime forces also pounded the towns of Ghanto Talbeesah Alsien and Zafarana with heavy artillery causing many civilian casualties. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Office) Twitter,etilaf,11/21/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479251,135 Civilians Killed in Escalating Bombardment on Idlib in Last Three Days,Wednesday 07 December 2016 135 Civilians Killed in Escalating Bombardment on Idlib in Last Three Days. Activists in Idlib province said that at least 135 civilians have been killed and hundreds more injured in airstrikes and barrel bomb attacks by the Assad regime and Russian forces on the province over the past three days. The bombardment targeted mainly public markets and residential buildings in a grave escalation in parallel with the ongoing brutal onslaught on Aleppo and its countryside. Member of the Syrian Coalitions political committee Adnan Rahmoun condemned the escalating war crimes being committed by the Russian and Assad regime forces in Idlib and Aleppo. He lamented the lack of any response by the international community which is standing idly by as the Assad regime and Russia are committing these crimes using internationally banned weapons including vacuum bombs cluster bombs and white phosphorous. Rahmoun called upon the UN Security Council and the international community to put an end to the war crimes being committed by the Assad regime and its allies and to assume their responsibilities to protect civilians. He stressed that those who keep silent over war crime are partners to their perpetrators. Idlib administration on Monday announced it was suspending its work as a result of intensive aerial bombardment by the Russian and Assad regime air forces with the exception of civil defense and medical services. Idlib University and the Department of Education in Idlib also announced they were closing down until the weekend for fear of aerial bombardment. Activists in rural Idlib said that three regime airstrikes hit a public market in the town of Sarmin on Tuesday killing 10 people including four children and two women. Russian jets launched multiple airstrikes on the main high street in the town of Maaret Alnouman killing eight people and wounding dozens more. Two more civilians were killed in regime airstrikes on the town of Maarrat Masrin. In total over 40 civilians were killed in the aerial bombardment that hit at least 11 towns and villages across Idlib on Tuesday. On Monday Russia and China vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for the imposition of a 7-day cease-fire in Aleppo so that humanitarian aid could reach the citys besieged eastern neighborhoods. The draft resolution was proposed by New Zealand Spain and Egypt. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Office) Twitter,etilaf,12/7/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1926479259,Russian Defense Ministry: More than 100 ISIS terrorists killed in Deir Ezzor,10 October 2017 Russian Defense Ministry: More than 100 ISIS terrorists killed in Deir Ezzor. Russian Defense Ministry said that US-led coalition has sharply reduced the intensity of its attacks on ISIS terrorists positions in Iraq following the beginning of military operations of the Syrian Arab Army to liberate Deir Ezzor. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday that The continuing supply of terrorists from Iraq raises serious questions about the objectives of operations against terrorists conducted in the region by aircraft of the United States and the so-called international coalition adding that in the western part of Iraq ISIS-controlled territory continues to increase. Konashenkov affirmed that the actions of the coalition require clarification. Does such a shift in the US and the coalitions priorities mean the desire to complicate the operation conducted by the Syrian army supported by Russias Aerospace Forces to liberate Syrias territory east of the Euphrates? Or is it a possibility to liberate Iraq from ISIS terrorists driving them into Syria under the precise airstrikes of the Russian Aerospace Forces? he questioned. Russias Aerospace Forces carry out up to 150 strikes per day on ISIS terrorists positions near al- Mayadin city in Deir Ezzor supporting the expand military operation of the Syrian army to liberate the city the largest ISIS positions in Deir Ezzor. Konashenkov said that over the past 24 hours Russias aerospace group dealt 182 strikes against the positions of ISIS terrorists who had infiltrated to Deir Ezzor province from Iraq. Two pairs of Sukhoi-34 bombers were commissioned to hit the targets. Fourteen consecutive strikes were made Konashenkov added. Objective monitoring means confirmed the destruction of four tanks three armored personnel carriers and nine off-road vehicles armed with heavy machineguns and two multiple rocket launchers. Fifty terrorists were killed and another 30 sealed off in the underground tunnels Konashenkov said. Forty minutes later a Sukhoi-34 bomber carried out another attack against this stronghold to kill another 20 terrorists who had arrived for evacuating those injured he added. The Russian Aerospace Forces have destroyed the economic infrastructure of ISIS in Syria and foiled any attempts by terrorists to resume the production and illegal sale of hydrocarbons in Syria. ISIS no longer has the sources of financing for purchasing weapons and ammunition and recruiting mercenaries in Syria he said. Konashenkov added a command center of ISIS and three groups of terrorists who had arrived from Iraq had been destroyed near Hatla town. The elimination of 34 terrorists five off-road vehicles carrying large caliber weapons and two trucks full of ammunition has been confirmed he said. Shaza/Mazen,sana,10/10/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1926479260,World powers on right track on Syria chemical arms: Putin,October 2 2013 World powers on right track on Syria chemical arms: Putin. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday global powers were on the right track with a plan to eliminate Syrias chemical weapons and could avert military intervention in the conflict if they worked together. Agreement on the plan to eliminate Syrias chemical weapons was reached after U.S. President Barack Obama asked Congress to approve air strikes to punish Syrias government over an August 21 gas attack the United States says killed more than 1400 people. There is every reason to believe we are on the right track Putin told an investment conference. He said the chemical weapons plan which has rekindled an effort to convene an international conference to seek a solution to the conflict could not have been put in place without support from Obama and the leaders of many countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during the VTB Capital Investment Forum Russia Calling in Moscow October 2 2013. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov I believe that if we continue to act in such a coordinated way it will not be necessary to use force and increase the number of people wounded and killed in the long-suffering land of Syria said Putin. Russia has been Syrian President Bashar al-Assads strongest backer during the civil war blocking a number of Western initiatives in the U.N. Security Council and blaming the August 21 gas attack on rebel forces. Russia has emphasized that rebels fighting Assad must also abide by the chemical weapons agreement and made clear it would demand proof of government responsibility for any future attack before approving punishment in the Security Council. Related Coverage U.S. to wait and see on use of force in Syria: army chief of staff U.N. Security Council urges easier access for Syria aid Chemical experts in Syria to dismantle weapons program Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia had seen reports and heard from various sources that some Middle East nations had developed close contacts with the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front and other militant groups Interfax news agency reported. Lavrov said the reports which he did not describe in detail indicate that these radicals already have some components of chemical weapons that were either found in Syria or brought in from abroad Interfax reported. Writing by Steve Gutterman; Editing by Timothy Heritage; editing by Ralph Boulton Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/21/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1926479261,Coalition Letter to UN & UNSC Presses for Stopping Assads & Russias Onslaught on Aleppo.,Wednesday 30 November 2016 Coalition Letter to UN & UNSC Presses for Stopping Assads & Russias Onslaught on Aleppo. The Syrian Coalition called upon the United Nations as the main international sponsor of the political process in Syria to take immediate and decisive action to ensure the protection of the civilians in Aleppo. Action must be taken to stop the barbaric attack on the civilians in Aleppo by compelling the Assad regime to abide by the terms of a cessation of hostilities; allowing unfettered and immediate humanitarian access and medical aid to the city; holding into account those responsible for these crimes; and preventing the repetition of such gross violations.In a letter sent by President of the Syrian Coalition Anas Abdah to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President of the UN Security Council Fode Seck the Coalition underscored the desperate humanitarian situation in Aleppo as the regime and its allies continue their relentless indiscriminate bombardment of Aleppo and its countryside.Every hospital in Aleppo has gone out of service leaving hundreds of people injured by the indiscriminate bombardment at the risk of losing their lives for complete lack of medical care the letter said.Abdah noted that the Assad regime and his allies are turning the liberated areas of the city of Aleppo into a real coffin given that official food stocks run out and civilians are under siege.This outrageous escalation in Aleppo has killed more than 670 40% of them are children caused the displacement of more than 3000 families destroyed 11 hospitals and medical centers and known the use of the chlorine gas four times which constitutes a further crime against humanity and a war crime in the regimes long bloody record of barbarity.The letter added: On the other hand it runs in the face of all the international relations including UNSCR 2118 (2013) and 2235 (2015) concerned with the use of indiscriminate weapons in Syria and UNSCR 2254 (2015) and 2268 (2016) endorsing the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreement.The letter also stressed that the Assad regime can only persist in this criminality as long as it enjoys the impunity it has enjoyed so far by the international inaction let alone the active support of its allies particularly Russia.As a pioneer of the human rights and the international peace and security in the world the United Nations has the responsibility to translate words into action to protect the civilians in Aleppo and to make sure that the regimes criminality against its own people no longer goes without consequences. (Source: Syrian Coalitions Media Office)Twitter,etilaf,11/30/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479264,Islamic State executed 700 people from Syrian tribe: monitoring group,August 17 2014 Islamic State executed 700 people from Syrian tribe: monitoring group. Oliver Holmes Suleiman Al-Khalidi. The Islamic State militant group has executed 700 members of a tribe it has been battling in eastern Syria during the past two weeks the majority of them civilians a human rights monitoring group and activists said on Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which has tracked violence on all sides of the three-year-old conflict said reliable sources reported beheadings were used to execute many of the al-Sheitaat tribe which is from Deir al-Zor province. The conflict between Islamic State and the al-Sheitaat tribe who number about 70000 flared after the militants took over two oil fields in July. Those who were executed are all al-Sheitaat Observatory director Rami Abdelrahman said by telephone from Britain. Some were arrested judged and killed. Reuters cannot independently verify reports from Syria due to security conditions and reporting restrictions. Proclaiming a caliphate straddling parts of Iraq and Syria Islamic State has swept across northern Iraq in recent weeks pushing back Kurdish regional forces and driving tens of thousands of Muslims Christians and members of the Yazidi religious minority from their homes prompting the first U.S. air strikes in Iraq since the withdrawal of American troops in 2011. The insurgents are also tightening their grip in Syria of which they now control roughly a third mostly rural areas in the north and east. An activist in Deir al-Zor who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters that 300 men were executed in one day in the town of Ghraneij one of the three main towns of the al-Sheitaat tribal heartland when Islamic State stormed the town earlier this week. Another opposition activist from Deir al-Zor said residents of al-Sheitaat towns had been given three days to leave. Those who were executed during the storming of the al-Sheitaat area are around 300. The rest were killed in the course of the battles he told Reuters on condition of anonymity to protect his identity. Civilians fleeing al-Sheitaat towns had either taken sanctuary in other villages or travelled to Iraq he said. More than 170000 people have been killed in Syrias civil war which pits overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim rebels against President Bashar al-Assad a member of the Shiite-derived Alawite minority backed by Shiite militias from Iraq and Lebanon. The insurgency is split between competing factions in Syria with Islamic State emerging as the most powerful. Tribal powers in Syria and Iraq have had to make the choice between fighting Islamic State or pledging allegiance. On Friday a video posted on YouTube showed men who said they were from the al-Sheitaat towns of Kishkeih and Abu Hammam pledging full support for Islamic State. We say that what Islamic State stands for is justice a tribal member sitting in a room with dozens of other men said in a statement that was read out. The head of the al-Sheitaat tribe Sheikh Rafaa Aakla al-Raju called in a video message for other tribes to join them in the fight against the militants. We appeal to the other tribes to stand by us because it will be their turn next ... If (Islamic State) are done with us the other tribes will be targeted after al-Sheitaat. They are the next target he said in the video posted on YouTube. Islamic State was condemned on Friday in a U.N. Security Council resolution for gross systematic and widespread abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law. Editing by Stephen Powell and Sonya Hepinstall Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/17/2014,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1926479274,U.S. leaves door open to new U.N. vote on Syria Arshad Mohammed,September 8 2013 U.S. leaves door open to new U.N. vote on Syria Arshad Mohammed. The United States left the door open on Sunday to seeking a United Nations Security Council resolution that could endorse punishing Syria for a chemical weapons attack last month and indicated Arab countries were seeking a tough response. Speaking to reporters after meeting Arab foreign ministers U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said many were leaning toward supporting a G20 statement - already signed by 12 nations including Saudi Arabia - that called for a strong international response following an August 21 chemical attack in Syria. Washington and Paris say forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad were behind the attack in which more than 1400 are estimated to have been killed and they are considering air strikes to try to deter him from using such weapons again. Kerry told a news conference that Saudi Arabia which has been one of Assads most vocal opponents and diplomats say is one of the main suppliers of arms to the the Syrian rebels supported the strike and they support taking action. French President Francois Hollande increasingly under pressure at home and among European partners to seek a U.N. mandate before any military intervention in Syria suggested on Saturday he could seek a resolution at the Security Council despite previous Russian and Chinese vetoes. French officials say a draft resolution presented jointly by Britain and France at the end of August was not even read by Russia and China let alone discussed. U.N. inspectors are likely to hand in their report later this week as the U.S. Congress debates whether to allow limited strikes on Syria. NO DECISION BY OBAMA On President Hollandes comments with respect to the U.N. the president (Obama) and all of us are listening carefully to all of our friends Kerry said. No decision has been made by the president. After the news conference a U.S. official said Washington was not seeking a Security Council vote at the moment. We have always supported working through the U.N. but have been clear there is not a path forward there and we are not currently considering proposing another vote said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Kerrys meeting with Arab ministers including from Bahrain Egypt Kuwait Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates followed talks in Lithuania with European foreign ministers who blamed the attack in Syria on Assad but urged waiting for the U.N. inspectors to report before any action. All of us agreed - not one dissenter - that Assads deplorable use of chemical weapons ... crosses an international global red line Kerry said alongside his Qatari counterpart Khaled al-Attiya. A number of countries immediately signed on to the G20 agreement that was reached by now 12 countries on the side of the G20 meeting and they will make their own announcements in the next 24 hours about that. Qatar has strongly backed the Syrian opposition. As for Syria and what Qatar is willing to provide Qatar is currently studying with its friends and the United Nations what it could provide in order to protect the Syrian people Attiya said without elaborating. Additional reporting by Natalie Huet; Writing by John Irish; editing by Andrew Roche and Christopher Wilson Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,7/13/2015,damascus,1,,,,
1926479276,Syrian Islamist insurgents launch battle to seize government-held Aleppo,July 2 2015 Syrian Islamist insurgents launch battle to seize government-held Aleppo. Syrian insurgents led by Islamist groups began a major offensive to gain full control of the divided northern city of Aleppo a monitor and rebels said on Thursday. The fall of Syrias main commercial hub would be a major blow for President Bashar al-Assad restricting his control mainly to a belt of territory stretching north from Damascus to the Mediterranean coast. This would deepen Syrias de facto partition between the Assad-run west and areas held by a patchwork of armed groups. A statement by the groups said their goal was to liberate the city of Aleppo and to ensure that when it fell into their hands it would be ruled by strict sharia principles. The British-based Observatory for Human Rights said a coalition of groups that included al Qaedas Syrian offshoot Nusra Front and Salafi Ahrar al Sham had fired hundreds of mortar bombs on locations in western districts of the city that are held by the Syrian army and allied militias. Much of the fighting was focused on the Jamiyat al-Zahra frontline where the insurgents struck the heavily defended part of the district held by the army according to Rami Abdul Rahman the head of the rights group which tracks the war. The Jamiyat al Zahra which houses several major security compounds has long been coveted by the rebels to allow them to advance into government-held areas and cut army supply lines. The latest flareup of fighting was the widest rebel offensive taking place simultaneously across most front lines since the insurgents took over most of the eastern part of the city in the summer of 2012 Abdul Rahman added. Eight civilians were killed with at least 70 injured with dozens of dead and injured from army personnel and allied militias the head of the monitor said. The Syrian army last month repelled a push by an alliance of rebels including recipients of Western aid fighting under the name of the Free Syrian Army into Aleppos Rashidin district. It was the first rebel advance into the heart of Aleppos government-controlled residential area in more than two years. Insurgents have also been bombarding government-held areas turning the tables after strikes by Syrian forces on insurgent-held parts of what was Syrias most populous city before it become a main battleground in the four-year civil war. Separately the sound of intense fighting including explosions could be heard from the Turkish border town of Kilis about 30 miles (48 km) north of the Syrian city of Azaz witnesses said. The Turkish army stepped up security on their side of the border including armored regiments and special forces following days of deploying troops and equipment to the area security sources said. The sources said the fighting in Azaz was between hardline Islamic State militants and a joint force of al-Nusra and Western-backed rebels who have clashing in northern Aleppo countryside in recent weeks. Additional reporting by Seyhmus Cakan in Diyarbakir Turkey and Ayla Jean Yackley in Istanbul; Editing by Alison Williams and Lisa Shumaker Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,7/2/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479281,Syria fighting worst since Aleppo air strikes deadly: aid agencies,October 5 2017 Syria fighting worst since Aleppo air strikes deadly: aid agencies. Stephanie Nebehay. Syria is in the throes of its worst fighting since the battle for eastern Aleppo last year with heavy air strikes causing hundreds of civilian casualties aid agencies said on Thursday. Hospitals schools and people fleeing violence have been targeted by direct air strikes that may amount to war crimes the United Nations said without apportioning blame. Russia and a U.S.-led coalition are carrying out separate air strikes in Syria ostensibly aimed at defeating Islamic State militants. September was the deadliest month of 2017 for civilians with daily reports of attacks on residential areas resulting in hundreds of conflict-related deaths and injuries U.N. regional humanitarian coordinator Panos Moumtzis said in a statement. Air strikes killed dozens this week in Raqqa where 8000 people remain trapped and at least 149 people mostly women and children in residential areas of rebel-dominated Idlib province in Syrias northwest in the last 12 days of September he said. Explosions in Damascus killed 20 people and civilian casualties were also reported in rural areas around the Syrian capital and in Hama Aleppo and Deir al-Zor Moumtzis said again without saying who was responsible. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement that up to 10 hospitals were reported to have been damaged in the past 10 days. We have seen a number of hospitals being targeted we got very worrying reports and converging reports about hospitals schools civilian infrastructure being targeted Robert Mardini ICRC regional director for the Middle East told Reuters in an interview in his Geneva office. And of course this is outrageous unacceptable he said adding that damage to Sham hospital in Idlib alone had cut off half a million people from access to health care. The ICRC voiced alarm that violence was occurring in many of the de-escalation areas including Idlib rural Hama and eastern Ghouta. Taken together these are the worst levels of violence since the battle for Aleppo in 2016 it said. Hundreds of civilians killed is certainly a very conservative figure Mardini said. We see a very strong correlation between the escalation and the intensification in the fighting on one hand and the human cost of this conflict the attacks on health facilities and civilian infrastructure. Syrias six-year-old civil war pits President Bashar al-Assads government supported by Russia and Iran against a myriad number of rebel factions some Western-backed and Islamist militant groups. Military jets believed to be Russian killed at least 60 civilians trying to flee heavy fighting in the oil-rich Deir al-Zor province when their small boats were targeted as they sought to cross the Euphrates River opposition activists former residents and a war monitor said late on Wednesday. The U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria has carried out air strikes that have also caused civilian casualties which it says it goes to great lengths to avoid. The point here is not to point fingers Mardini said declining to identify suspected perpetrators of deadly strikes. What should be non-negotiable is the respect for the laws of war everywhere in Syria. This is absolutely critical today. Additional reporting by Tom Miles; editing by Mark Heinrich Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,10/5/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1926479283,The Army establishes control over Jabal Badro neighborhood in Aleppo al-Halk area east of the city,27 November 2016 The Army establishes control over Jabal Badro neighborhood in Aleppo al-Halk area east of the city. Army units backed by the army air force on Sunday continued to launch wide-scale military operations against the Takfiri terrorist organizations in different areas across the country inflicting heavy losses upon them in the arms and personnel. Aleppo A military source announced on Sunday that the army units in cooperation with the supporting forces established full control over Jabal Badro neighborhood to the south of Masaken Hanano area in Aleppo. Later a military source announced that army units in cooperation with supporting and allied forces established full control over al-Halk area east of Aleppo city eliminating large numbers of terrorists. The source said that the army is chasing down the remaining terrorists who fled al-Halk area adding that engineering units are dismantling explosive devices and landmines left behind by the defeated terrorists in the areas streets and squares. Earlier army units launched intensive bombardments against hotbeds of the terrorist organizations and their positions in al-Rashideen 4 area and in Khan Touman town in the western and southern countryside. The source added that a large number of terrorists were killed and others were injured in the bombardments mostly from Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization and a number of their armored and machinegun-equipped vehicles were destroyed. Hama/Idleb Army units backed by the air force destroyed gatherings and vehicles of Jaish al-Fateh terrorists in the countryside of Hama and Idleb. Army units intensified their special operations against gatherings and fortifications of the terrorist organizations and their supply routes in the towns and villages of Mourek Atshan Skeak north of Maan and Taibet al-Imam and the farms between al-Zakat and Kafr Zita in the northern countryside of the province. A large number of terrorists were killed in the operations and a number of their armored and machinegun-equipped vehicles were destroyed. In the southern countryside of Idleb northern province the army air force destroyed various types of the terrorists vehicles killing a number of terrorists and injuring others in the villages and towns of Abdin Kafr Ain Kafr Sajna Khan Sheikhoun and al-Tamana. Homs The Syrian Air Force conducted sorties targeting sites and gatherings of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in Talbisa al-Rastan and Teir Maala in the northern countryside of Homs province according to a military source. The source added that two sites and a number of vehicles belonging to Jabhat al-Nusra were destroyed and a number of its members were killed. The source pointed out that the air strikes also destroyed a number of ISIS vehicles and killed a number of terrorists in Rasm al-Sabaa village 75 km to the east of Homs city. Later SANAs correspondent said that the Air Force destroyed a base in which a meeting for leaders of Ahrar al-Cham and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups was being held in Qasr al-Sharkasi in al-Rastan area killing 5 terrorists injuring 15 others and destroying a 4WD vehicle. Daraa An army unit targeted fortifications of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups in the surroundings of Busra Square at the northern side of al-Nazihin Camp in Daraa al-Balad area in the southern Daraa province. According to the military source two hideouts were destroyed and a number of terrorists were killed or injured in the operation.,sana,11/27/2016,homs,1,,,,
1926479289,Factbox: Syrias city of Hama site of new assault,August 1 2011 Factbox: Syrias city of Hama site of new assault. Syrian tanks shelled the central city of Hama Monday killing four civilians residents said a day after rights groups said security forces killed 80 there in one of the bloodiest days of the five-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. Here are some details about the city which was the site of a massacre in 1982: * 1982: - In the late 1970s and early 1980s Syrias Muslim Brotherhood sought to destabilize and unseat President Hafez al-Assad and his government through political assassinations and urban guerilla warfare. In February 1982 the Muslim Brotherhood ambushed government forces searching for dissidents in Hama. - Syrian government forces attacked the city razing the old quarters of Hama to crush the armed uprising by Brotherhood fighters who had taken refuge there. - Estimates of the death toll in the three weeks of operations in Hama vary from 10000 to more than 30000 out of a population of 350000. Syria then imprisoned much of the membership of the local Islamist group. - Syrian human rights groups said that women children and the elderly were among those killed in the crackdown and thousands were forced to flee the city. * 2011: - In June activists said Syrian forces killed at least 60 protesters in the city. Residents said security forces and snipers had fired on crowds of demonstrators. - Assad sacked the governor of Hama province on July 2 a day after tens of thousands of protesters massed in the provincial capital to demand the Syrian leader step down. - The demonstration in Hama was part of nationwide protests which activists said were some of the biggest since the uprising against Assads rule erupted in mid-March. - In a symbolic show of solidarity U.S. ambassador Robert Ford and French ambassador Eric Chevallier visited Hama on July 8 to put pressure on Assad not to crush the protest. Syria condemned the action and summoned them to Damascus on July 10. - Ford had only arrived in Damascus in January. After he posted a letter on the embassys Facebook page a mob stormed the embassy compound July 11 tearing down plaques. - On July 31 a tank-backed assault killed at least 80 people in Hama rights groups said. The state news agency said the military was purging armed groups that were terrorizing citizens. Monday tanks shelled a northeastern district of Hama killing four more civilians two residents said. * ABOUT HAMA: - Hama has been settled as far back as the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Famous for its citadel and its ancient Norias (waterwheels) the younger Assad and his government has sought to promote the city as a tourist destination. - Hama Syrias fourth biggest city has a mostly Sunni Muslim population of 700000. It lies about 210 km (131 miles) north of Damascus. Sources: Reuters/www.globalsecurity.org/homsonline (Writing by David Cutler London Editorial Reference Unit) Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/1/2014,hama,1,,,,
1926479289,Factbox: Syrias city of Hama site of new assault,August 1 2011 Factbox: Syrias city of Hama site of new assault. Syrian tanks shelled the central city of Hama Monday killing four civilians residents said a day after rights groups said security forces killed 80 there in one of the bloodiest days of the five-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. Here are some details about the city which was the site of a massacre in 1982: * 1982: - In the late 1970s and early 1980s Syrias Muslim Brotherhood sought to destabilize and unseat President Hafez al-Assad and his government through political assassinations and urban guerilla warfare. In February 1982 the Muslim Brotherhood ambushed government forces searching for dissidents in Hama. - Syrian government forces attacked the city razing the old quarters of Hama to crush the armed uprising by Brotherhood fighters who had taken refuge there. - Estimates of the death toll in the three weeks of operations in Hama vary from 10000 to more than 30000 out of a population of 350000. Syria then imprisoned much of the membership of the local Islamist group. - Syrian human rights groups said that women children and the elderly were among those killed in the crackdown and thousands were forced to flee the city. * 2011: - In June activists said Syrian forces killed at least 60 protesters in the city. Residents said security forces and snipers had fired on crowds of demonstrators. - Assad sacked the governor of Hama province on July 2 a day after tens of thousands of protesters massed in the provincial capital to demand the Syrian leader step down. - The demonstration in Hama was part of nationwide protests which activists said were some of the biggest since the uprising against Assads rule erupted in mid-March. - In a symbolic show of solidarity U.S. ambassador Robert Ford and French ambassador Eric Chevallier visited Hama on July 8 to put pressure on Assad not to crush the protest. Syria condemned the action and summoned them to Damascus on July 10. - Ford had only arrived in Damascus in January. After he posted a letter on the embassys Facebook page a mob stormed the embassy compound July 11 tearing down plaques. - On July 31 a tank-backed assault killed at least 80 people in Hama rights groups said. The state news agency said the military was purging armed groups that were terrorizing citizens. Monday tanks shelled a northeastern district of Hama killing four more civilians two residents said. * ABOUT HAMA: - Hama has been settled as far back as the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Famous for its citadel and its ancient Norias (waterwheels) the younger Assad and his government has sought to promote the city as a tourist destination. - Hama Syrias fourth biggest city has a mostly Sunni Muslim population of 700000. It lies about 210 km (131 miles) north of Damascus. Sources: Reuters/www.globalsecurity.org/homsonline (Writing by David Cutler London Editorial Reference Unit) Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/1/2014,hama,0,,,,
1926479296,ISIS attacks Kurdish-held town on Turkish border,Saturday 27 February 2016 ISIS attacks Kurdish-held town on Turkish border. Coalition war planes carried out 10 air strikes to try to repel the assault the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. It said at least 45 Islamic State militants and 20 Kurdish militia fighters had been killed. ISIS militants launched an assault on a Kurdish-controlled town on Syrias border with Turkey on Saturday prompting air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition to try to drive them back. The hardline Sunni fighters attacked Tel Abyad which is controlled by the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and the nearby town of Suluk in the early hours of Saturday YPG spokesman Redur Xelil and Turkish security sources told Reuters. Coalition war planes carried out 10 air strikes to try to repel the assault the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. It said at least 45 Islamic State militants and 20 Kurdish militia fighters had been killed. The attack was launched hours after a cessation of hostilities came into effect under a U.S.-Russian plan although the temporary truce does not apply to ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliate the Nusra Front meaning the Syrian government Moscow and the coalition reserve the right to strike them. The truce appeared largely to be holding across much of Syria. Xelil said the YPG and Syrian Kurdish internal security forces were able to crush this attack and encircle the attackers although he gave no casualty toll. The YPG captured Tel Abyad from ISIS last year in an offensive backed by U.S.-led air strikes. The town lies north of Raqqa and had been a key supply line for the militant capital. The Turkish security sources said the attack was launched on two fronts and that the sound of gunfire and explosions audible from the town of Akcakale on the Turkish side had continued for several hours. Intermittent gunfire could still be heard. The security sources and a witness in Akcakale said war planes thought to be from the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS struck the militant positions and that the Turkish army had increased patrols on its side of the border. While not directly addressing the Tel Abyad attack 14 Turkish F-16s patrolled the Turkish-Syrian border on Friday Turkish military said. Xelil said some of the attackers infiltrated from the Turkish border to the north reiterating accusations that Turkey was supporting the group. Turkey has consistently denied those accusations and the security sources said recent measures to stop illegal crossings meant it was impossible that the attackers had entered from Turkey. Other attackers infiltrated from the south Xelil said. He said dozens of Islamic State fighters had been killed.,arabiya,2/27/2016,raqqa,0,,,,
1926479296,ISIS attacks Kurdish-held town on Turkish border,Saturday 27 February 2016 ISIS attacks Kurdish-held town on Turkish border. Coalition war planes carried out 10 air strikes to try to repel the assault the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. It said at least 45 Islamic State militants and 20 Kurdish militia fighters had been killed. ISIS militants launched an assault on a Kurdish-controlled town on Syrias border with Turkey on Saturday prompting air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition to try to drive them back. The hardline Sunni fighters attacked Tel Abyad which is controlled by the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and the nearby town of Suluk in the early hours of Saturday YPG spokesman Redur Xelil and Turkish security sources told Reuters. Coalition war planes carried out 10 air strikes to try to repel the assault the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. It said at least 45 Islamic State militants and 20 Kurdish militia fighters had been killed. The attack was launched hours after a cessation of hostilities came into effect under a U.S.-Russian plan although the temporary truce does not apply to ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliate the Nusra Front meaning the Syrian government Moscow and the coalition reserve the right to strike them. The truce appeared largely to be holding across much of Syria. Xelil said the YPG and Syrian Kurdish internal security forces were able to crush this attack and encircle the attackers although he gave no casualty toll. The YPG captured Tel Abyad from ISIS last year in an offensive backed by U.S.-led air strikes. The town lies north of Raqqa and had been a key supply line for the militant capital. The Turkish security sources said the attack was launched on two fronts and that the sound of gunfire and explosions audible from the town of Akcakale on the Turkish side had continued for several hours. Intermittent gunfire could still be heard. The security sources and a witness in Akcakale said war planes thought to be from the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS struck the militant positions and that the Turkish army had increased patrols on its side of the border. While not directly addressing the Tel Abyad attack 14 Turkish F-16s patrolled the Turkish-Syrian border on Friday Turkish military said. Xelil said some of the attackers infiltrated from the Turkish border to the north reiterating accusations that Turkey was supporting the group. Turkey has consistently denied those accusations and the security sources said recent measures to stop illegal crossings meant it was impossible that the attackers had entered from Turkey. Other attackers infiltrated from the south Xelil said. He said dozens of Islamic State fighters had been killed.,arabiya,2/27/2016,raqqa,1,,,,
1926479297,Four people killed including child 25 others injured in terrorist attacks in Damascus its countryside Aleppo Homs Quneitra and Hasaka,7 November 2016 Four people killed including child 25 others injured in terrorist attacks in Damascus its countryside Aleppo Homs Quneitra and Hasaka . SANAs correspondent said that 7 people were injured on Monday due to terrorist attacks with rocket shells and explosive rounds on al-Mazzeh area in Damascus city. A source at Damascus Police Command told the correspondent that terrorists located in Douma area fired rocket shells and explosive rounds at the neighborhoods of al-Sheikh Saad and al-Mazzeh 86 in al-Mazzeh area injuring 7 people who were rushed to al-Muwasat Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile in Damascus Countryside 9 persons were injured due to an attack with mortar rounds by terrorists of Jaish al-Islam on al-Wafideen Camp In a statement to SANA a source at Damascus Countryside Police Command said that terrorist groups positioned in the Eastern Ghouta fired 6 mortar shells on al-Wafideen Camp which landed in the area surrounding the bakery the cemetery the bus station and April 7th Street. The source added that 9 persons were injured due to the attack in addition to causing material damage to public and private properties. Four people including a child killed six others injured in terrorist attacks in Aleppo city Four people one of them a child were killed and six others were injured on Monday due to attacks by terrorist groups with shells and explosive rounds on al-Hamadaniye and Salah-Eddin neighborhoods in Aleppo city. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA that terrorist groups located in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city and its western outskirts fired a number of rocket shells at al-Hamadaniye neighborhood killing a girl child and injuring two others in addition to causing material damage to homes and infrastructure. Later SANAs correspondent in Aleppo said that 3 people were killed and 4 others were injured due to rocket shells fired by terrorist groups on Salah-Eddin neighborhood in the city. Terrorists detonate IED near Qamishli National Hospital in Hasaka Terrorists detonated an explosive device near Qamishli National Hospital in Hasaka province on Monday causing material damage to the hospital and the public properties a source at Hasaka Police Command told SANA. The source said that no casualties were reported. Last month a suicide terrorist blew himself up with an explosive belt near al-Sanabel Hall in Safiyeh village on Hasaka-Qamishli road killing and injuring scores of people. Two persons injured in terrorist rocket attack in Homs Two persons were injured as the ISIS terrorist organization targeted with rocket shells the town of Jeb al-Jarrah about 73 km east of Homs city in the central Homs Province. SANA reporter said Monday that terrorist groups positioned in the villages of Rahoum and al-Mshairfeh fired 13 rocket shells on the town of Jeb al-Jarrah injuring two persons and causing material damage to the citizens houses and properties. Last month two persons were injured as the terrorist organizations fired 28 rocket and mortar shells on al-Mushrefeh village in the northeastern countryside of Homs province. A person injured in a terrorist rocket attack in Quneitra A person was injured due to a terrorist rocket attack by the terrorists of Jabhat al-Nusra on Hadar village in the countryside of Quneitra province. In a statement to SANA reporter a source at Quneitra Police Command said that terrorist groups affiliated to Jabhat al-Nusra targeted with a rocket shell Hadar village injuring one person and causing material damage to locals properties.,sana,11/7/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479298,The Assad Regime & Chemical Weapons,1. Ghouta: On August 21 2013 the Assad regime fired rockets filled with Sarin gas on rebel-held Ghouta rural Damascus killing at least 1400 civilians including women and children. 2. Red lines: Western as well as Arab states condemned the attacks and as it was crossing a red line drawn earlier by US President Barack Obama the United States prepared for a punitive strike moving its warships in the Mediterranean closer to Syria. 3. Strikes: On October 9 2013 US Foreign Secretary John Kerry made a hint at the possibility of averting the strike if the Assad regime were to hand over its chemical arsenal. Early in September 2013 the United States and Russia reached the Framework for Elimination of Syrian Chemical Weapons which was endorsed later on by the UN Security Council with resolution 2118. 4. OPCW: On 15 November 2013 the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) decides: for all other declared chemicals: beginning of destruction as soon as possible with completion of destruction not later than 30 June 2014. The OPCW-UN Joint Mission was formally established on 16 October 2013. 5. Missed deadlines: Since then the Assad regime has been widely accused of dragging its feet having missed a series of deadlines including a deadline to ship the most lethal of chemical components out of Syria by the end of 2013 a February 5 2014 deadline to move all chemicals abroad for destruction and a deadline to destroy all of its chemical weapons production sites by 15 March 2014. 6. 15 poison gas attacks: The Assad regime has used poison gas at least 15 times in recent months. The OPCW announced on Tuesday April 29 2014 that it will send a fact-finding mission to investigate the recent use of chlorine gas in Syria. 7. Discrepancies: On June 4 2014 Reuters reported the head of the OPCW-UN Joint Mission Sigrid Kaag revealed during a briefing to the UN Security Council that there were discrepancies in the original declaration of the Assad regimes stockpile. This declaration suggests Assad might be able to keep chemical materials. 8. Chemical warheads: Recently activists reported that the regime keeps rockets with chemical warhead in a mountainous area west of the central city of Hama. 9. Warehouses & bunkers: Falling short of its international obligations the regime has proposed to seal off seven warehouses and five underground bunkers instead of dismantling them. Having discussed outstanding issues with the Assad regime experts from the OPCW-UN Joint Mission are supposed to brief the OPCWs executive council on their findings on June 17 in The Hague. 10. Missing June 30 deadline: In the eighth and latest letter from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council dated 23 May 2014 the UNSG observes: It is now evident that some activities related to the elimination of the chemical weapons program of the Syrian Arab Republic will continue beyond 30 June 2014. Twitter,etilaf,8/13/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1926479310,World leaders react to Syria chemical attack claim,Wednesday 21 August 2013 World leaders react to Syria chemical attack claim. World leaders have responded to the claim by activists in the Syrian Revolution General Commission that at least 640 people were killed in a nerve gas attack on Syrias Ghouta region. The Arab League called Wednesday on U.N. chemical weapons inspectors now inside Syria to immediately visit the site of the incident. Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi urged the inspectors in a statement to go immediately to Eastern Ghouta to see the reality of the situation and investigate the circumstances of this crime. Britain said on Wednesday it would raise a reported chemical weapons attack by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the United Nations Security Council and called on Damascus to give U.N. inspectors access to the site Reuters reported. I am deeply concerned by reports that hundreds of people including children have been killed in airstrikes and a chemical weapons attack on rebel-held areas near Damascus British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement. France also called for action by the U.N. during a cabinet session Hollande announced his intention to ask the U.N. to visit the site of the attack government spokeswoman Najat Vallaud-Belkacem told reporters on Wednesday. This information obviously requires verification and confirmation she added. The chief of a U.N. inspectors team visiting Syria says he wants to look into the claims. Swedish chemical weapons expert Ake Sellstrom says the high numbers of killed and wounded being reported sound suspicious. He told Swedish broadcaster SVT that this sounds like something we need to look into. Turkey also called on U.N. inspectors to look into Syrian rebel reports and said it was monitoring the situation with great concern. Light must immediately be shed on these claims and the United Nations mission that was formed to investigate chemical weapons claims in Syria should look into these claims and reveal its findings the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. If these allegations are found to be true it will be inevitable for the international community to take the necessary stance and give the necessary response to this savagery and crime against humanity it said. The opposition Syrian National Coalition called for an urgent U.N. Security Council meeting on the subject. I call on the Security Council to convene urgently National Coalition leader Ahmed al-Jarba told Al-Arabiya news channel condemning the Syrian armys bombardment of the Ghouta suburbs of Damascus as a massacre. The attack was on rebel-held areas of eastern Damascus. Regime forces ... stepped up military operations in the Eastern Ghouta and Western Ghouta zones of the Damascus region with aircraft and rocket launchers causing several dozen dead and wounded the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP news agency. The intensive bombing on the outskirts of the capital could be heard by residents of Damascus where a grey cloud capped the sky. The Britain-based Observatory which relies on a vast network of activists on the ground and medics said the army operation was aimed at the recapture of Madhamiyat el-Sham an area southwest of Damascus. The Local Coordination Committees (LCC) a network of activists reported hundreds of casualties in the brutal use of toxic gas by the criminal regime in parts of Western Ghouta. According to Reuters the reported use of the chemical agents could not be immediately verified. The news coincides with a visit to Damascus by a United Nations team of chemical weapons experts.,arabiya,8/21/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1926479313,10 people mostly schoolchildren killed in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo,20 November 2016 10 people mostly schoolchildren killed in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo. Terrorist organizations launched on Sunday terrorist attacks with shells on the residential neighborhoods and areas in a number of provinces causing human casualties. 10 people mostly schoolchildren killed in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo The death toll from terroris attacks with shells on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city rose to 10 killed and 59 others injured. A medical source at Aleppo Health Directorate told SANA reporter that eight students between 7 and 12 years old were killed and another 27 students and a female teacher were injured. The source added that the teacher had her leg amputated. Earlier in the day a source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorist groups positioned in Bustan al-Qasser neighborhood fired a mortar shell on al-Furqan School for Basic Education. The source added that the mortar shell fell inside a classroom killing seven students and injuring a female teacher and 19 others all of them in a critical condition. The terrorists also fired rocket shells on the Faculty of Law and the neighborhoods of al-Sabil al-Mogambo al-Furqan and al-Midan killing two persons and injuring 32 others. For his part Aleppo Governor Hussein Diab inspected al-Furqan School for basic education and called for repairing it immediately. The Governor also visited the injured persons in the terrorist attacks at the University Hospital stressing the necessity of providing all necessary medical services for the wounded. A person injured in a terrorist rocket attacks in Quneitra A person was injured in a terrorist attack with a rocket shell on Hadar village in Quneitra southern province. SANA reporter in the province said that the terrorist organizations positioned in Jubata al-Khashab forests targeted with rocket shells Hadar village injuring a young man and causing a huge material damage to the citizens houses and properties. Later the reporter pointed out that Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists targeted with more than 10 rocket shells al-Khadami neighborhood in al-Baath city causing significant material damage to the buildings in the area. On Thursday two children were injured in a terrorist attack with 13 rocket shells on Harfa village in Quneitra Countryside. A child injured in terrorist mortar attack on al-Fouaa Idleb A girl child was injured in a terrorist mortar attack by the so called Jaish al-Fateh on the terrorist-besieged al-Fouaa town in the northern countryside of Idleb. In a phone call with SANA reporter local sources said that terrorist groups positioned in Binnish town targeted al-Fouaa with mortar shells injuring a 6-year-old girl and causing material damage to citizens houses. Two citizens injured due to terrorist mortar attack in Daraa Two citizens got injured on Sunday when terrorist organizations affiliated to Jabhat al-Nusra fired a mortar shell on al-Sabil neighborhood in Daraa city according to SANA reporter. The reporter added that the attack also caused material damage to public and private properties. 2 persons killed 13 injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Harasta suburb Damascus Countryside Terrorist organizations positioned in the Eastern Ghouta fired more than 20 rocket shells on the residential suburb of Harasta in Damascus Countryside. A source at Damascus Police Command told SANA that the shells targeted citizens houses in Harasta suburb and the area surrounding it claiming the lives of two persons injuring 13 others and causing material damage to the public and private properties. 4 citizens killed in terrorist rocket attack in Homs city At least four citizens were killed due to a terrorist rocket attack on al-Zahraa neighborhood in the city of Homs. SANA reporter in Homs said that a number of rocket shells landed on the main square in al-Zahraa neighborhood killing 4 citizens injuring many others and causing material damage to citizens properties. English bulletin,sana,11/20/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479313,10 people mostly schoolchildren killed in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo,20 November 2016 10 people mostly schoolchildren killed in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo. Terrorist organizations launched on Sunday terrorist attacks with shells on the residential neighborhoods and areas in a number of provinces causing human casualties. 10 people mostly schoolchildren killed in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo The death toll from terroris attacks with shells on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city rose to 10 killed and 59 others injured. A medical source at Aleppo Health Directorate told SANA reporter that eight students between 7 and 12 years old were killed and another 27 students and a female teacher were injured. The source added that the teacher had her leg amputated. Earlier in the day a source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorist groups positioned in Bustan al-Qasser neighborhood fired a mortar shell on al-Furqan School for Basic Education. The source added that the mortar shell fell inside a classroom killing seven students and injuring a female teacher and 19 others all of them in a critical condition. The terrorists also fired rocket shells on the Faculty of Law and the neighborhoods of al-Sabil al-Mogambo al-Furqan and al-Midan killing two persons and injuring 32 others. For his part Aleppo Governor Hussein Diab inspected al-Furqan School for basic education and called for repairing it immediately. The Governor also visited the injured persons in the terrorist attacks at the University Hospital stressing the necessity of providing all necessary medical services for the wounded. A person injured in a terrorist rocket attacks in Quneitra A person was injured in a terrorist attack with a rocket shell on Hadar village in Quneitra southern province. SANA reporter in the province said that the terrorist organizations positioned in Jubata al-Khashab forests targeted with rocket shells Hadar village injuring a young man and causing a huge material damage to the citizens houses and properties. Later the reporter pointed out that Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists targeted with more than 10 rocket shells al-Khadami neighborhood in al-Baath city causing significant material damage to the buildings in the area. On Thursday two children were injured in a terrorist attack with 13 rocket shells on Harfa village in Quneitra Countryside. A child injured in terrorist mortar attack on al-Fouaa Idleb A girl child was injured in a terrorist mortar attack by the so called Jaish al-Fateh on the terrorist-besieged al-Fouaa town in the northern countryside of Idleb. In a phone call with SANA reporter local sources said that terrorist groups positioned in Binnish town targeted al-Fouaa with mortar shells injuring a 6-year-old girl and causing material damage to citizens houses. Two citizens injured due to terrorist mortar attack in Daraa Two citizens got injured on Sunday when terrorist organizations affiliated to Jabhat al-Nusra fired a mortar shell on al-Sabil neighborhood in Daraa city according to SANA reporter. The reporter added that the attack also caused material damage to public and private properties. 2 persons killed 13 injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Harasta suburb Damascus Countryside Terrorist organizations positioned in the Eastern Ghouta fired more than 20 rocket shells on the residential suburb of Harasta in Damascus Countryside. A source at Damascus Police Command told SANA that the shells targeted citizens houses in Harasta suburb and the area surrounding it claiming the lives of two persons injuring 13 others and causing material damage to the public and private properties. 4 citizens killed in terrorist rocket attack in Homs city At least four citizens were killed due to a terrorist rocket attack on al-Zahraa neighborhood in the city of Homs. SANA reporter in Homs said that a number of rocket shells landed on the main square in al-Zahraa neighborhood killing 4 citizens injuring many others and causing material damage to citizens properties. English bulletin,sana,11/20/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1926479313,10 people mostly schoolchildren killed in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo,20 November 2016 10 people mostly schoolchildren killed in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo. Terrorist organizations launched on Sunday terrorist attacks with shells on the residential neighborhoods and areas in a number of provinces causing human casualties. 10 people mostly schoolchildren killed in terrorist rocket attacks on Aleppo The death toll from terroris attacks with shells on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city rose to 10 killed and 59 others injured. A medical source at Aleppo Health Directorate told SANA reporter that eight students between 7 and 12 years old were killed and another 27 students and a female teacher were injured. The source added that the teacher had her leg amputated. Earlier in the day a source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorist groups positioned in Bustan al-Qasser neighborhood fired a mortar shell on al-Furqan School for Basic Education. The source added that the mortar shell fell inside a classroom killing seven students and injuring a female teacher and 19 others all of them in a critical condition. The terrorists also fired rocket shells on the Faculty of Law and the neighborhoods of al-Sabil al-Mogambo al-Furqan and al-Midan killing two persons and injuring 32 others. For his part Aleppo Governor Hussein Diab inspected al-Furqan School for basic education and called for repairing it immediately. The Governor also visited the injured persons in the terrorist attacks at the University Hospital stressing the necessity of providing all necessary medical services for the wounded. A person injured in a terrorist rocket attacks in Quneitra A person was injured in a terrorist attack with a rocket shell on Hadar village in Quneitra southern province. SANA reporter in the province said that the terrorist organizations positioned in Jubata al-Khashab forests targeted with rocket shells Hadar village injuring a young man and causing a huge material damage to the citizens houses and properties. Later the reporter pointed out that Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists targeted with more than 10 rocket shells al-Khadami neighborhood in al-Baath city causing significant material damage to the buildings in the area. On Thursday two children were injured in a terrorist attack with 13 rocket shells on Harfa village in Quneitra Countryside. A child injured in terrorist mortar attack on al-Fouaa Idleb A girl child was injured in a terrorist mortar attack by the so called Jaish al-Fateh on the terrorist-besieged al-Fouaa town in the northern countryside of Idleb. In a phone call with SANA reporter local sources said that terrorist groups positioned in Binnish town targeted al-Fouaa with mortar shells injuring a 6-year-old girl and causing material damage to citizens houses. Two citizens injured due to terrorist mortar attack in Daraa Two citizens got injured on Sunday when terrorist organizations affiliated to Jabhat al-Nusra fired a mortar shell on al-Sabil neighborhood in Daraa city according to SANA reporter. The reporter added that the attack also caused material damage to public and private properties. 2 persons killed 13 injured in terrorist rocket attacks on Harasta suburb Damascus Countryside Terrorist organizations positioned in the Eastern Ghouta fired more than 20 rocket shells on the residential suburb of Harasta in Damascus Countryside. A source at Damascus Police Command told SANA that the shells targeted citizens houses in Harasta suburb and the area surrounding it claiming the lives of two persons injuring 13 others and causing material damage to the public and private properties. 4 citizens killed in terrorist rocket attack in Homs city At least four citizens were killed due to a terrorist rocket attack on al-Zahraa neighborhood in the city of Homs. SANA reporter in Homs said that a number of rocket shells landed on the main square in al-Zahraa neighborhood killing 4 citizens injuring many others and causing material damage to citizens properties. English bulletin,sana,11/20/2016,homs,1,,,,
1926479317,Army establishes control over Minian town in Aleppo continues to advance in other areas,30 October 2016 Army establishes control over Minian town in Aleppo continues to advance in other areas. Army and Armed Force units backed by the army air force on Sunday continued to advance in different areas across the country establishing control over new areas and inflicting heavy losses upon the Takfiri terrorist organizations in the arms and personnel. Aleppo A military source announced on Saturday evening that the Army and Armed Forces established full control over the town of Minian at the southwestern outskirts of Aleppo city after eliminating the terrorists who had infiltrated it earlier. The source told SANA that control was reestablished over Minian following a swift operations by army units in cooperation with supporting forces eliminating scores of terrorists most of them from Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist groups affiliated to Jaish al-Fateh in addition to destroying many vehicles. The source added that as a result of this operation the army managed to encircle the terrorists who had infiltrated some blocks of buildings in al-Assad residential suburb inflicting heavy losses on them and capturing many of them. Earlier today terrorists from Jaish al-Fateh fired shells containing toxic materials on al-Hamadaniyeh area and al-Assad residential suburb in Aleppo causing cases of asphyxiation to more than 35 people. Later a military source said that the Syrian Air Force destroyed bases and machinegun-equipped vehicles for terrorist groups in Khan al-Assad and Oram al-Sughra west and south of Aleppo. Daraa Army units on Sunday destroyed radio-controlled aircrafts and machinegun-equipped vehicles belonging to terrorist groups affiliated to Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization in Daraa southern province. A military source told SANA that Army units carried out artillery bombardments against gatherings and positions of the Takfiri terrorists to the south of al-Nuaima town and Ghazar area in the towns of Ebtaa Dael Tal al-Samn to the west of al-Gharyia al-Gharbyia and the in the surrounding of Khirbet Ghazala in Daraa countryside. The source added that a number of terrorists were killed in the bombardments and one of their tanks was destroyed in addition to two of their machinegun-equipped vehicles. An army unit on Sunday morning shot down three radio-controlled aircrafts belonging to the terrorist organizations and destroyed them to the east of Ebtaa town in the northern countryside of the province. Another army unit carried out precise operations against the terrorist organizations in some of the neighborhoods of Daraa al-Balad area inflicting heavy losses upon them in the arms and personnel. Another army unit killed all members of a terrorist group southeast of Busra Square in Daraa al-Mahatta neighborhood. Later in the evening a military source said that army units destroyed vehicles equipped with a 23 mm gun a rocket launcher and machineguns for Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in the brick factory and the area surrounding al-Beit al-Azrak to the east of Dael town in the eastern countryside of Daraa killing and injuring many terrorists in the process. Later still the source said that army units thwarted an attack by Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in the direction of the abandoned battalion east of Ibtaa in Daraa countryside killing scores of terrorists shooting down 4 RC drones and destroying 1 tank 3 armored vehicles and 4 machinegun-equipped cars. Damascus Countryside Army units continued to advance towards Khan al-Sheeh in Damascus Countryside and established control over the axis of Ashrafiyet al-Abbasiya/east of al-Zaaroura after inflicting heavy losses upon the terrorists in the arms and personnel. Army units carried out bombardments against fortifications of the terrorist groups in Khan al-Sheeh and al-Khraba area in Drousha killing scores of terrorists and destroying an amount of arms and ammunition that were in their possession. Hama A military source said that the Syrian Air Force destroyed command centers and scores of vehicles for terrorist organizations in Tibet al-Imam al-Masasneh al-Lahaya al-Latamneh Morek Kafr Zita and Jana al-Ulbawi in Hama countryside.,sana,10/30/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479318,Hundreds dead as Islamic State seizes Syrian air base: monitor Sylvia Westall,August 24 2014 Hundreds dead as Islamic State seizes Syrian air base: monitor Sylvia Westall. Islamic State militants stormed an air base in northeast Syria on Sunday capturing it from government forces after days of fighting that cost more than 500 lives a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 346 Islamic State fighters were killed and more than 170 members of government forces had died since Tuesday in the fight over Tabqa base making it one of the deadliest confrontations between the two groups since the start of Syrias war. The Observatory which monitors violence in Syria through sources on the ground said fighting raged inside the air base on Sunday. It was the Syrian armys last foothold in an area otherwise controlled by Islamic State which has seized large areas of Syria and Iraq. In nearby Raqqa city an Islamic State stronghold there was celebratory gunfire and several mosques announced through their loudspeakers that the base had fallen to the Islamists and cheered God is greatest a witness told Reuters. IS fighters displayed the severed heads of Syrian army soldiers in the city square the witness said adding that Syrian warplanes were heard over Raqqa following the air base attack. Earlier on Sunday the Syrian air force had bombed areas around the base. Syrian state television said that after fierce battles the military was regrouping. Citing a military source it said there was a successful evacuation of the airport and that the army was continuing strikes on terrorist groups in the area which it said had suffered heavy losses. Syrian state media gave no figure for the number of people killed in the clashes. Islamic State had also trapped around 150 retreating Syrian soldiers in an area near the base and was believed to be holding them captive the Observatory said. Residents of Tabqa city tour the streets on motorcycles carrying flags in celebration after Tabqa air base fell to Islamic State militants in nearby Raqqa city August 24 2014. REUTERS/Stringer The Syrian army sent reinforcements to the base overnight on Friday to fight Islamic State which controls roughly a third of northern and eastern Syria. Syrian television had shown footage of army forces defending the base on Saturday who had said it was safe from Islamic States advances. Many of the Islamic State fighters died after Syrian warplanes bombarded the area the Observatory said. MILITARY BASES Slideshow (3 Images) Islamic State a radical offshoot of al Qaeda has taken three Syrian military bases in the area in recent weeks boosted by arms seized in Iraq. Syria is calculating that the IS push to reshape the Middle East will eventually force the West to deal with President Bashar al-Assad as the only way to tackle the threat sources familiar with Syrian government thinking have said. Elsewhere in Syria the group withdrew from northern areas it controlled outside the city of Homs on Sunday and retreated east after coming under attack from rival Islamist fighters the Observatory said. Fighters from the group withdrew from a headquarters north of Homs on the orders of their leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the Observatory said citing sources in the area. They said IS gave up the territory to Nusra Front al Qaedas official wing in Syria. As well as Nusra Front Western-backed rebels have also been fighting IS in Syria but have regularly been defeated by the group which in June declared an Islamic caliphate in the territory it controls. Activists have accused the Syrian army of avoiding confrontations with IS because it has weakened rival rebel groups also battling Assad. Additional reporting by Tom Perry; Editing by Gareth Jones Stephen Powell Lynne ODonnell and Giles Elgood Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/24/2014,raqqa,0,,,,
1926479318,Hundreds dead as Islamic State seizes Syrian air base: monitor Sylvia Westall,August 24 2014 Hundreds dead as Islamic State seizes Syrian air base: monitor Sylvia Westall. Islamic State militants stormed an air base in northeast Syria on Sunday capturing it from government forces after days of fighting that cost more than 500 lives a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 346 Islamic State fighters were killed and more than 170 members of government forces had died since Tuesday in the fight over Tabqa base making it one of the deadliest confrontations between the two groups since the start of Syrias war. The Observatory which monitors violence in Syria through sources on the ground said fighting raged inside the air base on Sunday. It was the Syrian armys last foothold in an area otherwise controlled by Islamic State which has seized large areas of Syria and Iraq. In nearby Raqqa city an Islamic State stronghold there was celebratory gunfire and several mosques announced through their loudspeakers that the base had fallen to the Islamists and cheered God is greatest a witness told Reuters. IS fighters displayed the severed heads of Syrian army soldiers in the city square the witness said adding that Syrian warplanes were heard over Raqqa following the air base attack. Earlier on Sunday the Syrian air force had bombed areas around the base. Syrian state television said that after fierce battles the military was regrouping. Citing a military source it said there was a successful evacuation of the airport and that the army was continuing strikes on terrorist groups in the area which it said had suffered heavy losses. Syrian state media gave no figure for the number of people killed in the clashes. Islamic State had also trapped around 150 retreating Syrian soldiers in an area near the base and was believed to be holding them captive the Observatory said. Residents of Tabqa city tour the streets on motorcycles carrying flags in celebration after Tabqa air base fell to Islamic State militants in nearby Raqqa city August 24 2014. REUTERS/Stringer The Syrian army sent reinforcements to the base overnight on Friday to fight Islamic State which controls roughly a third of northern and eastern Syria. Syrian television had shown footage of army forces defending the base on Saturday who had said it was safe from Islamic States advances. Many of the Islamic State fighters died after Syrian warplanes bombarded the area the Observatory said. MILITARY BASES Slideshow (3 Images) Islamic State a radical offshoot of al Qaeda has taken three Syrian military bases in the area in recent weeks boosted by arms seized in Iraq. Syria is calculating that the IS push to reshape the Middle East will eventually force the West to deal with President Bashar al-Assad as the only way to tackle the threat sources familiar with Syrian government thinking have said. Elsewhere in Syria the group withdrew from northern areas it controlled outside the city of Homs on Sunday and retreated east after coming under attack from rival Islamist fighters the Observatory said. Fighters from the group withdrew from a headquarters north of Homs on the orders of their leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the Observatory said citing sources in the area. They said IS gave up the territory to Nusra Front al Qaedas official wing in Syria. As well as Nusra Front Western-backed rebels have also been fighting IS in Syria but have regularly been defeated by the group which in June declared an Islamic caliphate in the territory it controls. Activists have accused the Syrian army of avoiding confrontations with IS because it has weakened rival rebel groups also battling Assad. Additional reporting by Tom Perry; Editing by Gareth Jones Stephen Powell Lynne ODonnell and Giles Elgood Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/24/2014,raqqa,1,,,,
1926479326,Rescuers say gas dropped on Syrian town where Russian copter downed,Aug. 1 2016 Rescuers say gas dropped on Syrian town where Russian copter downed. A Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory said on Tuesday a helicopter dropped containers of toxic gas overnight on a town close to where a Russian military helicopter was shot down hours earlier. The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) accused President Bashar al Assad of being behind the attack. Assad has denied previous accusations of using chemical weapons. A spokesman for the Syria Civil Defense said 33 people mostly women and children were affected by the gas which they suspect was chlorine in Saraqeb in rebel-held Idlib province. The group which describes itself as a neutral band of search and rescue volunteers posted a video on YouTube apparently showing a number of men struggling to breathe and being given oxygen masks by people in civil defense uniforms. Medium-sized barrels fell containing toxic gasses. The Syrian Civil Defense was not able to determine the type of the gas said the spokesman. The Syrian government and its Russian allies were not immediately available for comment. The SNC said in a statement: After shelling besieging and killing civilians and perpetrating war crimes on them the Assad regime has resorted once again and in breach of UN resolutions 2118 and 2235 to using chemical substances and toxic gasses. The daily reality confirms that all the international agreements and previous security council decisions be they about chemical weapons or otherwise are meaningless for the Assad regime. The Civil Defense spokesman said it was the second time Saraqeb had been hit by toxic gas. The group was aware of around nine suspected chlorine gas incidents across Idlib province since the conflict began he said. Monitors at the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which tracks violence on all sides in the civil war said barrel bombs fell on Saraqeb late on Monday wounding a large number of citizens. Russias defense ministry said a Russian helicopter was shot down near Saraqeb during the day on Monday killing all five people on board in the biggest officially acknowledged loss of life for Russian forces since they started operations in Syria. Denials The helicopter came down roughly mid-way between Aleppo and Russias main air base at Khmeimim in the western province of Latakia near the Mediterranean coast. Russian air power began supporting Syrian President Bashar al Assad late last year an intervention which tipped the balance of the war in Assads favor eroding gains the rebels had made that year. The Russian defense ministry said the Mi-8 military transport helicopter was shot down after delivering humanitarian aid to Aleppo as it made its way back to Khmeimim. No group has claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter. Government and opposition forces have both denied using chemical weapons during the five-year-old civil war. Western powers say the government has been responsible for chlorine and other chemical attacks. The government and Russia have accused rebels of using poison gas. UN investigators established that sarin gas was used in Eastern Ghouta in 2013. The United States accused Damascus of that attack which it estimates killed 1429 people including at least 426 children. Damascus denied responsibility and blamed rebels. Later that year the United Nations and the Syrian government agreed to destroy the states declared stockpile of chemical weapons a process completed in January 2016. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed in late 2015 that sulfur mustard commonly known as mustard gas had been used for the first time in the conflict without saying which party in the many-sided conflict it thought had used it.,arabiya,8/1/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1926479327,Blaming Assad Trump says Syria attack cannot be tolerated,Wednesday 5 April 2017 Blaming Assad Trump says Syria attack cannot be tolerated. Decrying an affront to humanity President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that a chemical weapons attack in Syria cannot be tolerated but did not say what the US might do in response. He blamed the attack squarely on Syrian President Bashar Assad. Trump speaking alongside Jordans King Abdullah II in the Rose Garden offered no details about what steps the US might take in response even as his UN ambassador Nikki Haley was promising a strong and perhaps even unilateral response. But Trump said the attack was so horrific and noted that it had killed innocent people small children and even beautiful little babies. These heinous actions by the Assad regime cannot be tolerated Trump said. He said the US stood with its global allies to condemn this horrific attack. The United States and Russia were trading conflicting assertions Wednesday about who launched a chemical weapons attack in Syria that killed 72 people as world leaders grasped for a response to the latest atrocity in Syrias intractable civil war. President Donald Trump accompanied by first lady Melania Trump and Queen Rania shakes hands with Jordans King Abdullah II in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington Wednesday April 5 2017. (AP) As Trump stood by his charge that Assads forces were responsible Russia disagreed. The staunch Assad ally insisted that the chemicals were dispersed when Syrian warplanes bombed a facility where rebels were building chemical weapons. At the United Nations Trumps envoy threatened unilateral US action if the world body failed to act. When the United Nations consistently fails in its duty to act collectively there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action Haley declared. She addressed an emergency meeting of the Security Council which was weighing a resolution condemning chemical weapons use in Syria. Russia which has veto power is opposed. Yet in Moscow Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova focused her attention elsewhere: Its necessary to demand that the rebels offer full access to study the area and collect necessary information. Leaders and officials in other countries including Britain and Israel joined the US in saying Assads forces were responsible. A US official said an American review of radar and other assessments showed Syrian aircraft flying in the area at the time of the attack. Russian and coalition aircraft were not there at that time said the official who wasnt authorized to discuss intelligence publicly and requested anonymity. Washington hasnt yet concluded what type of chemical was used. On Tuesday President Donald Trump split the blame between Syrias embattled leader and former President Barack Obama for the countrys worst chemical weapons attack in years. While calling the attack reprehensible and intolerable Trump said Obama did nothing after Assad crossed the former US leaders red line in 2013. These heinous actions by the Bashar al-Assad regime are a consequence of the past administrations weakness and irresolution Trump said. The political tone of Trumps statement took many US officials by surprise. They noted that US presidents have rarely attacked their predecessors so aggressively for events like chemical weapons attacks that Democrats and Republicans both abhor. Several officials involved in internal administration discussions said Trumps National Security Council had been preparing a different statement until the presidents closest advisers took over the process. The officials werent authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded anonymity. The presidents eldest daughter and top adviser Ivanka Trump took a more compassionate tone tweeting Wednesday Heartbroken and outraged by the images coming out of Syria following the atrocious chemical attack yesterday. At least 72 people died in the town of Khan Sheikhoun. The World Health Organization said victims seemed to show symptoms consistent with nerve agent exposure. Videos from the scene showed volunteer medics using firehoses to wash the chemicals from victims bodies and lifeless children being piled in heaps.,arabiya,4/5/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1926479330,Death toll mounts after bomb blast on Aleppo evacuee bus convoy,Saturday 15 April 2017 Death toll mounts after bomb blast on Aleppo evacuee bus convoy. A bomb blast hit a bus convoy waiting to enter Aleppo on Saturday killing at least 100 and wounding hundreds more after an evacuation deal between Syrias warring sides halted and stranded thousands at two transit points on the city outskirts. Images posted by the outlets showed bodies lying next to charred buses with their windows blown out and flaming vehicles belching out thick black smoke. British-based monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights counted 24 dead and dozens more wounded. The blast hit buses in the Rashidin area on Aleppos outskirts which had been waiting to cross from rebel-held territory into the government-controlled city itself carrying people evacuated from two Shiite villages on Friday. The residents alongside hundreds of pro-government fighters had left the two rebel-besieged villages in northwest Idlib province under a deal where in exchange hundreds of Sunni insurgents and their families moved out of a government-besieged area near Damascus. But a delay in the agreement had left all those evacuated stuck at two transit points on Aleppos outskirts since late on Friday. Residents of al-Foua and Kefraya the Shiite villages were waiting in the Rashidin area. The rebels and residents of Madaya near Damascus were waiting at the government-held Ramousah bus garage a few miles away. They were to be transported to Idlib province which the armed opposition controls. The agreement is one of several over recent months that has seen President Bashar al-Assads government take back control of areas long besieged by his forces and their allies. The Observatory said the delay was caused by the fact that rebels from Zabadani another town near Damascus included in the deal had not yet been granted safe passage out. A pro-opposition activist said insurgents blamed the delay partly on the fact that a smaller number of pro-government fighters had left the Shiite villages than was agreed. Earlier on Saturday at the transit point where the buses from al-Foua and Kefraya were waiting one resident said he was not yet sure where he would live. After Aleppo Ill see what the rest of the group is doing if there are any preparations. My house land and belongings are all in al-Foua Mehdi Tahhan said. We had no choice A Madaya resident speaking from the bus garage inside Aleppo said people had been waiting there since late on Friday and were not being allowed to leave. Theres no drinking water or food. The bus garage is small so theres not much space to move around Ahmed 24 said. Were sad and angry about what has happened he said. Many people felt that they had been forced to leave he said. There was no other choice in the end - we were besieged inside a small area in Madaya. Syrias opposition says the evacuation deals which include areas of Aleppo and a district in the city of Homs amount to forced displacement of Assads opponents from Syrias main urban centers in the west of the country. The agreements are also causing demographic changes they say because those who are displaced are mostly Sunni Muslims. Syrias population is mostly Sunni. Assad is from the Alawite religious minority often considered an offshoot of Shiite Islam. He has been backed militarily by Russia and by Shiite fighters from Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah group in Syrias six-year-old conflict. Assad has the military advantage over rebels in the west thanks to Russias intervention in 2015 although the insurgents are still fighting back and have made gains in some areas.,arabiya,4/15/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479334,Syrian opposition: 1300 killed in chemical attack on Ghouta region,Wednesday 21 August 2013 Syrian opposition: 1300 killed in chemical attack on Ghouta region. At least 1300 people have been killed in a nerve gas attack on Syrias Ghouta region leading opposition figure George Sabra said on Wednesday. In response the opposition Syrian National Coalition called for an urgent U.N. Security Council meeting on the subject. I call on the Security Council to convene urgently National Coalition leader Ahmed al-Jarba added to Al-Arabiya news channel condemning the Syrian armys bombardment of the Ghouta suburbs of Damascus as a massacre. Meanwhile The Arab League called Wednesday on U.N. chemical weapons inspectors now inside Syria to immediately visit the site of the incident. Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi urged the inspectors in a statement to go immediately to Eastern Ghouta to see the reality of the situation and investigate the circumstances of this crime. Britain said on Wednesday it would raise a reported chemical weapons attack by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the United Nations Security Council and called on Damascus to give U.N. inspectors access to the site Reuters reported. I am deeply concerned by reports that hundreds of people including children have been killed in airstrikes and a chemical weapons attack on rebel-held areas near Damascus British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement. France also called for action by the U.N. during a cabinet session Hollande announced his intention to ask the U.N. to visit the site of the attack government spokeswoman Najat Vallaud-Belkacem told reporters on Wednesday. This information obviously requires verification and confirmation she added. Activists at the Syrian Revolutionary Command Council said regime fighter planes were flying over the area after the bombardment accusing the forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad of using chemical agents. The attack was on rebel-held areas of eastern Damascus. Regime forces ... stepped up military operations in the Eastern Ghouta and Western Ghouta zones of the Damascus region with aircraft and rocket launchers causing several dozen dead and wounded the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP news agency. The intensive bombing on the outskirts of the capital could be heard by residents of Damascus where a grey cloud capped the sky. The Britain-based Observatory which relies on a vast network of activists on the ground and medics said the army operation was aimed at the recapture of Madhamiyat el-Sham an area southwest of Damascus. The Local Coordination Committees (LCC) a network of activists reported hundreds of casualties in the brutal use of toxic gas by the criminal regime in parts of Western Ghouta. According to Reuters news agency the reported use of the chemical agents could not be immediately verified. The news coincides with a visit to Damascus by a United Nations team of chemical weapons experts. In an interview with Al Arabiya Syrian National Coalition chief Ahmad Jarba called on the U.N. investigators to travel to Ghouta the site of the massacre. Activists from the grassroots Local Coordination Committee reported at least 30 bodies had been brought to one field hospital in Kafr Batna neighborhood a few miles east of central Damascus according to Reuters. Meanwhile the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens of people were killed including children in fierce bombardment. Activists at the Local Coordinating Committees said Mouadamiya southwest of the capital came under the heaviest attack since the start of the two-year conflict. Regime denial Meanwhile Syrian authorities denied charges that the army used chemical weapons in the attacks. Reports on the use of chemical weapons in (the suburbs of) Ghouta are totally false state news agency SANA said. It dismissed as unfounded the reports from opposition activists and said satellite news channels carrying the reports are implicated in the shedding of Syrian blood and support terrorism. Its an attempt to prevent the U.N. commission of inquiry from carrying out its mission the statement added. (With Reuters and AFP) ,arabiya,8/21/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1926479349,Syria: have the Chemical Weapons gloves come off?,Friday 23 August 2013 Syria: have the Chemical Weapons gloves come off? As the international community tries to wrap its head around the recent allegations of chemical weapons attack in Syria numerous unanswered questions remain on the type of agent used and the party who carried it leaving the door open on the repercussions of such an attack on the diplomatic and military levels. News of the Ghoutta Massacre have surfaced on Wednesday with the opposition accusing the Syrian government of launching a Chemical attack and killing between 1000 and 1800 people. Understanding the attack Based on videos of responders that surfaced after the attack and the nature of casualties Gwyn Winfield editor of CBRNe World a publication that specializes in unconventional weapons tells Al-Arabiya that they suggest that it might be chemical biological or radiological device. The symptoms which included shortage of breath pinpoint pupils mucus secretions that it was a chemical attack but exactly which chemical it is is difficult to decide says the expert. Verifying the kind of agent used and getting specifics on the attack would require according to Winfield a sample of the agent itself or a blood or hair sample from a victim or casualty. The least value evidence would be water or soil from the area where the rockets landed. While lot of fingers have been pinpointed in different directions after the attack with the Assad regime denying the attack altogether and the opposition implicating the government three indications are mandatory to know in order to identify the source says Winfield. They are: the agent itself the delivery system (rocket/shell/mortar and the device that fires it) and the skill needed to bring the three together (personnel). The most difficult part in this is identifying the agent as Syria has the delivery system and skill in abundance. Winfield notes that the Assad regime has stated that they have a close hold on the agent a statement that is designed to assure Western powers as much as allies that the regime has control over these weapons. But the risk of the regime losing control over such material has long been a concern of Washington and neighbors of Syria. Winfield says that all the rebels would need is overrun an ammunition dump with a small supply of agent to stage such an attack. Repercussions The concern in Washington and in many Western capitals is that regardless of who staged the attack the turn of events towards chemical weapons use in Syria or these weapons falling in the wrong hands is a red line and a major security threat. Andrew Tabler a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy tells Al-Arabiya that if the chemical weapons use is confirmed on such a massive scale it will be much harder for the Barack Obama administration not to respond warning that this might be a sign of more systematic use in the future if we are not there already. The Wall Street Journal quoting Pentagon officials said yesterday that the U.S. began refining its military options for possible strikes in Syria. In a parallel effort Secretary of State John Kerry is working the diplomatic track and has placed calls to his French Russian and Turkish counterparts to discuss potential response. Obama told CNN today that core national interests are now at stake if Chemical weapons use is verified both in terms of us making sure that weapons of mass destruction are not proliferating as well as needing to protect our allies our bases in the region. Tabler does not expect an immediate military action however due to the time needed to plan militarily and for diplomacy and coalition building a priority for the Obama administration. Still he warns that Washington can not afford waiting too long. But even military action in the form of airstrikes would not resolve the Chemicals weapons threat. Winfield points out that it is very difficult to protect these weapons and the chances of killing everyone that knows how to operate these systems is slim as is the chance of destroying every mortar howitzer and rocket battery. He says that destroying a chemical agent is very difficult to do safely and it would require special forces on the ground something that the U.S. has been very reluctant about doing in Syria.,arabiya,8/23/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1926479352,Activists say more than 200 killed in gas attack near Damascus,August 21 2013 Activists say more than 200 killed in gas attack near Damascus. Dominic Evans Khaled Yacoub Oweis. Syrian activists accused President Bashar al-Assads forces of launching a nerve gas attack that killed at least 213 people on Wednesday in what would if confirmed be by far the worst reported use of poison gas in the two-year-old civil war. Reuters was not able to verify the accounts independently and they were denied by Syrian state television which said they were disseminated deliberately to distract a team of United Nations chemical weapons experts which arrived three days ago. The U.N. team is in Syria investigating allegations that both rebels and army forces used poison gas in the past one of the main disputes in international diplomacy over Syria. Activists said rockets with chemical agents hit the Damascus suburbs of Ain Tarma Zamalka and Jobar before dawn. A nurse at Douma Emergency Collection facility Bayan Baker said the death toll as collated from medical centers in the suburbs east of Damascus was 213. Many of the casualties are women and children. They arrived with their pupil dilated cold limbs and foam in their mouths. The doctors say these are typical symptoms of nerve gas victims the nurse said. Extensive amateur video and photographs purporting to show victims appeared on the Internet. A video purportedly shot in the Kafr Batna neighborhood showed a room filled with more than 90 bodies many of them children and a few women and elderly men. Most of the bodies appeared ashen or pale but with no visible injuries. About a dozen were wrapped in blankets. Other footage showed doctors treating people in makeshift clinics. One video showed the bodies of a dozen people lying on the floor of a clinic with no visible wounds. The narrator in the video said they were all members of a single family. In a corridor outside lay another five bodies. A photograph taken by activists in Douma showed the bodies of at least 16 children and three adults one wearing combat fatigues laid at the floor of a room in a medical facility where bodies were collected. Syrian state television quoted a source as saying there was no truth whatsoever to the reports. Syria is one of just a handful of countries that are not parties to the international treaty that bans chemical weapons and Western nations believe it has caches of undeclared mustard gas sarin and VX nerve agents. A youth affected by what activists say is nerve gas is treated at a hospital in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus August 21 2013. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh Assads officials have said they would never use poison gas - if they had it - against Syrians. The United States and European allies believe Assads forces used small amounts of sarin gas in attacks in the past which Washington called a red line that justified international military aid for the rebels. Assads government has responded in the past with accusations that it was the rebels that used chemical weapons which the rebels deny. Western countries say they do not believe the rebels have access to poison gas. Assads main global ally Moscow says accusations on both sides must be investigated. Khaled Omar of the opposition Local Council in Ain Tarma said he saw at least 80 bodies at the Hajjah Hospital in Ain Tarma and at a makeshift clinic at Tatbiqiya School in the nearby district of Saqba. Slideshow (3 Images) The attack took place at around 3:00 a.m. (0000 GMT / 8:00 p.m. Tuesday EDT). Most of those killed were in their homes Omar said. SURPRISING TIMING The timing and location of the reported chemical weapons use - just three days after the team of U.N. chemical experts checked in to a Damascus hotel a few km (miles) to the east at the start of their mission - was surprising. Logically it would make little sense for the Syrian government to employ chemical agents at such a time particularly given the relatively close proximity of the targeted towns (to the U.N. team) said Charles Lister analysts at IHS Janes Terrorism and Insurgency Center. Nonetheless the Ghouta region (where the attacks were reported) is well known for its opposition leanings. Jabhat al-Nusra has had a long-time presence there and the region has borne the brunt of sustained military pressure for months now he said referring to a hardline Sunni Islamist rebel group allied to al Qaeda. While it is clearly impossible to confirm the chemical weapons claim it is clear from videos uploaded by reliable accounts that a large number of people have died. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based monitoring group said dozens of people were killed including children in fierce bombardment. It said Mouadamiya southwest of the capital came under the heaviest attack since the start of the two-year conflict. The Observatory called on the U.N. experts and international organizations to visit the affected areas to ensure aid could be delivered and to launch an investigation to determine who was responsible for the bombardment and hold them to account. Additional reporting by Erika Solomon in Beirut; Editing by Peter Graff Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/21/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1926479354,Islamic State beheads crucifies in push for Syrias east,August 11 2014 Islamic State beheads crucifies in push for Syrias east. Oliver Holmes Suleiman Al-Khalidi. Islamic State has crushed a pocket of resistance to its control in eastern Syria crucifying two people and executing 23 others in the past five days a monitoring group said on Monday. The insurgents who are also making rapid advances in Iraq are tightening their grip in Syria of which they now control roughly a third mostly rural areas in the north and east. Fighters from the al-Sheitaat tribe in eastern Deir al-Zor had tried to resist Islamic States advance this month according to residents near the area and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights a Britain-based monitoring organization. In al-Shaafa a town on the banks of the Euphrates river Islamic State beheaded two men from the al-Sheitaat clan on Sunday the Observatory said and gave residents a 12-hour deadline on Monday to hand over members of the tribe. In other parts of Deir al-Zor province the militants crucified two men for the crime of dealing with apostates in the city of Mayadin and two others were beheaded for blasphemy in the nearby town of al-Bulel the Observatory said. Islamic State which has fought the Syrian army Kurdish militias and Sunni Muslim tribal forces has made rapid gains in Syria since it seized northern Iraqs largest city Mosul on June 10 and declared an Islamic caliphate. The Observatory said a further 19 men from the al-Sheitaat tribe were executed on Thursday 18 shot dead and one beheaded on the outskirts of Deir al-Zor city. It said the men worked at an oil installation. No one will now dare from the other tribes to move against Islamic State after the defeat of the al-Sheitaat said Ahmad Ziyada al-Qaissi an Islamic State sympathizer contacted by Skype from Mayadin. Tribal sources say the conflict between Islamic State and the al-Sheitaat tribe who number about 70000 flared after Islamic State took over of two oil fields in July. One of those al-Omar is the biggest oil and gas field in Deir al-Zor and has been a lucrative source of funds for rebel groups. The head of the al-Sheitaat tribe Sheikh Rafaa Aakla al-Raju called in a video message for other tribes to join the fight against Islamic State. We appeal to the other tribes to stand by us because it will be their turn next ... If (Islamic State) are done with us the other tribes will targeted after al-Sheitaat. They are the next target he said in the video posted on YouTube on Sunday. WINNING RESPECT Damaged military vehicles that belonged to forces loyal to Syrias President Bashar al-Assad are parked at the armys 17th Division base after it was seized by fighters from the Islamic State outside Syrias northern Raqqa province August 10 2014. REUTERS/Stringer A Syrian human rights activist from Deir al-Zor who fled for Turkey last year said rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad had retreated to al-Sheitaat tribal areas from which they had been trying to mount resistance to Islamic State. He said on condition of anonymity that the resistance had been crushed in the last few days. The situation is very bad but the people cant repel them he said. He said that in tandem with their violent campaign Islamic State was distributing gas electricity fuel and food to garner local support. It is a poor area. They are winning support this way. They won a lot of support this way. They are halting theft and punishing thieves. This is also giving them credibility. Slideshow (2 Images) Another resident of Deir al-Zor Abdullah al-Noami said that four al-Sheitaat towns had fallen. These areas have fallen into the hands of Islamic State after the withdrawal of the (al-Sheitaat) fighters. The youths who were found were executed or their heads were cut off on the grounds that they fought against Islamic State he said. More than 170000 people have been killed in Syrias civil war which pits overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim rebels against Assad a member of the Shiite-derived Alawite minority backed by Shiite militias from Iraq and Lebanon. The insurgency is split between competing factions with Islamic State emerging as the most powerful. In Raqqa Islamic States power base in Syria its hold appears to be growing only firmer even as Syrian government forces intensify air strikes on territory held by the group. One Syrian living in an area of Islamic State control near Raqqa said the number of its fighters in the streets had grown dramatically in the last few weeks particularly since it captured the armys 17th Division at the end of July. The group has levied a tax on non-Muslims and settled foreign fighters in confiscated homes said the resident who asked for anonymity due to security concerns. But despite that as in Deir al-Zor it has won a degree of respect among locals by curbing crime using their version law of and order. For youths without work salaries offered by Islamic State are one of the few sources of income. The (Islamic) State has respect and standing and its voice is heard said the resident speaking by Skype. Additional reporting by Tom Perry in Beirut; Editing by Robin Pomeroy Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/11/2014,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1926479355,Rebels launch assault in Syrias divided Aleppo,Tuesday 12 July 2016 Rebels launch assault in Syrias divided Aleppo. Rebel fighters launched a major assault on government-held districts of Syrias long-divided Aleppo on Monday after the regime severed their only remaining supply route into the battleground city. Once Syrias economic powerhouse Aleppo has been ravaged by the war that began with anti-government protests in 2011 and which has since killed more than 280000 people. Rebels launched the offensive at dawn to reopen the Castello Road their last lifeline into the northern city an AFP correspondent said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 19 regime forces were killed Monday when rebels blew up a tunnel in the Old City. Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said: The opposition has not advanced because of the heavy aerial bombardment the regime is carrying out on the areas where fighting is underway. Air raids on the rebel-held parts of Aleppo killed 13 civilians Monday the Observatory said most of them in the Bab al-Maqam neighborhood near the front line. An AFP journalist saw rescue workers help a stocky shirtless man out of the rubble in Bab al-Maqam his face and thick beard caked in dust. The unidentified man entered a field hospital and embraced the limp bodies of two young boys. He was martyred. Hes gone he said crying over the body of one them. Several rounds of UN-brokered talks to end the conflict have failed but the UNs special envoy Staffan de Mistura said Monday that a crucial moment had been reached in efforts to secure a political settlement. But despite the diplomatic flurry fighting has intensified in Aleppo divided between government forces in the west and rebels in the east since mid-2012. Barrage of shells Rebels fired a barrage of at least 300 shells into western Aleppo killing nine civilians the Observatory said. Ahmed a resident of the government-controlled west of the city said his home in the Syria quarter was completely destroyed. The shells have rained down on the western neighborhoods since 4:30 am he told AFP. Residents lifted debris in the Syria quarter and helped neighbors gather their belongings so they could leave in search of shelter elsewhere. Mahmud Abu Malak a spokesman for the Nureddin al-Zanki rebel group described fierce fighting. All kinds of heavy artillery and machine-guns are being used in the assault which is intended to ease the pressure on the Mallah and Handarat fronts he said referring to areas near the rebel supply route into Aleppo. The Castello Road route was effectively severed last Thursday when government forces seized a hilltop within firing range. The advance leaves the opposition-held east of the city cut off and raises the prospect of total siege. On Sunday at least 29 opposition fighters were killed when rebels launched a fruitless assault to push government forces back from the road and reopen the route. Watch: Regional international diplomats struggle over Aleppo Play Video Meagre food stocks The severing of the Castello Road has already created shortages of food and fuel in the east of Aleppo with local market stalls sparsely stocked. There are very few vegetables today because the Castello Road is closed said Abu Mohamed a vendor in the Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood. If we hadnt planted eggplant and zucchini inside the city we wouldnt have had any vegetables at all he said pointing to his meagre stock of vegetables. Residents also described searching in vain for fuel whether for vehicles or home use. The UN says nearly 600000 Syrians live in besieged areas of the country most surrounded by government forces although rebels also use the tactic. The latest violence comes despite an extension until early Tuesday of a nationwide truce declared last week by the government to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. In northwest Idlib province 17 people including two children were killed in air strikes which the Observatory said were carried out by either regime or allied Russian warplanes. US Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Moscow this week to seek common ground on how to deal with the ongoing bloodshed it was announced Monday. The current truce does not cover extremists from ISIS or the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front. Also Monday ISIS militants entered the historic city of Palmyra in central Syria for the first time since being defeated there by regime forces in March. But they were killed and the attack was now over according to the Observatory. ISIS fighters also claimed a suicide attack on a rival rebel group in the town of Dumeir east of Damascus on Sunday that killed 16 people. Last Update: Tuesday 12 July 2016 KSA 08:45 - GMT 05:45 2902,arabiya,7/6/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479363,Assad regime responsible for awful Syria chemical attack: EUs Mogherini,Tuesday 4 April 2017 Assad regime responsible for awful Syria chemical attack: EUs Mogherini . EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini said Tuesday the regime of Bashar al-Assad bears primary responsibility for a suspected chemical attack that killed at least 58 people in a rebel-held town in Idlib Syria including 11 children under the age of eight on Tuesday. Today the news is awful Mogherini said in an interview with media organisations in Brussels on the sidelines of a EU-UN conference that was meant to focus on the post-conflict situation in Syria. A Syrian military source strongly denied the army had used any such weapons. The attack caused many people to choke or faint and some had foam coming out of their mouths the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said citing medical sources who described it as a sign of a gas attack. The air strikes on the town of Khan Sheikhoun in the south of rebel-held Idlib also wounded more than 60 people said the Observatory a British-based war-monitoring group. This morning at 6:30 a.m. warplanes targeted Khan Sheikhoun with gases believed to be sarin and chlorine said Mounzer Khalil head of Idlibs health authority adding that the attack had killed more than 50 people and wounded 300. Most of the hospitals in Idlib province are now overflowing with wounded people he told a news conference in Idlib. Warplanes later struck near a medical point where victims of the attack were being treated the Observatory said and civil defence workers said. The civil defence also known as the White Helmets - a rescue service that operates in opposition areas of Syria - said jets struck one of its centres in the area and the nearby medical point. It would mark the deadliest chemical attack in Syria since sarin gas killed hundreds of civilians in Ghouta near Damascus in August 2013. Western states said the Syrian government was responsible for that attack. Damascus blamed it on rebels. Military denies The Syrian military source on Tuesday denied allegations that government forces had used chemical weapons dismissing the accounts as rebel propaganda. The army has not and does not use them not in the past and not in the future because it does not have them in the first place the source said. A joint inquiry for the United Nations and the global chemical weapons watchdog has previously accused government forces of toxic gas attacks. France called for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting about Tuesdays suspected attack. Reuters photographs showed people breathing through oxygen masks and wearing protection suits while others carried the bodies of dead children and corpses wrapped in blankets were lined up on the ground. Activists in northern Syria circulated pictures on social media showing a purported victim with foam around his mouth and rescue workers hosing down almost naked children squirming on the floor. Most of the towns streets had become empty a witness said. The conflict pits President Bashar al-Assads government helped by Russia and Iranian-backed militias against a wide array of rebel groups including some that have been supported by Turkey the United States and Gulf monarchies. The Russian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that Russian planes had not carried out air strikes on Idlib. Syrian and Russian air strikes have battered parts of Idlib despite a ceasefire that Turkey and Russia brokered in December according to the Observatory. Turkish President Tay yip Eroding and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the suspected attack Turkish presidential sources said. They said the two leaders had also emphasised the importance of maintaining the ceasefire. Population ballooned Idlib province contains the largest populated area controlled by the anti-Assad rebels - both nationalist Free Syrian Army groups and Islamist factions including the former al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. Idlibs population has ballooned with thousands of fighters and civilians shuttled out of Aleppo city and areas around Damascus that the government has retaken in recent months. US air strikes since January have also hit several areas in the rural province where militias have a powerful presence. The United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons have been investigating whether Damascus is adhering to its commitments under the 2013 agreement which averted the threat of US-led military intervention. In a report in October last year the inquiry said that government forces used chemical weapons at least three times in 2014-2015 and that ISIS used mustard gas in 2015. Following the 2013 Ghouta attack the Syrian government joined the international Chemical Weapons Convention under a US-Russian deal. The government which denied its forces were behind the Ghouta attack also agreed to hand over its declared stockpile of 1300 tonnes of toxic weaponry and dismantle its chemical weapons program under international supervision. Damascus has repeatedly denied using such weapons during the six-year war which has killed hundreds of thousands and created the worlds worst refugee crisis.,arabiya,4/4/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1926479371,Rebel-held zone of Syrias Aleppo braces for renewed bombardment,November 4 2016 Rebel-held zone of Syrias Aleppo braces for renewed bombardment. Ellen Francis Angus McDowall. Syrian rebels and civilians showed no sign of leaving the besieged opposition-held sector of Aleppo on Friday despite a Russian deadline to resume bombing Syrias largest city at nightfall after a 17-day pause. The rebels own shelling of residential parts of government-held western Aleppo has meanwhile killed dozens in the past week as insurgent groups staged a counter-attack from outside the city aimed at breaking the siege on areas they control. The government sent ambulances and buses to bring people out of the besieged zone as it has done at other times during the pause but there was still no sign that anybody would leave. Residents contacted by Reuters seemed resigned to the resumption in bombing which killed hundreds of people in late September and early October as the government and its Russian allies abandoned a ceasefire to launch their assault on the biggest urban area in opposition hands. Nothing can be done. Nobody can stop the planes said Bebars Mishal an official with the white helmets civil defense volunteer group in eastern Aleppo which digs victims out of the rubble and runs an ambulance service. He said there was no way for rescue workers or medical staff to prepare in advance of the expected resumption of attacks: All we can do is take precautions and be ready 24 hours a day. Moscow and Damascus say their pause in bombing the city will end at 7 pm (1700 GMT) accusing rebels of having used the pause to reinforce and launch attacks on government-held areas. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said that by around 8:30 pm local time there was no sign yet of resumed aerial bombardment of central parts of the city. The government and its Russian allies say they target only militants and that fighters are to blame for civilian casualties by operating in civilian areas. Western countries say the bombing has deliberately targeted hospitals aid workers and bakeries and Washington has accused Moscow of war crimes. Rebels say the aim is to drive out civilians some 275000 of whom remain in the besieged zone. They call it a ceasefire. The regime hasnt let us hear the end of it said Modar Shekho a nurse in rebel-held eastern Aleppo. As usual when it ends they will let the bombardment loose. Weve gotten used to this. Syrias army backed by Lebanese Iranian and Iraqi Shiite militias and Russias air force launched a major offensive to retake eastern Aleppo from rebel groups on Sept. 22 after a series of advances allowed them to besiege it this summer. Aleppo has become the focal point of fighting in Syrias war now in its sixth year pitting President Bashar al-Assad and his allies against Sunni rebel groups including some supported by Turkey Gulf Arab monarchies and the United States. The city has been divided between the government-held western sector and rebel-held east for years. Winning full control of it would be the biggest victory so far for Assads government in a war that has killed many hundreds of thousands of people and driven more than half of Syrians from their homes. NOBODY WILL LEAVE Damascus and Moscow declared a unilateral four-day pause in strikes on Oct. 18 promising rebels and residents safe passage to leave the city and have extended it for most days since although some attacks have continued. Russia which has brought an additional aircraft carrier to Syrias coast said on Wednesday that all rebels must leave Aleppo by Friday evening adding its moratorium on air strikes could not be extended because of rebel shelling. A witness in western Aleppo at Bustan al-Qasr near a crossing point set up by the government to allow civilians to flee the rebel area told Reuters on Friday he could see people waiting for relatives to come from the east. Buses and ambulances were waiting for them but so far there was no sign of an exodus. A woman at Bustan al-Qasr who was covering her face said she hoped the people in eastern Aleppo would be able to leave safely and peacefully. Rebels have rejected the demand they withdraw. Nobody will leave and the Russians will escalate. The Russians declared this said Zakaria Malahifji a Turkey-based official from the politburo of the Fastaqim group which is present in Aleppo. The opposition says Damascus and its Russian and Iranian allies aim to win the war by depopulating rebel-held areas starving the population out or bombing them into flight. The Russians are adopting a policy of demographic change with the regime and Iran and their intentions are no longer hidden an official from the Nour al-Din al-Zinki rebel group said. In recent months other opposition-held areas have surrendered after long army sieges. The government calls the process reconciliation offering safe passage out for rebel fighters who abandon territory and lay down their arms. It has proposed a similar program to end the siege of eastern Aleppo opening what the army calls safe corridors and sending ambulances for injured civilians and green city buses to transport fighters to Idlib a rebel-held area. But so far only a very small number of people have left the rebel-held zone since late October. Damascus has accused rebels of stopping people from leaving including by shelling the safe corridors which rebels have denied. I wish civilians would exit ... but I expect that wont happen not under these circumstances Fadi Ismail an official based in Aleppo in Syrias reconciliation ministry told Reuters via telephone. Ismail said prospects for a deal with rebels looked bleak. There must be military action of course he said if no one evacuated. The United Nations has said it does not have security guarantees needed to deliver aid into eastern Aleppo. It opposes evacuations of civilians from besieged areas unless they are voluntary. After their offensive began in late September pro-government forces managed to take ground in northern Aleppo including a camp for Palestinian refugees and smaller areas in the south but made fewer advances into densely populated areas. Rebels launched a counter-attack a week ago against the western edge of government-held areas from the surrounding countryside. They have made progress in the Dahiyet al-Assad suburb and the 1070 apartment blocks district using 15 suicide car bomb attacks during the week a war monitor said. The Observatory said the rebels had killed 69 civilians including 25 children in shelling during their counter-attack. Additional reporting by Kinda Makieh in Damascus and Tom Miles in Geneva; editing by Anna Willard Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,11/4/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1926479378,Syrian Russian jets pound rebel areas,Wednesday 16 November 2016 Syrian Russian jets pound rebel areas. Air strikes pounded neighbourhoods around a childrens hospital and a blood bank in rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Wednesday in a second day of renewed bombing that has killed at least 32 people a war monitor medics and emergency workers said. Russian military planes were seen all night until morning in several regions of Idlib in northwestern Syria said Rami Abdel Rahman head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The regime air force bombed eastern sectors of Aleppo Syrias divided second city Abdel Rahman told AFP. The air raids formed part of a wider military escalation by the Syrian government and allies including Russia which fired coordinated volleys of missiles at rebels on Tuesday and for the first time used its only aircraft carrier. The Syrian Observatory said the air strikes on eastern Aleppo on Wednesday alone killed at least 21 people including five children and an emergency worker. They were carried out by either Russian or Syrian warplanes it said. The Observatory said districts struck included al-Shaar al-Sukkari al-Sakhour and Karam al-Beik. Air raids also continued in the countryside west of Aleppo from which rebels have launched assaults on government-held areas. An attack on the village of Batbo killed at least 19 people including three children the Observatory said. Moscow has denied reports that its jets have hit Aleppo in the renewed wave of bombardment and said it was sticking to a moratorium on air strikes in the city. Tuesdays bombing run on eastern Aleppo appeared to mark the end of a pause inside the city declared by Russia on Oct. 18 which Syrias military had also largely observed. The Observatory and residents said the citys east was hit by rocket fired from jets barrel bombs dropped from helicopters and artillery from government forces. The helicopters wont stop for a single moment Bebars Mishal a civil defence worker in rebel-held Aleppo told Reuters. Right now the bombing wont let up. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu spoke of a major operation which saw the first missions carried out by warplanes taking off from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier that arrived off Syria last week. The Kremlin said on Wednesday that a moratorium on Russian air strikes against targets in Aleppo remained in place for the time being. In this Oct. 11 2016 file photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets residents sit amongst rubble in rebel-held eastern Aleppo Syria. (AP) The offensive drew strong condemnation from the United States which said it had received reports of hospitals and clinics being bombed. Once Syrias economic powerhouse Aleppo has been ravaged by the war that has killed more than 300000 people across the country since it started in March 2011 with anti-government protests. UN condemns Syrian attacks in Aleppo Meanwhile a UN committee has approved a resolution strongly condemning the recent escalation of attacks in Aleppo and continuing violence by the Syrian government against its own people. The General Assemblys human rights committee voted 116-15 with 49 abstentions in favor of the draft resolution on Tuesday. It is virtually certain to be adopted when the assembly votes next month. An injured child waits after receiving treatment at the University hospital in a government-held neighbourhood on November 3 2016 following reported rebel fire on government-held parts of the northern city of Aleppo. (AFP) The draft resolution demands that Syrian authorities immediately put an end to all indiscriminate attacks including those involving the use of terror tactics air strikes barrel and vacuum bombs incendiary weapons chemical weapons and heavy artillery. It deplores and condemns in the strongest terms widespread human rights violations by the Syrian government. The draft calls for a cease-fire by all parties saying this is essential to achieve a political solution. Food production in Syria at all-time low Food production has dropped to an all-time low in Syria where civilians are struggling through their sixth winter in a war zone UN agencies said on Tuesday. Many farmers have had to abandon their land unable to afford the soaring cost of seeds fertilizers and tractor fuel the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme said. Wheat output - vital for making flat loaves of bread a staple of the Syrian diet - dropped from an average 3.4 million metric tonnes harvested before the war began in 2011 to 1.5 million this year they said in a joint statement. Play Video The area planted for cereals in the 2015-16 cropping season is the smallest ever they added citing field visits and surveys that also showed record low production of barley. Food production in Syria has hit a record low due to fighting and insecurity but also weather conditions World Food Programme spokeswoman Bettina Luescher told a news briefing in Geneva. Food shortages are particularly worrying in east Aleppo the rebel-held part of the city besieged by government forces where the UN says 250000-275000 civilians still live. The last food rations provided by the UN have been given out (in east Aleppo). It is very hard to say how people will be coping there. Of course it is a very different situation in the capital where food is available at the markets and people can buy things Luescher said. Before the war Syria was an exporter of livestock. Now herds and flocks have shrunk there are 30 percent fewer cattle 40 percent fewer sheep and goats and a staggering 60 percent less poultry which of course is the most affordable source of animal protein Luescher said. More than 7 million people in Syria are classified as food insecure meaning they are not always sure where their next meal is coming from she added. The World Food Programme is distributing rations to more than 4 million people in Syria each month. (With AP Reuters and AFP) Last Update: Wednesday 16 November 2016 KSA 20:36 - GMT 17:36 12480,arabiya,11/16/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1926479384,U.N. chief pushes Syria to allow for chemical attack probe,Friday 23 August 2013 U.N. chief pushes Syria to allow for chemical attack probe. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday renewed his push for Syria to allow U.N. inspectors immediate access to investigate allegations that the government carried out a deadly chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of Damascus. I can think of no good reason why any party either government or opposition forces - would decline this opportunity to get to the truth of the matter the U.N. chief told a diplomatic forum in Seoul. Syrias government has offered no public response to U.N. calls for its team to inspect the site of the attack which opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said killed from 500 to well over 1000 people. They said more bodies were being found in the wake of Wednesdays mysterious pre-dawn killer fumes which the Syrian government insists were not its doing. The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama said it was appalled by the death reports. A U.S. official familiar with initial intelligence assessments said the attack appeared to be the work of the Assad government. It was the regime acting as a regime the official said. But the Obama administration made clear that any response would await confirmation of a chemical attack and its origin. Images including some by freelance photographers supplied to Reuters showed scores of bodies laid out on floors with no visible signs of injury. Some had foam at the nose and mouth. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said world powers must respond with force if allegations that Syrias government was responsible for the deadliest chemical attack on civilians in a quarter-century prove true. But Fabius stressed there was no question of sending in troops on the ground. Talk of a forceful foreign response remains unlikely to be translated into rapid concerted action given division between the West and Russia at Wednesdays U.N. Security Council meeting and caution from Washington on Thursday. Moscow has said rebels may have released gas to discredit Assad and urged him to agree to a U.N. inspection. On Wednesday Russian objections to Western pressure on Syria saw the Security Council merely call in vague terms for clarity - a position increasingly frustrated Syrian rebels described as shameful. The State Department said senior U.S. and Russian diplomats would meet in The Hague next Wednesday to discuss ending Syrias civil war in what would be the first such meeting since allegations of the chemical attack. A senior State Department official said chemical weapons would also be discussed at the meeting. The meeting had previously been announced but no date had been released. Ban said he would send a top U.N. disarmament official Angela Kane to lobby the Syrian government in person and expected a swift positive answer. Obama has directed U.S. intelligence agencies to urgently help establish what caused the deaths a State Department spokeswoman said while acknowledging it may be difficult given that the United States does not have diplomatic relations with Syria. At this time right now we are unable to conclusively determine CW (chemical weapons) use the State Departments Jen Psaki told reporters. We are doing everything possible in our power to nail down the facts she added. Another U.S. official said intelligence agencies were not given a deadline and would take the time needed to reach a conclusion with confidence. Former weapons investigators say every hour matters. The longer it takes the easier it is for anybody who has used it to try to cover up said Demetrius Perricos who headed the U.N. team of weapons inspectors in Iraq in the 2000s. People are growing desperate Syria is one of just a handful of countries that are not parties to the international treaty that bans chemical weapons and Western nations believe it has caches of undeclared mustard gas sarin and VX nerve agents. Syrian officials have called allegations against their forces illogical and fabricated. They point to the timing of the attack days after U.N. inspectors arrived after months of argument and to previous assurances that if they possessed chemical weapons they would never use them against Syrians. After months of negotiating with Assads government to let inspectors into Syria a U.N. team arrived in Damascus four days ago. Their task is to check on the presence but not the sources of chemical weapons that are alleged to have been released in three specific small incidents several months ago. Many rebels and activists in the opposition area say they have lost interest in promises of U.N. investigations or in help from abroad: We are 7 km away just a five-minute car ride from where they are staying said activist Bara Abdelrahman. Were being exterminated with poison gas while they drink their coffee and sit inside their hotels. Qassem Saadeddine a commander and spokesman for the rebels Supreme Military Council said the group was still deliberating on how or if it should respond: People are growing desperate as they watch another round of political statements and U.N. meetings without any hope of action he told Reuters. Syrias revolt against four decades of Assad family rule has turned into a brutal civil war that has killed more than 100000people in 2-1/2 years and divided the Middle East along largely sectarian lines. Among world powers the conflict has revived Cold War-era East-West tensions and on the ground the struggle has limped to a poisonous stalemate. Assads Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shiite Islam and has the backing of Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Western powers back the opposition but have been reluctant to fully commit to an Arab Sunni-backed revolt increasing layover taken by Islamists linked to al Qaeda. Yet they have said the large-scale use of widely banned chemical weapons would be a game changer. Syrias southern neighbor Israel still technically at war with Damascus said it believed Syrian forces had used chemical weapons and accused the world of turning a blind eye: The world condemns the world investigates the world pays lip service Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said. In Paris Fabius said that if the Security Council could not make a decision one would have to be taken in other ways but he did not elaborate. Immediate international action is likely to be limited. European officials speaking on condition of anonymity said that options ranging from air strikes creating a no-fly zone or providing heavy weapons to some rebels were all still on the table - but that there was little prospect of concrete measures without U.S. backing which still seemed unlikely. The American reaction following yesterdays attack wascautious said one official. And without U.S. firepower theres little we can do. Last Update: Friday 23 August 2013 KSA 11:13 - GMT 08:13 5,arabiya,8/23/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1926479389,Syria gas kills hundreds Security Council meets,August 21 2013 Syria gas kills hundreds Security Council meets. Dominic Evans Khaled Yacoub Oweis. Syrias opposition accused government forces of gassing hundreds of people on Wednesday by firing rockets that released deadly fumes over rebel-held Damascus suburbs killing men women and children as they slept. With the death toll estimated between 500 and 1300 what would be the worlds most lethal chemical weapons attack since the 1980s prompted an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council in New York. The council did not explicitly demand a U.N. investigation of the incident although it said clarity was needed and welcomed U.N. chief Ban Ki-moons calls for a prompt investigation by the U.N. inspection team in Syria led by Ake Sellstrom. An earlier Western-drafted statement submitted to the council seen by Reuters was not approved. The final version of the statement was watered down to accommodate objections from Russia and China diplomats said. Moscow and Beijing have vetoed previous Western efforts to impose U.N. penalties on Assad. Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoabi said the allegations were illogical and fabricated. President Bashar al-Assads officials have said they would never use poison gas against Syrians. The United States and European allies believe Assads forces have used small amounts of sarin before hence the current U.N. visit. Immediate international action is likely to be limited with the divisions among major powers that have crippled efforts to quell 2 1/2 years of civil war still much in evidence. Russia backed up Syrian government denials by saying it looked like a rebel provocation to discredit Assad. Britain voiced the opposite view: I hope this will wake up some who have supported the Assad regime to realize its murderous and barbaric nature Foreign Secretary William Hague said on a visit to Paris. France Britain the United States and others called for an immediate on-site investigation by U.N. chemical weapons inspectors who arrived in the Syrian capital only this week. Moscow urging an objective inquiry said the very presence of that team suggested government forces were not to blame. U.S. President Barack Obama has made the use of chemical weapons by Assads forces a red line that in June triggered more U.S. aid to the rebels. But previous smaller and disputed cases of their deployment have not brought the all-out military intervention rebel leaders have sought to break a stalemate. U.S. Senator John McCain a Republican critic of Obamas Syria policy said on Twitter that failure to penalize previous gas attacks had emboldened Assad: No consequence for Assad using chemical weapons & crossing red line he said. We shouldnt be surprised hes using them again. Images including some by freelance photographers supplied to Reuters showed scores of bodies - some of them small children - laid on the floor of a clinic with no visible signs of injury. Some showed people with foam around their mouths. A boy who survived from what activists say is a gas attack cries as he takes shelter inside a mosque in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus August 21 2013. REUTERS/Mohamed Abdullah The United States and others said it had no independent confirmation that chemical weapons had been used. The U.N. chief Ban said the head of the inspection team in Damascus was already discussing the latest claims with the government. SLEEPING DEAD Opposition activists cited death tolls ranging from about 500 to - by one account - some 1300 after shells and rockets fell around 3 a.m. (0000 GMT) on Wednesday. In 1988 3000 to 5000 Iraqi Kurds were gassed by Saddam Husseins forces at Halabja. One man who said he had retrieved victims in the suburb of Erbin told Reuters: We would go into a house and everything was in its place. Every person was in their place. They were lying where they had been. They looked like they were asleep. Slideshow (21 Images) Doctors interviewed described symptoms they believe point to sarin gas one of the agents Western powers accuse Damascus of having in an undeclared chemical weapons stockpile. An opposition monitoring group citing figures compiled from clinics in the Damascus suburbs put the death toll at 494 with 90 percent killed by gas the rest by bombs and conventional arms. The rebel Syrian National Coalition said 650 people died. Activists said rockets with chemical agents hit the Damascus suburbs of Ain Tarma Zamalka and Jobar during a fierce pre-dawn bombardment by government forces. The Damascus Media Office said 150 bodies were counted in Hammouriya 100 in Kfar Batna 67 in Saqba 61 in Douma 76 in Mouadamiya and 40 in Erbin. A nurse at Douma Emergency Collection facility Bayan Baker said: Many of the casualties are women and children. They arrived with their pupils constricted cold limbs and foam in their mouths. The doctors say these are typical symptoms of nerve gas victims. Extensive amateur video and photographs appeared on the Internet showing victims choking some foaming at the mouth. A video purportedly shot in the Kafr Batna neighborhood showed a room filled with more than 90 bodies many of them children and a few women and elderly men. Most of the bodies appeared ashen or pale but with no visible injuries. Other footage showed doctors treating people in makeshift clinics. One video showed the bodies of a dozen people lying on the floor of a clinic. A voice-over said they were members of a single family. In a corridor outside lay another five bodies. Syria is one of just a handful of countries that are not parties to the international treaty that bans chemical weapons and Western nations believe it has caches of undeclared mustard gas sarin and VX nerve agents. Additional reporting by Erika Solomon in Beirut and Anthony Deutsch in Amsterdam Niklas Pollard in Stockholm and Thomas Grove in Moscow Louis Charbonneau and Michelle Nichols in New York; Writing by Peter Graff Dominic Evans and Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Will Waterman and Peter Cooney Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.,reuters,8/21/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1962495631,Bomb blast kills 60 in Damascus suburb,"Fri Sep 27 2013 Bomb blast kills 60 in Damascus suburb . At least 60 people have been killed and more than 100 others injured in a car bomb explosion in the Syrian town of al-Rankus north of the capital Damscus. The explosion occurred near al-Sahil Mosque in Rankus some 30 kilometers north of Damascus soon after Friday Prayers. It was not immediately clear who carried out the deadly attack. The Syrian government has not commented on the bombing. The blast happened amid growing tension between militant groups over gaining more share of powers in the controlled areas in several Syrian cities. The Syrian opposition in exile said in a recent statement that the radical militants were trying to ""steal the (alleged) revolution"". No group has already accepted the responsibility of this attack. But it seems that foreign backed militant groups have committed such heinous attack in retaliation of their continuous defeats imposed by army troops in several cities within recent days.",alalam,9/27/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1962495633,Car bomb kills four in Damascus,Thu Sep 5 2013 Car bomb kills four in Damascus. A car bomb has killed four people in the Sumaria area in the Syrian capital Damascus as citizens are bracing for a possible US attack the official Syrian news agency has reported. According to SANA the car bomb caused big flames and damaged surrounding buildings. Four people were killed and 6 were wounded in the attack which happened near the Research and Tests Center affiliated to the Syrian Ministry of Industry. Damascus residents already accustomed to incessant warfare within the Syrian capital were making final preparations this weekend for an attack from outside attempting to anticipate where American missiles might strike. Tensions rose higher in the region after US rushed to dispatch its warships toward Syria threatening to bomb several areas in the country based on conflicting reports of an alleged chemical attack in the country. The US-backed militants posted pictures and videos of an alleged chemical attack which they claimed the Syrian army was responsible for it. The Syrian government which has already called for UN action against several cases of chemical attacks by anti-Syria militants in the country rejected the claims as baseless and paved the way for visiting UN team of inspectors to investigate the story. Syria says the attack was actually carried out by the foreign-backed militants to open way for their Western and regional supporters to attack Syria. Despite killing of at least 100000 people in the massive insurgency in Syria the US had said that it would enter the conflict if a chemical attack was carried out.,alalam,2/2/2011,damascus,0,,,,
1962495634,Saudi-backed rebels behind Syria chemical attack report,Sat Aug 31 2013 Saudi-backed rebels behind Syria chemical attack report. Rebels and local residents in Syrias Ghouta say Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan provided chemical weapons to an al-Qaeda-linked armed group. Interviews with people in Damascus and Ghouta a suburb of the Syrian capital where the humanitarian agency Doctors Without Borders said at least 355 people had died last week from what it believed to be a neurotoxic agent indicated the Saudi-backed militants could be responsible for the recent deadly chemical attack in Syria. The US has been moving its warships closer to Syria russhing to bomb army and government bases based on conflicting reports over an alleged chemical attack in Ghouta near capital Damascus. However from numerous interviews with doctors Ghouta residents militant fighters and their families a different picture emerges the Mint Press News reported. Many of the residents believe that certain militants received chemical weapons via the Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan and were responsible for carrying out the gchemical attack. My son came to me two weeks ago asking what I thought the weapons were that he had been asked to carry said Abu Abdel-Moneim the father of a militant fighting to unseat the Syrian government who lives in Ghouta. Abdel-Moneim said his son and 12 other militants were killed inside of a tunnel used to store weapons provided by a Saudi militant known as Abu Ayesha who was leading a fighting battalion. The father described the weapons as having a tube-like structure while others were like a huge gas bottle. Ghouta townspeople said the militants were using mosques and private houses to sleep while storing their weapons in tunnels. Abdel-Moneim said his son and the others died during the chemical weapons attack. That same day the terrorist Jabhat al-Nusra which is linked to al-Qaeda announced that it would similarly attack civilians in the Syrian government heartland of Latakia on its western coast in purported retaliation. It tell us what these arms were or how to use them complained a female fighter named We didnt know they were chemical weapons. We never imagined they were chemical weapons.When Saudi Prince Bandar gives such weapons to people he must give them to those who know how to handle and use them she warned. She like other Syrians does not want to use their full names for fear of retribution. A well-known militant leader in Ghouta named agreed. Jabhat al-Nusra militants do not cooperate with other militants except with fighting on the ground. They do not share secret information. They merely used some ordinary militants to carry and operate this material he said. We were very curious about these arms. And unfortunately some of the fighters handled the weapons improperly and set off the explosions said. Doctors who treated the chemical weapons attack victims cautioned interviewers to be careful about asking questions regarding who was responsible for the deadly assault. The humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders added that health workers aiding 3600 patients also reported experiencing similar symptoms including frothing at the mouth respiratory distress convulsions and blurry vision. The group has not been able to independently verify the information. More than a dozen militants interviewed reported that their salaries came from the Saudi government. ,alalam,8/31/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1962495635,Extremism takes hundreds of lives in Latakia,"Mon Aug 12 2013 Extremism takes hundreds of lives in Latakia. Hundreds of Alawite civilians have brutally been killed kidnapped tortured or have disappeared during a rebel offensive on the province of Latakia local residents have reported. Foreign-backed militants have pushed deep into the coastal city for the first time seizing a string of villages in a campaign which locals have warned threatens to open the area up to full-blown sectarian war. ""We are still finding people who were killed in their homes and bodies left in bushes"" said Sheikh Mohammed Reda Hatem a religious leader in Latakia. ""Until now 150 Alawites from the villages have been kidnapped. There are women and children among them. We have lost all contact with them."" After suffering a string of recent military defeats in the central Syrian province of Homs the militants including al-Qaeda linked-extremists have turned to Latakia. At one point the fighting came within 12 miles of Qardaha where is said to be Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ancestral village. Extremist crimes against Alawite civilians are not new in the foreign-backed insurgency in Syria. At the start of the crisis in 2011 when pro-reform protests was turning to a war by penetration of scores of foreign extremists many Shia-dominated towns and villages witnessed unmerciful killing of many people including children. ""They are provoking a sectarian war. The casualties are in their hundreds and many civilians have been kidnapped including women"" said Dr Ammar al-Assad a Member of Parliament for Latakia. ""Those civilians who were not kidnapped have fled and are hiding in the forests around the villages. The situation is in total chaos. Video footage posted showed rebel groups indiscriminately launching rockets in the direction of Qardaha and many of the comments made in the footage were clearly sectarian. The coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous in recent months were a safe haven for Syrian residents however latest attacks have made many people flee the areas. SHISHI",alalam,3/15/2012,lattakia,1,,,,
1962495637,40 Syrians die in ammo depot blast.,"Thu Aug 1 2013 40 Syrians die in ammo depot blast. An ammunition depot explosion in an area in the western Syrian city of Homs has claimed the lives of at least 40 people and left scores wounded reports say. ""At least 40 people including civilians were killed and dozens wounded some seriously when an ammunitions depot blew up in Wadi al-Zahab District after rocket fire the UK-based opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed on Thursday. The group added that the depot was operated by voluntary forces loyal to Syrian government. A doctor living in Akruma area said that residential districts were also hit causing the collapse of apartment blocks. The blast comes as Syrian army made considerable advances and captured Khaldiyeh District which has been held by the terrorist forces over the past two years. MRKDBA",alalam,8/1/2013,homs,1,,,,
1962495638,ISIL terrorists massacre 250 Syrian troops in Raqqa,Thu Aug 28 2014 ISIL terrorists massacre 250 Syrian troops in Raqqa. The notorious ISIL terrorists have brutally massacred 250 Syrian troops taken hostage at an airbase in the northern province of Raqqa reports indicate. The killings the video of which was published on the internet took place on Wednesday at Tabqa airbase which was overran by the ISIL Takfiri terrorists. Rami Abdel Rahman the head of the London-based so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Thursday that Syrian soldiers captured while fleeing after the ISIL terrorists overran Tabqa airbase were executed by the terrorists during the night. The base is located some 45 kilometers outside Raqqa and reportedly holds several planes helicopters tanks and artillery. ISIL militants operating against the Syrian government have committed numerous mass executions during the ongoing conflict. Since the outbreak of crisis in Syria in March 2011 several video clips have been released showing the grisly crimes perpetrated by the Takfiri terrorists against innocent civilians in the crisis-torn country. ISIL terrorists have been behind many of the deadly bomb attacks targeting both civilians and government institutions across Syria over the past three years. The ISIL violence has spilled over to neighboring Iraq. The terrorist group has links with Saudi intelligence and is believed to be indirectly supported by the Israeli regime. MBMB,alalam,8/28/2014,raqqa,1,,,,
1962495639,ISIL kills 700 people from Syrian tribe,Sun Aug 17 2014 ISIL kills 700 people from Syrian tribe. The so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militant group has executed 700 members of a tribe it has been battling in eastern Syria during the past two weeks the majority of them civilians a human rights monitoring group says. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which has tracked violence on all sides of the three-year-old conflict said on Saturday that reliable sources reported beheadings were used to execute many of the al-Sheitaat tribe which is from Deir al-Zour province. The conflict between ISIL and the al-Sheitaat tribe who number about 70000 flared after the militants took over two oil fields in July. Those who were executed are all al-Sheitaat Observatory director Rami Abdel-Rahman said by telephone from Britain. Some were arrested judged and killed. Straddling parts of Iraq and Syria ISIL has swept across northern Iraq in recent weeks pushing back Kurdish regional forces and driving tens of thousands of Muslims Christians and members of the Yazidi religious minority from their homes. The insurgents are also tightening their grip in parts of Syria of which they now control roughly a third mostly rural areas in the north and east. An activist in Deir al-Zour who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters that 300 men were executed in one day in the town of Ghraneij one of the three main towns of the al-Sheitaat tribal heartland when ISIL stormed the town earlier this week. Another opposition activist from Deir al-Zour said residents of al-Sheitaat towns had been given three days to leave. Civilians fleeing al-Sheitaat towns had either taken sanctuary in other villages or travelled to Iraq he said. More than 170000 people have been reportedly killed in Syrias conflict which pits overwhelmingly Takfiri militants against the Syrian government since March 2011. NTJHH,alalam,8/17/2014,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1962495640,Syrian air strikes on ISIL-controlled Raqqa kills 19,Sun Aug 17 2014 Syrian air strikes on ISIL-controlled Raqqa kills 19. Syrian air force bombers have pounded a major stronghold of the ISIL terrorist group in northern Syiran town of Raqqa reportedly killing at least 19 terrorists on the ground. Reporting the bombing of areas occupied by the Takfiri terrorist group on Sunday the opposition-linked Syrian Observatory for Human Rights further said the Syrian warplanes conducted more than a dozen airstrikes against ISIL position in the town over the past 24 hours. Director of the UK-based Observatory Rami Abdurrahman also stated that six of the Syrian air raids targeted Raqqas military court. He added that at least 16 Takfiri terrorists were killed in the town and around 40 wounded. Other reports from opposition sources in the area offered different accounts on the casualty figures. Opposition-linked groups inside Syria further reported government airstrikes on ISIL-controlled areas in Aleppo province as well including the towns of Akhtarin and Dabiq. The latest developments come as Syrian army has achieved major victories in its battle against Takfiri groups across the country over the past months. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the Takfiri war in his country has strongly shifted in favor of government forces as they have made continuous gains in their fight against the terrorists. Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since March 2011. An estimated 170000 people have reportedly been killed and millions displaced due to the violence fueled by the Western-backed militants. The West and its regional allies including Qatar Saudi Arabia and Turkey are giving financial and military support to the militants. MBMB,alalam,8/17/2014,raqqa,0,,,,
1962495641,ISIL terrorists execute 50 captive Syrian troops in Raqqa,Sat Jul 26 2014 ISIL terrorists execute 50 captive Syrian troops in Raqqa. Syria-based ISIL terror elements have reportedly executed more than 50 Syrian army troops after taking them captive in an ambush. The opposition-linked group known as Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the incident occurred in Raqqa Province northern Syria during an attack on a military base. The London-based Syrian opposition organization added that most of the soldiers were summarily executed. The Takfiri terrorists also released images of captured soldiers being beheaded after the battle for the base. It added that more than 35 ISIL terrorists were also killed during the fighting for the base. The Takfiri terrorists and other foreign-backed insurgent groups fighting against the Syrian government have committed numerous mass executions over the past months. According to some sources over 160000 people have been killed in over three years of turmoil in Syria. Millions of Syrians have also been displaced due to the violence. The Western powers and some of their regional allies- Saudi Arabia Qatar and Turkey- are supporting the Takfiri terrorists operating inside Syria. MBMB,alalam,10/4/2015,raqqa,0,,,,
1962495643,Hundreds killed as Street Battles Rages in Kobni,"Tue Oct 7 2014 Hundreds killed as Street Battles Rages in Kobni. Kurdish militia fought fierce street battles Tuesday with advancing ISIS Terrorists whose three-week assault on a key Syrian border town has left hundreds reported dead. The fall of Kobane to the ISIS group would mark a major victory for the Terrorists who are fighting for a long stretch of the border with Turkey for their self-proclaimed ""Islamic caliphate"". At least 412 people more than half of them from ISIS have been killed in and around Kobane since mid-September the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. It warned that the inaccessibility of the area meant that the full toll was probably much higher. With the fight for Kobane entering a crucial phase the IS militants fought to extend their foothold into new areas in the south and west of the town a day after piercing its Kurdish defenses. Gunfire explosions and the roar of fighter jets were heard from the Turkish side of the border while a Kurdish flag was seen flying in the centre of Kobane according to an AFP journalist. The IS Terrorists ""are trying hard to capture the city"" said Idris Nahsen a Kurdish official still in Kobane also known as Ain al-Arab. He said they were meeting resistance from the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units. ""We need help from the international community"" Nahsen told AFP by telephone. ""Either we finish them (IS) or they will finish us."" IS fighters have seized a number of buildings in south and west Kobane including a hospital under construction according to the Observatory a Britain-based monitoring group. Kurdish fighters have ordered civilians to evacuate the town after the Terrorists planted their black flags on its eastern side and entered Kobane on Monday. In Iraq meanwhile at least 17 people were reported killed when a suicide bomber attacked an observation post used by Shiite militiamen watching for IS fighters crossing the Tigris River late Monday. The United States and its allies have launched nearly 2000 air raids against ISIS in both Iraq and Syria in an attempt to stop their advance including four strikes in Kobane on Tuesday. The Kurdish fighters are optimistic that their local knowledge of Kobane will compensate for their light weapons said activist Mustafa Ebdi. ""They are fighting to defend their town and they say they will fight to the last person"" he said.Ebdi added the latest US air raids had little effect. ""The strikes hit the Mishtenur area"" he said referring to a plateau south of Kobane.""But they (IS) arent gathered there. There are other places they should be hitting"" he said. The raging battle has prompted some 186000 residents to flee across the Turkish border. An official in the Turkish town of Suruc said on Tuesday that 700 people including 47 wounded had crossed the border from Syria overnight both civilians and Kurdish combatants. In northwestern Syria meanwhile a rival extremist organisation to IS - the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front - abducted a priest and several Christians on Sunday night the Franciscan mission said on Tuesday.",alalam,10/7/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495644,35 Dead Dozens Wounded in Terrorist Battle in Aleppo,"Sat Feb 28 2015 190703 35 Dead Dozens Wounded in Terrorist Battle in Aleppo. Nusra Front Al-Qaidas Syria affiliate on Saturday drove US-backed rebels out of a strategic northern military base in fierce fighting that left dozens dead a monitor said. At least 29 fighters from the Western-armed Hazm movement were killed along with six Al-Nusra Front terrorists according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It said fierce fighting had broken out on Friday night for Base 46 west of the city of Aleppo. ""Al-Nusra captured Base 46"" said Rami Abdel Rahman director of the Britain-based Observatory. The offensive came a month after al-Nusra expelled Hazm from Regiment 111 another base they had taken. Hazm is mainly present in northern Syria. Last year it was the first to receive U.S.-made anti-tank missiles from its Western backers. It is one of a number rebel groups that the United States classes as ""moderate."" They are loosely branded as the Free Syrian Army. Meanwhile in an important gain Syrian army takes villages in south of country. Syrian government forces have taken control of villages in southern Syria state media said on Saturday part of a campaign they started this month against insurgents posing one of the biggest remaining threats to Damascus. click to watch - Syrian army takes villages in south of country The large offensive made swift progress and gains made on Friday and Saturday mark a new push in the government campaign. Syrias state news agency SANA said the village of Tal Al-Majda in Sweida province and Tal Antar in Deraa were taken. Both are near Jordan. The south is the last notable foothold of the mainstream rebel non-jihadist opposition to President Bashar al-Assad who has consolidated control over much of western Syria . Al Qaedas Syrian arm the Nusra Front is also active in the south and has clashed with western-back rebels. Rival ISIS terrorists has presence north and east of the country. The offensive aims to shield the capital Damascus. The insurgents had made significant gains in the south in recent months taking several military bases.",alalam,2/28/2015,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495645,Syria Kurds Liberate Tel Hamiskills 175 ISIS Members in Week,"Fri Feb 27 2015 Syria Kurds Liberate Tel Hamiskills 175 ISIS Members in Week. The capture of Tel Hamis was announced by the Kurdish YPG militia and confirmed by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which monitors the countrys civil war. ISIS has been forced into retreat across parts of the strategic region a land bridge between territory it controls in Syria and Iraq even as its fighters have mounted new raids this week on Assyrian Christian villages abducting more than 200 people. ""The flag is flying over Tel Hamis. We are now combing the city for terrorists and mines"" militia spokesman Redur Xelil told Reuters. The British-based Observatory said Kurdish forces killed at least 175 members and commanders of the ultra-hardline Islamist militants in an offensive which began last weekend. ""The bodies of these terrorists are still with the Kurdish militants"" said the Observatorys head Rami Abdulrahman. He said the Kurds have taken at least 103 villages in the area and are now in the village of Suleima on the border with Iraq. Kurdish forces dealt a blow to ISIS by capturing an important town on Friday in the latest stage of a powerful offensive in northeast Syria.",alalam,2/27/2015,hasakeh,0,,,,
1962495645,Syria Kurds Liberate Tel Hamiskills 175 ISIS Members in Week,"Fri Feb 27 2015 Syria Kurds Liberate Tel Hamiskills 175 ISIS Members in Week. The capture of Tel Hamis was announced by the Kurdish YPG militia and confirmed by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which monitors the countrys civil war. ISIS has been forced into retreat across parts of the strategic region a land bridge between territory it controls in Syria and Iraq even as its fighters have mounted new raids this week on Assyrian Christian villages abducting more than 200 people. ""The flag is flying over Tel Hamis. We are now combing the city for terrorists and mines"" militia spokesman Redur Xelil told Reuters. The British-based Observatory said Kurdish forces killed at least 175 members and commanders of the ultra-hardline Islamist militants in an offensive which began last weekend. ""The bodies of these terrorists are still with the Kurdish militants"" said the Observatorys head Rami Abdulrahman. He said the Kurds have taken at least 103 villages in the area and are now in the village of Suleima on the border with Iraq. Kurdish forces dealt a blow to ISIS by capturing an important town on Friday in the latest stage of a powerful offensive in northeast Syria.",alalam,2/27/2015,hasakeh,1,,,,
1962495646,ISIS Begins to kill Abducted Christians in Hasaka of Syria,Thu Feb 26 2015 ISIS Begins to kill Abducted Christians in Hasaka of Syria. Archimandrite Emanuel Youkhana who works in support of persecuted Christians in the region said 15 young Assyrians had been killed. He said Around 15 young Assyrians are martyred. Many of them were fighting to defend and protect the villages and families. ISIS terrorists have reportedly begun murdering some of the Christian hostages captured from villages in north-east Syria since Monday. The number of Assyrian Christian men women and children abducted in the last three days stands at 220 the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said today. Other agencies said the number could be as high as 350. The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) quoted villagers of Tel Hormizd who had fought to defend their homes saying that one woman has been beheaded and two men were shot. Some 12 men and two women were abducted from their village. The Assyrian International News Agency reported that negotiations were under way to free some of the hostages with Arab Sheiks in Hassakeh city acting as intermediaries between ISIS and Assyrian leaders. All remaining villagers have now fled to the nearby cities of Hassake or Qamishli. Archimandrite Youkhana said almost 1000 families had arrived in the two cities and registered as displaced. Mondays raids took place in the villages of Tal Shamiram and Tal Hurmoz. Sources told SOHR that they heard ISIS members saying via wireless devices that they had detained crusaders. The churches in Tal Shamiran and Tal Hurmoz have been torched the charity said. The attacks come as Syrian Kurdish fighters continue to advance into ISIS-held territory. In Tal Tamr there have been fierce clashes between ISIS and Kurdish YPG.,alalam,8/11/2012,hasakeh,0,,,,
1962495647,ISIS Behead or Shot 15 Captured Assyrian Mass killing in Friday,"Sat Feb 28 2015 ISIS Behead or Shot 15 Captured Assyrian Mass killing in Friday. According to sources in the Assyrian Christian Church at least 15 of the 350 hostages taken by ISIS in Assyrian villages in Syria in the past week have been shot beheaded or both CRUX reports. The news of the killings was reported by Assyrian Archimandrite Emanuel Youkhana to Aid to the Church in Need an international Catholic charity based in Germany that supports persecuted Christians. •�Around 15 young Assyrians are martyred Youkhana reported. •�Many of them were fighting to defend and protect their villages and families. Youkhana heads a Christian aid program in Dohuk Iraq and said he had received the information about the killings from an Assyrian Christian lawyer who lives in the Syrian town of Hassak. Aid to the Church in Need which says that 350 hostages have been taken said another source gave the group an unconfirmed report that a mosque in the Arab Sunni village of Bab Alfaraj Syria had called on people to attend •�a mass killing of infidels at Mount Abdul Aziz scheduled for Friday. Youkhana said that at this point the only Assyrians left behind are those joining forces with the Kurdish army to try to stop the ISIS advance. The rest have either been captured or are heading towards the border with Turkey that has been closed to all Syrian citizens. There are 200 families who were running away and trying to escape to Turkey but the border is closed for Syrians. No Syrian can cross into Turkey Archbishop Jacques Behnan Hindo told Catholic News Agency Feb. 26. Hindo oversees the Syrian archdiocese of Hassake located in the Al-Hasakah region of Syria which sits between Turkey and Iraq. Assyrian Archbishop Jacques Behnan Hindo ordinary of the Syrian Catholic Archieparchy in Hassak-Nisibis has spoken out against the kidnapping of more than 260 Assyrian Christians and blamed the U.S. and its Western allies for triggering conflicts that have destabilized the region and prompted ISIS to carry out such attacks. ""With their disastrous policies mainly the French and the U.S. with their regional allies have favored in fact the Daesh (ISIS) escalation"" Hindo told Fides News Agency. ""Now they persevere in error commit strategic grotesque mistakes such as the announcement of the spring campaign to liberate Mosul and insist on interfering with irrelevant interventions instead of recognizing that their guaranteed support to jihadist groups has led us to this chaos and has destroyed Syria making us regress 200 years.""",alalam,2/28/2015,hasakeh,1,,,,
1962495648,Terrorist Attack on Damascus kill 5 injure 50,Thu Feb 5 2015 title: Terrorist Attack on Damascus kill 5 injure 50. Rocket attacks killed 5 people in Damascus on Thursday and wounded at least 50 a monitoring group said in the second heavy bombardment by terrorist group Jaysh al-Islam terrorists in less than two weeks. Syria army had responded with air strikes on terrorists position in the Eastern Ghouta district. Jaysh al-Islam was formed by a merger of rebel factions in 2013 and receives backing from Saudi Arabia Reuters reports. Syrias state news agency SANA said five people had been killed in bombardment by Takfiri terrorists. Elsewhere on Thursday the air force attacked terrorists position northeast of Damascus including the city of Douma and the town of Arbin. Terrorist group shelled civilian area in Latakia and Aleppo and kill people. On Jan. 25 Jaysh al-Islam mounted one of the heaviest attacks on Damascus in over a year firing at least 38 rockets and killing seven people the Observatory said. On Sunday in Damascus a bomb claimed by the terrorist group Nusra Front tore apart a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite Muslim pilgrims.,alalam,6/10/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1962495649,Al-Nusra Front Commander Killed in Lattakia in Syria,"Thu Jul 30 2015 Al-Nusra Front Commander Killed in Lattakia in Syria. The Syrian army killed a notorious Takfiri terrorist commander in heavy clashes in the province of Lattakia on Wednesday Al-Alam News Network reports. Abu Abdul Rahman al-Madani the Al-Nusra Front commander in Lattakia was killed in Jabal al-Torkman region in the Lattakia province Western Syria. The army units meantime thwarted an attempt by the Takfiri terrorists to penetrate into a Syrian army base in Jabal al-Rahmalia region in Northern Lattakia. In March 2013 the Northern Lattakia was attacked by the Takfiri terrorists most of whom were Chechens and Turkmens backed by Turkey. The most important goal of the Takfiri terrorists from attacking Northern Lattakia has been finding a sea route to the outside world. Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis gaining access to the international waters has been a dream of the terrorist groups including the Al-Nusra Front and the ISIL. Earlier this month dozens of foreign-backed Takfiri militants were killed in military operations targeting their positions in the Syrian province of Lattakia Western Syria on Friday FNA dispatches said. ""Over 110 Al-Nusra terrorists most of them non-Syrians were killed in the Syrian armys operations in the village of Shalaf"" a Syrian military source told FNA on Saturday. The army destroyed a number of hideouts of the Al-Nusra terrorists in Shalaf village 50 kilometers away from the city of Lattakia.",alalam,7/30/2015,lattakia,0,,,,
1962495650,Israeli Strike on Syrian Town Kills 5 Soldiers,"Wed Jul 29 2015 Israeli Strike on Syrian Town Kills 5 Soldiers. An Israeli air strike on a government-held village on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights ceasefire line killed five Syrian forces on Wednesday a monitoring group said. ""An Israeli plane hit a car inside the town of Hader killing two men 5 popular committee forces in the town"" said Rami Abdel Rahman director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Hader is a Druze village that lies along the ceasefire line with the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights plateau to the west and the border with Damascus province to the northeast. According to Hezbollahs official television station Al-Manar ""two members of Syrias National Defence Forces were killed when an Israeli drone targeted their car at the entrance of Hader in Quneitra province."" The National Defence Forces has fighters operating throughout Syria. Rebel fighters surrounded the village of Hader on June 17 after fierce clashes with Syrias National Defence Forces in the area. Druze minority has expressed concern that their brethren in Syria would be targeted by rebels. According to AFP the Druze are a offshoot of Shiite Islam. Officials say there are 110000 of them in northern Israel and another 20000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan. Israel seized 1200 square kilometres of the Golan Heights from neighboring Syria in the 1967 Six Day War.",alalam,7/29/2015,quneitra,1,,,,
1962495651,In an Ambush Syrian Forces Kill 35 Terrorists,Tue Jul 7 2015 In an Ambush Syrian Forces Kill 35 Terrorists. Syrian forces succeeded to kill 35 terrorists in an ambush operation in Eastern Ghouta in Damascus countryside Al-Alam News Network reports. The operation was carried out on Sunday night as the terrorists tried to infiltrate Jobar region in Eastern Ghouta. The Syrian army forces in cooperation with the popular forces surrounded the terrorists and attacked them in an ambush operation and killed 35 members of Jaish al-Islam and Filaq al-Rahman terrorist groups in a several-hour-long clashes. In a relevant development in Syria the army thwarted a series of attacks by the Takfiri terrorists on a strategic region in Aleppo province Northern Syria. The Takfiri terrorists were trying to attack a strategic region of Jamiat al-Zahra in Western Aleppo but they failed. Aleppo has been the scene of heavy clashes between the terrorists and the Syrian troops in the last several weeks. Also the Syrian army backed by popular defense forces seized back a strategic town in Hama province. The army units took control of al-Karima town before starting their advances towards Sahl al-Qab region in Western Hama. Al-Karima town is of strategic importance because it links the three provinces of Homs Idlib and Lattakia. The victory in Karima paves the way for the Syrian army to move towards Shal al-Qab region. Elsewhere the Syrian army and the Lebanese Hezbollah forces continued their advances in the Western parts of the town of al-Zobdani. Al-Zobdani is now the scene of fierce clashes between the Syrian and Lebanese forces and militants of Jeish al-Fath terrorist group.,alalam,4/10/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1962495652,ISIS Video Shows Killing of 2 Syrian Activist PICTURES,Mon Jul 6 2015 ISIS Video Shows Killing of 2 Syrian Activist PICTURES The so-called •�Islamic State group has released a new video purporting to show the killing of two Syrian activists in the militants stronghold of Raqqa allegedly for spying on the extremists. ISIS has killed hundreds of people since it declared a caliphate in June last year with the city of Raqqa as its de facto capital.The video which was posted on Monday on an ISIS-linked Facebook page shows two young men in orange jumpsuits who say they filmed and photographed ISIS-held areas in Syria and sent footage to a person abroad. They identify themselves as 21-year-old Faysal Hussein Habibi and 20-year-old Bishr Abdul-Azim. They say they received $400 a month.They are then tied to a tree after which masked gunmen shoot them in the head at close range.,alalam,7/18/2018,raqqa,0,,,,
1962495654,Hezbollah Syrian Army Kill 2 Al-Nusra Front Commanders in Qalamoun,Thu Jul 7 2016 Hezbollah Syrian Army Kill 2 Al-Nusra Front Commanders in Qalamoun The Syrian army backed by Hezbollah resistance fighters has thwarted an attack by terrorists in Syrias Qalamoun region killing two commanders of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front terrorist group. Informed sources said the terrorist commanders were killed on Thursday during fierce fighting which broke out in Qalamoun located on Damascus countryside Lebanons al-Manar TV channel reported. In a post on its Twitter account Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah identified one of those slain as Abu Obaida adding that the militant was killed in Syrias southwestern town of Serghaya. In another development on Thursday Syrian troops and Hezbollah fighters managed to completely wrest control over the Mallah farms near the northwestern city of Aleppo. They further recaptured the Castello road which was used by terrorists as a strategic path to the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo. Meanwhile SANA news agency reported that the Syrian army managed to foil an attack by the Takfiri ISIS terrorists on a number of military posts in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. Lebanon is also suffering from the spillover of militancy in neighboring Syria. Hezbollah fighters have been assisting Syrian army forces in fending off several terrorist attacks. Hezbollah and the Syrian military began a joint offensive on the Lebanon-Syria border last year to dislodge the ISIS and Nusra Front militants from the area. The Lebanese army also strikes the extremists hideouts on a nearly daily basis. SSH 11,alalam,7/7/2016,damascus,1,,,,
1962495655,40 Terrorists Killed in Latest Syrian Army Offensive in Aleppo,"Fri Jul 1 2016 40 Terrorists Killed in Latest Syrian Army Offensive in Aleppo. ""The Syrian Army Tiger Forces have played major role in recent battle against the terrorist groups in al-Malaah region inflicting maximum casualties on the terrorists"" the military sources said. ""Approximately 40 more terrorists were killed in al-Malaah region which has become a de facto death trap for the terrorist groups of Jaish Al Fath"" Reports also said on Thursday that terrorist groups lost over one hundred militants in the battle against the Syrian Army troops and popular forces in al-Malaah Northwest of Aleppo Province during the last five days. The Syrian Army troops and popular forces have managed to push the terrorist groups back from nearly 90 percent of al-Malaah Farms while clashes between the government forces and terrorists. 12",alalam,7/1/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495656,More Than 100 Jeish Al Fatah Terrorists Killed by Syrian Army in Aleppo,Fri Jul 1 2016 More Than 100 Jeish Al Fatah Terrorists Killed by Syrian Army in Aleppo. Jeish al-Fatah coalition of terrorist groups has lost over one hundred militants in the battle against the Syrian Army troops and NDF in al Mallah Farms Northwest of Aleppo Province during the last five days Several sources confirmed. •�A majority Jeish al-Fatah casualties occurred when the Syrian Air Force and artillery units surprised the terrorists in flash operations as they were preparing to stage a major attack on the pro-government forces in the region a military source said. The source added that the terrorists planned to break the Syrian Armys defense lines in al-Mallah Farms and recapture the just-liberated areas using car bombs in a similar move to their modus operandi seen in Khan Touman but the car bombs were targeted and exploded well before they were deployed to the front lines. The Syrian Army troops and popular forces have managed to push the terrorist groups back from nearly 90 percent of al-Mallah Farms while clashes between the government forces and terrorists in the area reached a pinnacle on Thursday. The operations of the Syrian army in Western Aleppo have culminated five days after their start and intense fighting was reported between the Syrian army and terrorist groups Northwest of Aleppo city. 12,alalam,11/13/2012,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495658,Senior Nusra Front Leader in Homs 8 More Killed in Syrian Army Offensive,"Wed Jul 27 2016 Senior Nusra Front Leader in Homs 8 More Killed in Syrian Army Offensive. ""Syrian soldiers stormed Nusra Fronts strongholds in al-Rastan in Northern Homs killing Amin Sameer al-Ruz Aka Abu Malik a field commander of the group and eight more militants"" the sources added. A notorious commander of the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front was killed in clashes with the Syrian military forces in Northern Homs FNA reports. ""In the meantime Syrian Air Force bombed ISILs positions in Unq al-Hawa and Wadi al-Mesk in Jubb al-Jarrah claiming the lives of several militants and destroying their machinegun-equipped vehicles and rocket launching pads"" the sources said. In relevant developments in the province on Tuesday Syrian fighter jets carried out several combat flights over ISILs concentration centers near three energy-rich regions inflicting major losses on the Takfiri terrorists sites and military vehicles. ISILs sites and military vehicles loaded with ammunition were targeted by the Syrian army aircraft in al-Shaer and Jazal oilfields and near the town of Khneifes. Daesh also suffered a heavy death toll in the raids. 12",alalam,7/17/2016,homs,1,,,,
1962495661,21 Civilians Killed in US-Led Coalition Attacks in Northern Syria,Mon Jul 18 2016 21 Civilians Killed in US-Led Coalition Attacks in Northern Syria. Airstrikes by US-led coalition fighter jets have killed at least 21 civilians in northern Syrian territories held by the Daesh (ISIS ISIL) Takfiri terrorists a monitoring group says. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday that at least 15 people were killed as the coalition carried out raids in a northern district of Manbij city. The UK-based group which advocates the Syrian opposition said six more people lost their lives in a village near Manbij after similar attacks by coalition fighter jets. The so-called multinational task force against ISIS started its controversial mission in Iraq in late 2014 after ISIS seized control over territories west and north of the country. The air campaign was later expanded to cover areas in northern Syria despite criticism from the Syrian government that the attacks violate the sovereignty of the Arab country. The United States claims the attacks are carried out to assist Syrian Kurds and Arabs fighting against ISIS in areas along the Turkish border in the province of Aleppo. However the attacks have led to numerous deaths among the civilians and Syrian military forces. The coalition attacks on Manbij intensified in late June after Kurds and Arabs from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance failed in their drive to fully push back militants from the city. The SDF has attempted several times to advance from the western neighborhoods it has captured into the road south of Manbij which connects the strategic city to Raqqa the de facto capital of ISIS in Syria. Thousands have fled the fierce fighting in Manbij while tens of thousands more remain trapped in the city. The US and allies use the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey to bomb purported ISIS positions in northern Syria and Iraq Press TV reported. SSH 11,alalam,7/18/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495662,SDF Foiled ISIS Attack in Northeastern Aleppo 80 Terrorists Killed,"Mon Jul 18 2016 SDF Foiled ISIS Attack in Northeastern Aleppo 80 Terrorists Killed. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have foiled ISIS large-scale attack near the town of Manbij Killing 80 terrorists inflicting tens of casualties on the militants. ""The Kurdish-led SDF fighters repelled ISILs heavy attacks from three flanks on SDF positions near the al-Sajour river and the villages of Qoraa al-Kabireh Qoraa al-Saghireh Owsah Jeli and the Western side of Um Adseh killing around 80 militants and destroying their armored vehicles and mortar shells and launchers"" the sources said. On Saturday the SDF after days of non-stop battle and inflicting heavy casualties on the ISIL terrorists won back the general hospital of the town of Manbij in Northeastern Aleppo. ""The SDF mainly comprising of Kurdish fighters pushed the ISIL back from the towns hospital and after seizing a vehicle carrying a large volume of arms and ammunition moved towards the towns center"" the sources said. ""The ISIL suffered a heavy death toll and its military equipment also sustained major damage in the SDFs attacks the sources said; FNA reported. 218-11",alalam,7/16/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495663,Senior ISIS Commander 34 Terrorists Killed in Clashes Eastern Aleppo,Mon Jul 18 2016 Senior ISIS Commander 34 Terrorists Killed in Clashes Eastern Aleppo. One of the local Emir of the ISIL terrorist group and at least 34 of his comrades were killed in clashes with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Eastern Aleppo near the Tishrin Dam. The SDF mainly comprising of Kurdish fighters repelled ISILs offensives on their positions near the villages of al-Qaderiyeh Bibkar Kadoushan Ash al-Shami and Western Saikoul killing at least 35 terrorists including Abu Foras al-Safrani the Emir of ISIL in Saikoul region. The SDF fighters also detonated two ISIL bomb-laden vehicles including an armored one. In relevant development in the same region on Sunday the SDF in several hours of non-stop battle pushed the ISIL back from more neighborhoods in the town of Manbij in Northeastern Aleppo and took full control of more key streets and building blocks. The Kurdish-led SDF fighters continued their advances against the ISIL in al-Hazavaneh district in Eastern side of Manbij and captured al-Rabet street FNA reports. ISIS (Daesh) left behind scores of dead and wounded members and pulled the remaining pockets of its forces back from the battlefield. The SDF fighters started demining of the newly-liberated positions local sources said. 12,alalam,7/18/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495664,Syrian Army Kills 10 Terrorists in Missile Attack Northwest of Hama Province,"Mon Jul 18 2016 Syrian Army Kills 10 Terrorists in Missile Attack Northwest of Hama Province. Syrian Army missile attack in Northwestern Hama has killed eleven members of Jund al-Aqsa terrorist group. ""A vehicle carrying 11 members of Jund al-Aqsa that had finished their guarding and were getting back to their camp came under the precise attack of the Syrian Armys missile units"" the sources said. ""A drone was flying over the region minutes before the attack"" the sources said adding ""The entire militants in the vehicle were killed right on the spot."" In the meantime other sources said that the Syrian armys missile unis targeted an bomb-landed suicide vehicle of terrorist groups on a road near the small town of al-Mokafer and oil pipelines in the Eastern side of al-Salamiyah. Earlier reports said that the Syrian Army and Air Force struck the positions of the ISIL and al-Nusra Front in the Central and Eastern parts of Hama province pinning the terrorist groups down behind their defense lines. The Syrian fighter jets in several combat flights pounded ISILs strongholds in Tabaret al-Deibeh Abu Hanaya Abu Hbeilat and al-Hardaneh in the Eastern side of Salamiyah which ended in mass destruction of their military vehicles. The Syrian army men for their part ambushed a group of al-Nusra fighters near Wadi al-Ezeib on Salamiyah-Ithriya road which ended in the killing of most of he groups members. In the meantime large volume of RPJ shells anti-tank mines artillery shells and other types of ammunition in addition to medium and heavy machine guns were destroyed in the attacks; FNA reported. 218-11",alalam,7/18/2016,hama,1,,,,
1962495665,Syrian Army Killed Notorious Al-Nusra Emir in Northern Homs,Mon Jul 11 2016 title: Syrian Army Killed Notorious Al-Nusra Emir in Northern Homs. Syrian Army Troops have clashed with al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front in al-Rastan region and have killed one of the notorious commanders and emir of this region. Mahmoud Abdulkarim Brouq and at least 10 members of the Takfiri group were killed in the Syrian soldiers attacks in a region between the villages of al-Qajar and al-Zara. The Syrian fighter jet meantime targeted ISILs positions in Jubb al-Jarrah in Eastern Homs which ended in the killing or wounding of several terrorists. In relevant developments in the province on Sunday the Syrian warplanes targeted ISILs positions and bases in Khneifes in Southern side of Palmyra and Jubb al-Jarrah in Eastern Homs which not only claimed the lives of several militants but destroyed their machinegun-equipped vehicles in large scale; FNA reported.,alalam,7/11/2016,homs,0,,,,
1962495666,Daesh Terrorist Group Execute 70 Members in Raqqa,"Mon Jul 11 2016 Daesh Terrorist Group Execute 70 Members in Raqqa. The Islamic state (ISIS ISIL IS and Daesh) terrorist group has executed tens of its own fighters in recent days on charges of fleeing Raqqa the capital of its Caliphate. They try to find safer shelters in Syria Iraq or Turkey informed sources said. ""The ISIL has executed at least 70 of its own members who tried to leave Raqqa due to recent advances of the Syrian army near the ISIL-held city and the pro-governments firm will to liberate the Raqqa"" the sources said adding ""The religious judge of Raqqa has issued a Fatwa (religious decree) which allows ISILs terrorists to killed anybody leaving Raqqa without permission."" Local sources announced on Saturday that five civilians including three soccer players were killed by ISILs security forces in the capital of the terrorist groups self-proclaimed Caliphate on charges of opposing ISILs rules and regulations. ""Osama Abu Kuweit Nahad al-Hussein and Ehsan al-Shavakh three members of al-Shabab team alongside al-Shababs trainer Ahamd al-Shavakh and another civilian were beheaded in front of peoples eyes in al-Dalah square"" the sources said. Mowafaq Jomah the president of Syrias football federation condemned massacre of the syria sportsmen. 12 MoreImage",alalam,7/11/2016,raqqa,1,,,,
1962495667,Aleppos Civilian Massacre Continues 88 Killed & Injured,"Mon Jul 11 2016 Aleppos Civilian Massacre Continues 88 Killed & Injured. Terrorists launched hundreds of mortar shells gas canisters Hell Canon and home-made missiles into western Aleppos densely populated neighborhoods on Monday. Continuing the carnage of civilians in government-held Aleppo 8 civilians were killed of which some was child and more than 80 were injured many of whom severely. The neighborhoods targeted today were predominantly Assyrian and the massive material damage can be observed in pictures taken of the scene Al-Masdar reports. According to initial information eight people were killed and 80 sustained injuries. The number of victims may significantly increase many sustained serious injuries and shelling continues"" a healthcare worker told RIA Novosti. In recent weeks the situation in Aleppo and surrounding areas has deteriorated as various militant groups including the Nusra Front have been shelling the city. 12 (Al-Masdar and Sputnik) MoreImage",alalam,9/15/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495668,175 Nusra Terrorists Killed Injured in Castello Road in Aleppo,Mon Jul 11 2016 175 Nusra Terrorists Killed Injured in Castello Road in Aleppo. Nearly 75 terrorist killed including 30 foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists and nore than 100 wounded in offensive they had unsuccessfully launched to reopen a key supply route into the Syrian northern city of Aleppo. The London Based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced on Sunday that militants from the Nusra Front (Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) and its allied terrorists of Faylaq al-Sham mounted an attack to recapture the strategic Castello Road on Thursday. It added that Syrian army soldiers launched a counter-offensive killing 29 extremists and foiling their attack. •�The attack has ended and the road remains completely closed said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman. The Castello Road was effectively severed by Syrian forces Thursday when they seized a hilltop within firing range of the key supply route. By Saturday the army soldiers were within 500 meters of the road and firing on any vehicle attempting to use it. The capture of the Castello Road came in the wake of recent recapture of al-Mallah Farms area northwest of Aleppo by the Syrian army in the. The capture of Mallah Farms and Castello Road enabled Syrian forces to besiege militant-held neighborhoods of Aleppo and puts them within the firing range of the army. 12,alalam,7/11/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495669,URGENT 19 Killed and Injured in Tell Abyad Terroirst Attack in Northern Syria,Wed Jun 29 2016 URGENT 19 Killed and Injured in Tell Abyad Terroirst Attack in Northern Syria. At least 4 people killed and 15 other injured when terrorist target an official building in city. Located along the Balikh River it constitutes a divided city with the bordering city of Akkale in Turkey.,alalam,6/29/2016,raqqa,0,,,,
1962495670,Daesh kidnapped 900 Executed 18 People in Syrias Aleppo,Fri Jun 24 2016 Daesh kidnapped 900 Executed 18 People in Syrias Aleppo. The Islamic state Takfiri terrorist (ISIS ISIL IS and Daesh) kidnapped 900 people from a Kurdish city in the northeast of the Syrian border province of Aleppo. The abductees were spirited away from 15 villages and a township in the city the London Based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday. Some of the abductees have been transferred to the Kurdish town of Qabaseen in the provinces east. Others have been taken to the cities of al-Rai and Manbij near the Turkish border where the terrorists have come under attack from several fronts to either be forced to dig trenches or be used as human shields Press TV reports. It has also been reported that the ISIS executed 18 civilians who had tried to flee Daesh captivity in the area. Aleppos provincial capital is under continued shelling by al-Nusra Front the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda. The province forms an important front for the Syrian governments soldiers who recently slew nearly 170 Takfiri terrorists there. Backed by Russian airpower the troops have entered the neighboring Raqqah Province and are advancing toward the provincial capital which is considered Daeshs so-called headquarters. Also it is reported that ISIS have been mobilizing all their forces in the village of Qabaseen near Al-Bab city for unknown reasons this morning. 12,alalam,6/24/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495671,Turkey Coalition Kills 20 Daesh Terrorists in Northern Syria of Aleppo,Fri Jun 24 2016 Turkey Coalition Kills 20 Daesh Terrorists in Northern Syria of Aleppo. At least 20 members of the Daesh terrorist group were killed Thursday in northern Syria during a military operation by the Turkish Armed Forces and the U.S.-led coalition the Turkish military announced Friday. Turkish Armed Forces and the coalition hit 34 Daesh targets in three airstrikes destroying two buildings used by the terror group according to a statement by the Turkish General Staff. Daesh was reportedly preparing to attack Turkey from northern Syria Turkish military Claimed. Since mid-January Daesh rockets have been targeting towns and cities in southern Turkey close to the Syrian border. A total of 21 people including Syrians who had taken shelter in Turkey were killed and more than 70 others wounded in such attacks Anadolu Agency reports. 20,alalam,6/24/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495672,Daesh on the Run From Areas in Raqqa Province 30 Terrorists Killed,"Mon Jun 20 2016 Daesh on the Run From Areas in Raqqa Province 30 Terrorists Killed. The Syrian Army troops anti-terrorism offensives in Western Raqqa inflicted major losses on the ISIL and forced the terrorist group to pull forces back from two more key regions and led to killing and injuring dozens terrorist and mercenaries especially from Uzbek nationality. The Syrian soldiers advanced significantly against the ISIL in al Habari oilfield which ended in the killing or wounding of several militants FNA reports. Also Syrian allied forces captured Rajm al Sheikh Region in Sothern side of al Rasafeh after hours of continuous heavy clashes with the Daesh Terrorists which claimed the lives of at least 30 militants and seizure of a large amount of their ammunition and military equipment. Daesh on the Run From More Areas in Raqqa Province 30 Terrorist Killed Reports said earlier today that the Syrian fighter jets in a large-scale anti-ISIL operation targeted tens of ISIL positions across the town of al Tabaqa inflicting major casualties on the militants. The ISIL strongholds in 7 neighborhoods were massively bombed by the Syrian fighter jets. Dozens of ISIL terrorists including several ones with Uzbek nationality were killed and many more were wounded in the air attacks. Also SANA reported that the army foils ISIS attack on military positions in Raqqa western countryside. Army units in cooperation with popular defense groups clashed last night with terrorist groups affiliated to ISIS terrorist organization that attacked military positions in Anbaj and Zakiyeh Deir Hafer crossroad on Atherya alTabqa road in the western countryside of Raqq province a military source told SANA. The clashes ended with thwarting the attack in addition to killing and injuring scores of terrorists and destroying a number of their vehicles arms and ammunition. Kurdish News Media ""KDK News"" reported that Syrian army units take ISIS weapons depot in Southwest of Raqqa. 12",alalam,8/6/2015,raqqa,1,,,,
1962495673,23 ISIS Terrorists Killed in Turkey US-Led Coalition in Syria Report,Mon Jun 20 2016 23 ISIS Terrorists Killed in Turkey US-Led Coalition in Syria Report. At least 23 ISIS (Daesh) militants have been killed by Turkish artillery fire and US airstrikes in northern Syria a Turkish broadcaster claims. As many as 33 targets were hit in the joint operation which was carried out against militants preparing for an attack on Turkey Haberturk reported on Monday. Cross-border artillery fire by Turkish troops destroyed at least six weapon caches and one armed vehicle it said. The Turkish military has repeatedly targeted northern Syria with artillery shells guided missiles and mortars to hit militants who Ankara says have fired rockets at southern Turkish border towns. There have also been reports of operations by Turkeys Special Forces inside the Syrian territory. Turkey has also hinted at establishing a safe zone in the 98-kilometer (60-mile) stretch between Manbij in Aleppo Province and the Turkish border prompting objections from Iran and Russia. The US has supported the plan describing it as part of a deepening campaign by the Turkish army to push ISIS away from a vital 60-mile stretch of the Turkey-Syria border that serves as the groups main lifeline. Turkey and the US however do not see eye to eye on Washingtons support for Kurdish militants in northern Syria. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said last week Turkey would not allow cooperation with terrorist organizations in Syria referring to Kurdish groups which the US supports. Turkey says the fighters are a terrorist organization affiliated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) but the US sees them as a partner in Syria operations. In a speech to his ruling AK Party in parliament last Tuesday Yildirim said Turkey wont allow formation of new states in Syria echoing suspicion that the Kurdish campaign was aimed at establishing a separate state. SSH 11,alalam,9/15/2011,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495675,15 Syrian Civilians 3 Children Killed in Aleppo by US Airstrikes Report,Wed Jun 1 2016 15 Syrian Civilians 3 Children Killed in Aleppo by US Airstrikes Report. At least 15 civilians including three children have been killed in northern Syria in US airstrikes purportedly targeting ISIS positions in the Arab country a report says. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Wednesday that the attacks had occurred in the city of Manbij in Aleppo Province during the past 24 hours. The airstrikes came a day after the White house said the US government was following up on press reports about alleged Russian airstrikes in Syria with civilian casualties. The observatory and the Reuters news agency said on Tuesday that at least 23 people had been killed in Russian airstrikes in the militant-held city of Idlib including one near a hospital. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov denied the reports. •�We urge people to remain critical of any horror stories spread by the British tandem of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Reuters news agency he said. Elsewhere in northern Syria thousands of troops from a Kurdish-Arab alliance are launching an attack to capture from Daesh a crucial swathe of the region known as the Manbij pocket following weeks of quiet preparations US officials told Reuters. The Pentagon has reportedly deployed more than 200 special forces troops alongside the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) a coalition of Kurdish Arab Assyrian Armenian and Turkmen fighters. The Observatory said that the forces captured16 villages from Daesh and advanced to within nine miles on Manbij. Meanwhile Turkish military forces shelled northern Syria claiming to have targeted positions of the ISIS Takfiri terrorist group in the war-torn Arab country. The Turkish General Staff said in a statement on Wednesday that at least 14 members of the terrorist group were killed during the shelling on the city of Aleppo. The state-run Anadolu Agency citing military officials said Wednesday the strikes destroyed a tank two mortar positions a building used as headquarters and three vehicles belonging to the terrorists. The report which could not be independently verified said the air raids came after Turkeys military had determined that Daesh militants were preparing to attack the Turkish territory from the region. Cross-border fire from Syria has claimed 21 lives and wounded dozens of others in the border town of Kilis south central Turkey this year. Turkey itself stands accused of supporting Takfiri militants in Syria. Al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front and other Takfiri terrorists hold most of the northwestern province of Idlib and parts of neighboring Aleppo province. On Sunday Associated Press said Nusra Front has used a March ceasefire to recruit thousands of militants including teenagers who had used the Turkish border to slip into Syria. It is •�illustrating how the ceasefire put in place by Russia and the United States to weaken the militants has in many ways backfired the news agency said. Since March Nusra Front has recruited 3000 new militants including teenagers in comparison to an average of 200 to 300 a month before AP quoted SOHR as saying. Other sources said hundreds living in camps for displaced people in the northern parts near Turkey have joined the al-Qaeda branch Press TV reported. 212,alalam,8/16/2012,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495676,Hezbollah Al-Nujaba Kills 23 Al-Nusra Militants in Syrias Khan Touman,"Thu May 26 2016 Hezbollah Al-Nujaba Kills 23 Al-Nusra Militants in Syrias Khan Touman. 23 members of the al-Nusra Front terrorist group were killed in clashes with Hezbollah al-Nujaba a major Iraqi Shiite (Shia) resistance movement fighting against terrorism in Syrias Khan Touman. Hezbollah al-Nujaba intensified its missile and ground attacks against the terrorists positions in the strategic town of Khan Touman in the Northern Province of Aleppo killing at least 23 militants and wounding several others. Al-Nujaba announced in a statement on Thursday that its forces sporadic attacks on terrorists in Khan Touman have killed 23 al-Nusra Front militants and injured 18 others. According to the statement missile attacks also destroyed two tanks an armored personnel carrier and a vehicle equipped with machine gun belonging to the terrorists in the region. The Syrian Army troops and its popular allies backed up by the countrys fighter jets and artillery units launched large-scale operations in the Southern parts of Aleppo province to drive the terrorist groups back from the town of Khan Touman military sources said Wednesday. ""Tough battle is underway between the terrorist groups and the Syrian government forces who launched their joint anti-terrorism operations from the two different directions of Khan Touman and al-Rashedin"" the sources said adding ""The Syrian warplanes and artillery units targeted the militants strongholds heavily to weaken their defense lines and capabilities."" ""The Syrian army soldier and their popular allies are advancing against the militants in Khan Touman and Rashedin battlefields"" the sources said adding ""In the meantime 15 members of Jeish al-Fatah were killed or wounded in the missile and artillery shelling of the army in the Northeastern part of al-Zarbeh South of Aleppo."" Report also said on Wednesday that a long convoy of ISIL fuel tankers moving from Northwestern Aleppo to the terrorist-held regions in the Western part of the province was targeted in the joint combat flights of the Syrian and Russian fighter jets. The Syrian and Russian air fleets tracked and targeted the ISIL convoy with over 20 oil tankers on a road connecting Afrin to Dar al-Izza in which over half of the tankers were set ablaze. In the meantime several ISIL members were killed or wounded in the bombardments FNA reported. SSH 11",alalam,5/26/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495678,Terrorist Groups Infighting in Eastern Ghouta Killed More than 350 Militia,"Wed May 18 2016 Terrorist Groups Infighting in Eastern Ghouta Killed More than 350 Militia. Clashes among the Jeish al-Islam Faylaq al-Rahman and Jeish al-Fastat terrorist groups in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus in less than one month have killed over 350 militants. ""50 militants were killed during infighting among the terrorist groups in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus in past few days"" the SOHR announced in a statement. Other media sources also said that two Syrian civilians were killed in clashes among Jeish al-Islam Faylaq al-Rahman and Jeish al-Fastat terrorist groups in Eastern Ghouta. The SOHR announced on Sunday that clashes among the terrorist groups in Eastern Ghouta in the past 20 (since April 28 ) days had brought the total number of militant casualties to over 300. Most of the dead militants are members of Jeish al-Islam and al-Nusra Front and tens of them belong to Faylaq al-Rahman group. According to the SOHR tens of civilians including children and a female doctor were also among the casualties of the terrorist groups infighting. Military sources had announced earlier this month that infighting had intensified among the terrorist groups across the country mainly in Aleppo Damascus and Idlib provinces claiming the lives of hundreds of the militants in a matter of weeks. ""The farms of Douma in the Eastern part of Damascus province have also been the scenes of heavy fighting among the terrorist rivals which have claimed the lives of many militants"" they added. ""Abu Nasr the commander of Faylaq al-Sham in Hama was killed by the rival groups and his body and the body of one of his comrades were found in farms near the village of Juzef in Idlib province"" they went on to say. ""A vast wave of bomb attacks against the positions of Ahrar al-Sham in Idlib caused the terrorist group to intensify security measures across the province to the border with Turkey"" the sources said. ""Ahrar al-Sham also launched an operation across Idlib to capture opposing groups members including those from the ISIL (Islamic State ISIS IS and Daesh)"" they added. ""Suicide attacks killed at least 15 members of Ahrar al-Sham including four field commanders in the town of Banish during the last week while almost 30 more were wounded"" the sources went on to say. Majed al-Sadeq and Abu Jaber were among the killed commanders in Banish. Saud al-Asaf the commander of Ansar al-Haq affiliated to Ahrar al-Sham and three of his comrades were killed in a bomb explosion in the small town of Maasaran near Maraat al-Nuaman"" the sources said. ""The ISIL and its terrorist rivals also engaged in fierce clashes in the Northern part of Aleppo province near Marea which left scores of the terrorists dead from both sides"" They added. ""The ISIL positions in al-Sham desert near Qalamoun in the Northeastern part of Damascus province and near al Zabat mountain and Baar al-Qasab were pounded by the terrorists mortars"" the sources said. The military sources further added that the recent ceasefires in Aleppo and Lattakia can give the terrorist groups to decrease their differences and gather in a united front against the ISIL which will give the western countries and meddlers the opportunity to lead this front and increase their role in the region specially in the crisis-hit Syria. 12",alalam,5/18/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1962495679,Syrian Air Force Targets ISIS in Deir El-Zour 25 Terrorist Killed,"Sat May 7 2016 Syrian Air Force Targets ISIS in Deir El-Zour 25 Terrorist Killed. A video released on Friday by the Syrian military media center shows heavy fighting between Syrian government forces and Islamic State terror group militants in the city of Deir El-Zour (Deir ez-Zor). The footage shows airstrikes on the terrorist position and Syrian Army forces firing machine guns and missiles. The Syrian fighter jets in a series of combat sorties on Saturday targeted the ISIL gatherings and concentration centers near two key villages in the Eastern part of Deir Ezzur inflicting major losses of the terrorists military equipment. The ISIL strongholds near the villages of al-Murayeh South of Euphrates River and al-Jafreh came under the bombardments of the Syrian armys aircrafts. The ISIL (Islamic State ISIS ISIL IS and Daesh) military equipment and machinegun-equipped vehicles were badly destroyed in the attacks. The Takfiri terrorist group also suffered a heavy death toll in the air raids. Earlier today the Syrian Army refuted terrorists claims about winning back a key district near the Eastern city of Deir Ezzur and underlined the government forces full control over the army-held territories in the province. ""The ISIL offensive to break through the government forces positions in al-Sinaah district was repelled by the strong defense of the Syrian soldiers and popular forces"" the army said adding ""The ISIL used over 120 terrorists in its attacks."" ""At least 25 ISIL terrorists were killed and many more were wounded in their failed attacks the army added. 12",alalam,5/7/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1962495682,Dozens Killed Injured in Terrorist Missile Attack on Syrias Aleppo Hospital,"Tue May 3 2016 Dozens Killed Injured in Terrorist Missile Attack on Syrias Aleppo Hospital. At least ten people have been killed and dozens injured after terrorists launched a rocket on Dabbit hospital in Aleppo a source in the Syrian militia said. Casualties are also reported in Al-Zahra quarter after a car bomb explosion. ""A powerful explosion occurred in the al-Zahra quarter after terrorists detonated a car bomb there are fatalities among the residents many have been wounded with the numbers difficult to estimate at the moment"" he told RIA Novosti. ""Terrorists carried out missile attack on the Dabbit hospital in Aleppo killing more than 10 visitors leaving dozens of people injured there are [wounded] in very serious condition"" the source told RIA Novosti. The hospital which was under the control of government forces was targeted by a radical rebel group Syrian state TV reports. The facility is said to be completely ruined after the attack. ""A large number of Nusra Front terrorists and their allies are taking part in an attack on Aleppo from the direction of the scientific research center. The army and militia as repelling the attacks with the help of Syrian air force planes"" the source told RIA Novosti. Earlier in the day the Nusra Front terrorist group launched 60 missiles in an attack on the Syrian city of Aleppo killing nine people Sputnik reported. 212-11",alalam,5/3/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495683,Syrian Army Killed 175 ISIS Terrorists in Oil Field East of Homs,"Tue May 3 2016 Syrian Army Killed 175 ISIS Terrorists in Oil Field East of Homs. Military sources announced on Monday that at least 175 members of the ISIS were killed and many more were wounded in the Syrian Army troops large-scale offensives in an oil-rich region in the Eastern part of Homs province. ""The Syrian Army and popular forces continued to advance against the ISIS terrorists near the al-Hail oilfield along Palmyra-Deir Ezzur highway which ended in the killing of at least 175 militants and destruction of their military hardware in large scale"" the sources said. ""The terrorists fleeing the battlefield of Eastern Homs to find safer shelters in Albu Kamal and then in Iraqi territories"" the sources added. Reports said earlier today that the Syrian Army and the National Defense Forces continued to push the ISIS back from more lands near the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur) and restored security to vast plains near the newly-liberated mountains there. The Syrian government forces in hours of non-stop battle forced the ISIS terrorists to retreat from the Southern plains of Jabal (mountain) al-Mketaa and the plateau in the Western side of Antar mountain. The ISIS left behind scores of the dead and wounded members and fled the battlefield FNA reported. 212-11",alalam,6/11/2016,homs,0,,,,
1962495684,57 Civilians killed 150 Injured in Continued Terrorist Attacks on Aleppo,Fri Apr 29 2016 57 Civilians killed 150 Injured in Continued Terrorist Attacks on Aleppo. Yesterday in continued terrorist Attacks on Aleppo city 18 civilians have been killed according to the latest death toll. Some 14 people including two children were killed by dozens of shells that hit in al-Midan and al-Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods and in the vicinity of Saadallah al-Jabiri Square and al-Qasr al-Baladi (Municipal Palace). More than 50 others were reported injured in the attacks in these areas some of them are in critical condition according to SANA reporter. Houses and other properties for the locals sustained massive material damage due to the rocket shells that are stuffed with highly explosive materials the reporter said. At least 57 Civilians killed More than 150 Injured in continued Nusra Front terrorist attacks on Aleppo Terrorists targeted al-Razi Hospital with rocket shells and fired others on al-Jamiliyeh and al-Mohafaza (governorate) neighborhoods leaving 4 people dead and 38 others injured and causing material damage to the hospital and the locals houses. Earlier on the day terrorists positioned in Bustan al-Qassr neighborhood fired rocket shells on al-Meridian neighborhood in the city claiming the lives of a man and his wife after their house was toppled onto their heads and injuring four other people. At least 57 Civilians killed More than 150 Injured in continued Nusra Front terrorist attacks on Aleppo Also snipers from Jabhat al-Nusra-linked terrorist groups (Nusra Front) positioned in Bustan al-Qassr neighborhood opened fire on locals in al-Masharqa neighborhood leaving two people dead. On Wednesday 10 civilians were killed including a child and 37 others were injured in similar terrorist attacks on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city. Army units then targeted the sources of the shelling and shooting and destroyed a number of mortar launchers and artillery positions. 12 MoreImage,alalam,4/16/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495685,9 Injured in New Terrorists Mortar Shell Attacks on Aleppo Neighborhood,Fri Apr 29 2016 9 Injured in New Terrorists Mortar Shell Attacks on Aleppo Neighborhood. 9 injured including 5 children in New Terrorist Mortar Shell Attacks in Aleppo neighborhood Syrian State TV announced. In recent days 57 civilians has been martyred and more than 150 people Injured in Continued Nusra Front- linked Terrorist Attacks on Aleppo.,alalam,4/29/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495686,Kurds kill 83 Injured 100 ISIS Terrorists in 2 Days Near Efrin,Fri Apr 29 2016 Kurds kill 83 Injured 100 ISIS Terrorists in 2 Days Near Efrin. A graphic video posted on social media shows Kurdish fighters Kills 30 Daesh terrorist and parade the corpses of dozens of dead terrorist in the city of Efrin during failed offensive in northern Syria with the sound of cheers and music. The grim video was shared on Twitter by a Kurd supporter activist known as Dr Partizan. In posting the clip he wrote This is your fate if you try to attack Efrin fighters dozens of terrorist killed in just one day. He later added detail about the number of ISIS terrorist killed and injured during a failed offensive on the outskirts of Efrin a day earlieracording to Daily Mail. His figures allege the 83 extremists died while more than 100 were left wounded. As well as his video Dr Partizan uploaded photographs showing a huge cache of rifles heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers all thought to have been seized by the Kurd fighters. Kurdish forces in Syria have been battling IS since 2014.In recent months the Kurds have inflicted a series of defeats on the terror network in northern Syria with the help of US-led coalition airpower. Fighting under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) the YPG has emerged as a key ally of the coalition which considers it one of the few effective partners on the ground in Syria. MoreImage,alalam,4/14/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495687,Al-Nusra Al-Qaeda Terrorists Attacks Kill 12 Civilians in Syrias Aleppo Hama,Sun Apr 24 2016 Al-Nusra Al-Qaeda Terrorists Attacks Kill 12 Civilians in Syrias Aleppo Hama. Militants have launched fresh rounds of attacks on civilians and security forces across Syria killing at least 12 and injuring a number of others. The Lebanon-based al-Mayadeen TV said that rounds of shelling by militants on two residential neighborhoods in the northern city of Aleppo left 11 people dead including women and children. The report said the rocket attacks targeted al-Neel Street and the New Aleppo neighborhood saying fatalities came mainly due to the destruction of houses in those areas. Syrias official SANA agency said rocket shells also fell in al-Hamadaniyeh neighborhood of Aleppo inflicting losses on private and public properties. It said the attacks were carried out by al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra and other armed groups operating inside and near Aleppo. SANA said militants from Nusra and the so-called Ahrar al-Sham group also launched rounds of mortar attacks on al-Sqeilbiyeh city and al-Jaberiyeh village in Hama province again in north Syria killing one civilian and injuring four others. It said four of the shells hit residential neighborhoods while the other 10 fell in the surroundings of the cities and villages located in the northwestern countryside of Hama. The attacks came one day after four residential neighborhoods of Aleppo and two in and around the capital Damascus were targeted by militants leading to four deaths. Syrian officials say the attacks show lack of seriousness in the opposition to respect a truce deal which is currently holding in the Arab country. The ceasefire which was brokered by the United States and Russia in late February was meant to facilitate and ongoing peace talks in Switzerland between the government and the foreign-backed opposition. The deal excludes al-Nusra Front and Daesh. Damascus and militant groups involved in the ceasefire have been trading accusations of truce violation. SSH 11,alalam,4/24/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495688,150 Terrorists Infiltrated Syria from Turkey in Latakia Russian Coordination Center,Fri Apr 15 2016 150 Terrorists Infiltrated Syria from Turkey in Latakia Russian Coordination Center. The Russian Coordination Center in Hmeimim reported on Thursday the infiltration of some 150 terrorists into northeastern Latakia after they were seen crossing the border from Turkey. The Center stated in a statement published on the site of the Russian Defense Ministry that some 150 terrorists were monitored and tracked by the Russian Coordination Center as they crossed through Turkish army checkpoints in order to enter Syria through the northeastern countryside of Latakia. On April 11 the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation announced that the Turkish regime still supports Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization and provides it with weapons and terrorists. Lieutenant General Sergey Rudskoy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff said •�the Turkish side still sends weapons and gunmen to groups affiliated to Jabhat al-Nusra adding that •�two armed groups including more than 100 members arrived in Handarat camp north of Aleppo along with a tank and 22 four-wheel cars loaded with machine guns while nearly 200 gunmen have arrived in Tal Hadyah town in Aleppo northern countryside Sana News reported. 212-11,alalam,4/15/2016,lattakia,1,,,,
1962495689,6 Killed 12 Wounded in Al-Nusra Front Shelling of Sheikh Maqsood,"Fri Apr 15 2016 6 Killed 12 Wounded in Al-Nusra Front Shelling of Sheikh Maqsood. At least six civilians have been killed killed in a al-Nusra Front shelling of government forces positions in the north-western outskirts of Aleppo the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday. Earlier in the day Putin said during an annual Q&A session that in Aleppo Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS terrorists outlawed in Russia are trying to take over Kurdish positions. ""In the north-west of Aleppo Nusra Front militants attempted to launch an offensive on positions of government forces in Sheikh Maqsood on April 13 after performing artillery strikes with multiple launch rocket systems"" the ministry said in a daily bulletin posted on its website. ""Six civilians were killed and 12 received wounds of different severity as a result of the shelling"" the bulletin said Sputnik eported. 212-11",alalam,4/15/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495691,23 Killed Over 100 Injured in Jaysh al-Islam Chemical Attack in Aleppo,"Fri Apr 8 2016 23 Killed Over 100 Injured in Jaysh al-Islam Chemical Attack in Aleppo. Syrian terrorist group •�Jaysh al-Islam (Army of Conquest) admits using banned weapons against Kurds in Aleppo. The Jaysh al-Islam militant group fighting government forces in Syria has admitted to using •�forbidden weapons against Kurdish militia in Aleppo. The groups statement comes after reports of chemical gas being used in shelling Aleppos Sheikh Maqsood district according to RT. ""Twenty-three people have been killed and over 100 others injured in a chemical attack by Jaysh al-Islam terrorists against members of the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) in a neighborhood of the northwestern Syrian city of Aleppo."" The attack was carried out at around noon local time (0900 GMT) on Thursday and caused choking among those affected. •�The attack was carried out between 11.30 and 12.00 local time. The gas that was used in this attack caused choking and malaise among those affected. This indicates that poisoning substances were used in the attack local journalist Nawrouz Uthman reported. Videos posted online purportedly show yellow gas rising over Sheikh Maqsood neighborhood in Aleppo located some 355 kilometers (220 miles) north of the capital Damascus. The Kurdish Red Crescent Society (Heyva Sor) also confirmed the reports. Walaat Mamu a doctor working at a local hospital was quoted as saying that several victims came to the hospital with symptoms of suffocation after the shelling PRESS TV reports. ""According to a February report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470000 people injured 1.9 million others and displaced nearly half of the pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond Syrias borders."" •�The victims mostly come with symptoms of suffocation as a result of the shelling of the Sheikh Maqsood by toxic gases. It is not established exactly which specific poisonous substance was used in the shelling. However symptoms that the victims have been showing make it possible to ascertain that they were poisoned as a result of [inhaling] banned toxic gasses the health worker said. Damascus accuses Saudi Arabia Turkey and Qatar of funding and arming anti-Syria terrorist groups including Daesh. 12",alalam,4/8/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495692,2 Civilians Killed 9 Injured in Terrorist Attack in Aleppo,Thu Apr 7 2016 2 Civilians Killed 9 Injured in Terrorist Attack in Aleppo. In a new terrorist shelling attack included mortar and rocket shells two civilians were killed and nine other injured in Aleppo city on Thursday according to local sources. Two days ago the same neighborhood was shelled by terrorist organizations positioned in nearby areas with the attack leaving more than 14 dead in addition to over 50 others injured. Terrorist organizations in Aleppo and other provinces have repeatedly breached the cessation of hostilities agreement in Syria since it came into effect on February 27 SANA reported. 219-11,alalam,4/7/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495693,Terrorist Attack Kills Two Injures Three in Aleppo city,Mon Apr 4 2016 Terrorist Attack Kills Two Injures Three in Aleppo city. On Monday a number of rocket shells fired by terrorists killed and injured five civilians in Aleppo city. A source at Aleppo province told SANAs correspondent that terrorists fired a number of shells from areas west of the city with the shells landing in Manyan market in New Aleppo area claiming two lives and injuring three people. The source added that the attack also caused considerable material damage to a number of shops and two parked cars. 219,alalam,4/4/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495694,Turkeys Nightmare; Kurds Come Closer to Azaz 6 ISIS Bombers Killed,"Sat Mar 12 2016 Turkeys Nightmare Kurds Come Closer to Azaz 6 ISIS Bombers Killed. The Kurdish forces have continued their advance on the town of Azaz in Northern Aleppo province a key Turkey-backed stronghold and supply point. On 15 Feb 2016 Turkish Prime Minister Ahmed Davutoglu said Ankara will not allow the town of Azaz in northern Syria to fall to the Kurdish YPG forces and promised the ""harshest reaction"" if the group attempts to re-take the city. From past month turkey started shelling Kurdish YPG fighters who raids Syrian rebels from a Menagh military air base south of the town of Azaz and near the Turkish border. The Menagh base had previously been controlled by the Ahrar ash-Sham rebel group which seized it in August of 2013. Ahrar ash-Sham militants at the base had been supported by Al-Nusra terrorists and some extremist groups coming from Turkey.The town is highly valued as a logistical supply route close to the TurkishSyrian border. Peshmerga shoot dead six ISIS suicide bombers west of Kirkuk In a separate event A major suicide attack by so-called Islamic State (ISIS ISIL IS Daesh ) terror Group on Peshmerga defense lines south of Kirkuk was foiled Saturday morning said the frontline commander. •�The militants were gunned down before they could detonate themselves commander Kamal Kirkuki told Rudaw. ""Six ISIS suicide bombers attacked the Peshmerga base at around 330 am whose bodies still lie there in the open field said Kirkuki."" •�The bodies of the suicide bombers were blown to pieces after they were shot he added. •�If the Peshmerga had not killed the militants the attack would have caused serious casualties he said. The frontline south and west of Kirkuk has experienced major confrontations between ISIS and Kurdish forces in the last two years. But the Peshmerga are well-prepared for such surprise attacks said Kirkuki. He claimed that at least 6000 ISIS militants have been killed on this front. 12",alalam,3/12/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495695,Over 100 ISIL Terrorists Killed in Russian Offensive in Homs,"Sat Mar 12 2016 Over 100 ISIL Terrorists Killed in Russian Offensive in Homs. Over 100 terrorists have been killed and scores more wounded in the Russian fighter jets air raids on ISIL positions in different parts of the Central Homs province in the last 48 hours military sources said on Friday. ""Over the past 48 hours the Russian Air Force has been relentless in the Eastern territories of the Homs province striking several sites controlled by the ISIL near the strategic town of Quaryatayn and the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur) which has claimed the lives of at least 100 terrorists"" the sources said. Earlier reports said that the Russian fighter jets carried out several combat flights over the ISIL terrorists concentration centers in the Eastern part of Homs province and inflicted major losses on the militants. Over 20 ISIL terrorists were killed and fifty more were wounded after the groups positions in two regions of al-Duweh and Jabal Hayyan in the Western and Southwestern parts of the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur) came under the heavy airstrikes of the Russian warplanes. The Russian air fleets operation near Palmyra provided very good aerial support for the Syrian ground forces who for their part inflicted major casualties on the terrorists.",alalam,3/12/2016,homs,1,,,,
1962495696,18 Militants Killed in Car Bomb Blast in Syrias Quneitra,"Wed Mar 2 2016 18 Militants Killed in Car Bomb Blast in Syrias Quneitra. At least 18 militants including a commander have been killed in a car bomb explosion in Syrias southern province of Quneitra. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the car bomb went off in the village of Asheh in Quneitra Wednesday afternoon. But a Quneitra-based opposition activist identified as Abu Omar al-Golani said the blast killed 20 militants including Capt. Abu Hamza al-Naimi the commander of the Syria Revolutionaries Front an offshoot of the so-called Free Syrian Army. Golani further said the blast occurred when several commanders were meeting at the groups office in Asheh. No one has so far claimed responsibility for the blast but Suhaib al-Ruhail a spokesman for the Alwiyat al-Furqan militant group which operates in the area said ""Daesh sleeper cells were most likely behind the attack. The Syria Revolutionaries Front was largely crushed in northern Syria in late 2014 by al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front terrorist group. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. According to a February report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470000 people injured 1.9 million others and displaced nearly half of the countrys pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders. Damascus accuses Saudi Arabia Turkey and Qatar of funding and arming anti-Syria terrorist groups including the Daesh Takfiri group; Press TV reported. SSH 11",alalam,3/2/2016,quneitra,1,,,,
1962495698,Twin Bomb Attacks Kill 50 Injure Dozens in Syrias Homs Province,Sun Feb 21 2016 Twin Bomb Attacks Kill 50 Injure Dozens in Syrias Homs Province. At least 50 people have lost their lives and 100 others sustained injuries in twin bomb attacks targeting a residential neighborhood in Syrias western city of Homs. Security officials speaking on condition of anonymity said two vehicles laden with explosives went off within less than a minute of each other at a traffic light at al-Siteen Street in al-Zahraa district of the city located 162 kilometers (101 miles) north of the capital Damascus on Sunday morning. A report by the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the toll could rise further because of the high number of people seriously wounded in the attacks. No group has claimed responsibility for the act of violence so far but such terrorist attacks are usually carried out by the Takfiri militant groups active in the area. In a similar incident last December more than 30 people were killed and 90 others wounded in two bomb explosions that rocked al-Zahraa neighborhood of Homs. The December attack came after foreign-backed militants began evacuating the last district they were controlling in the city under a deal with Damascus. The new fatal bombings come in the wake of significant army gains against Takfiri terror groups on several fronts particularly the northwestern province of Aleppo near the Turkish border. The foreign-sponsored conflict in Syria which flared in March 2011 has claimed the lives of some 470000 people and left 1.9 million injured according to the Syrian Center for Policy Research. Moreover 6.36 million people have been displaced internally and more than four million others have fled the country since the beginning of the conflict. That accounts for 45 percent of the countrys population which has shrunk by 21 percent. Syria accuses Saudi Arabia Turkey and Qatar of funding and arming terrorist groups operating inside the country including Daesh; Press TV reported. SSH 11,alalam,2/16/2016,homs,1,,,,
1962495699,More than 100 Terrorists Killed in Syrian Army Operations across Country,"Wed Feb 17 2016 More than 100 Terrorists Killed in Syrian Army Operations across Country. More than 100 Takfiri terrorists have been killed in two days of air and ground operations by the Syrian military across the Arab country. Syrias official news agency SANA reported on Wednesday that Syrian fighter jets targeted hideouts of the Takfiri Daesh terrorists in the town of al-Bab and several other villages in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo Province. The report said at least 70 terrorists were slain. The Syrian aircraft also dealt a heavy blow to the Takfiri militants in airstrikes on their command posts in Eastern Ghouta on the outskirts of the capital Damascus. The Syrian forces recently regained control of several areas in the same region. Also on Wednesday airstrikes by the Syrian air force targeted gathering centers of militants of the Jaish al-Fatah in Kafr Zita Jub al-Rayan and Kafr Nabudah in the northern countryside of Hama. Jaish al-Fateh terrorists suffered another blow in similar strikes on their hideouts in the province of Idlib. On Tuesday at least six Takfiri militants were killed in attacks by the Syrian ground forces in the provinces of Hama and Idlib. Separately the Syrian army released footage showing the operation of liberating two strategic villages in Aleppo. The villages of Masqan and Ehras in the northern countryside of Aleppo were liberated from the control of the Takfiri militants on Monday. The army backed by popular forces also won back the village of al-Tiba in the eastern countryside of Aleppo as well as Kafar Naya 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of Aleppo City. The Syrian army and its allies backed by Russian warplanes have recently made major advances against Takfiri militants north of Aleppo. Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said on February 10 that the government forces will soon take full control of the militant-held areas of Aleppo but predicted a tough battle for the largest city in the Arab country. ""These battles are not easy but the day will come God willing when all Aleppo - its rural areas and the occupied part of the city - will return to state authority"" Zoubi said. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. According to a new report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470000 people injured 1.9 million others and displaced nearly half of the countrys pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders Press TV reported. SSH",alalam,2/17/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495700,Syrian Army Kills over 100 ISIS Terrorists in Deir Ezzor,"Sun Feb 14 2016 Syrian Army Kills over 100 ISIS Terrorists in Deir Ezzor. The Syrian army has killed at least 100 ISIS terrorists in the eastern Deir Ezzor province during the past 24 hours. The armys air force carried out sorties targeting ISIS positions and vehicles in al-Husseiniyeh village in the western countryside of the province. The positions and vehicles were destroyed with terrorists around getting killed. Several ISIS hideouts and vehicles some of which are equipped with machineguns were also destroyed in army airstrikes in al-Mreiiyeh village in the eastern countryside while an army unit eliminated a number of gatherings of ISIS terrorists in al-Sheikh Yaseen neighborhood in Deir Ezzor city. ""Meanwhile a source on the ground said an army unit targeted ISIS sites in the neighborhoods of al-Hamidiyeh al-Aradi and al-Rushdiyeh killing 71 terrorists and injuring 81 others."" Terrorist leaders were among the dead according to the source. Four more ISIS terrorists were killed in an army operation against their gathering in the vicinity of Deir Ezzor military airport. A Libyan leader within the so-called •�Deir Ezzor Airport Front nicknamed ""Abu Islam al-Baghdadi"" and five of his groups members were confirmed dead in al-Hamediyeh neighborhood. An army unit clashed with ISIS terrorists in the surroundings of al-Mreiiyeh killing 9 terrorists. ""A number of gatherings of ISIS terrorists were hit in al-Hawi area and a vehicle transporting 12 terrorists was destroyed on Mrat road in the eastern countryside of the province."" In the northern and western countryside of Deir Ezzor more gatherings of ISIS terrorists were targeted in a precise operation near the Water Station in Mheimideh village and Sfeira Tahtani. ISIS terrorists were also targeted in several operations in separate areas in al-Bukamal city 130 southeast of Deir Ezzor city. The operations resulted in destroying a23 mm machinegun in al-Kitf area and two vehicles equipped with machineguns and an ammunition depot near al-Masmakeh and al-Sinaa areas in addition to destroying two vehicles one of which equipped with machinegun in al-Baghouz area Sana reported. 219-11",alalam,2/14/2016,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1962495701,Terrorist Rocket Attacks Kill 10 Civilians Injured Dozens in Daraa,Wed Feb 3 2016 Terrorist Rocket Attacks Kill 10 Civilians Injured Dozens in Daraa. Terrorist rocket attacks have killed 10 civilians and injured 41 others most of them women and children in Daraa city. Director of Daraa National Hospital Dr. Farid al-Asfar told SANA that the bodies of 10 victims arrived at the hospital along with 41 people who sustained injuries from shrapnel caused by the rocket attacks adding that most of the injured are women and children whose injuries are critical asserting that the injured are receiving the necessary treatment and the hospital is operating at maximum capacity to deal with the large number of victims. Earlier on Wednesday a source at Daraa province told SANAs correspondent that Takfiri terrorists targeted a number of neighborhoods in the city with rocket shells claiming the life of one person and injuring 20 others and that three children were among the injured adding that the attacks also caused material damage to the locals houses and properties. In the same context terrorists from •�Jaish al-Islam fired rocket and mortar shells on Harasta suburb near Damascus. One of the shells smashed into a high school and injured three of its staff members according to a Police Command source. OA,alalam,2/3/2016,daraa,1,,,,
1962495702,At Least 10 Civilians killed 40 injured in Rocket Fire in Daraa Syria,Wed Feb 3 2016 At Least 10 Civilians killed 40 injured in Rocket Fire in Daraa Syria. Ten civilians have been killed and around 40 injured following terrorists rocket attacks on residential neighborhoods in Daraa City in southern Syria SANA news agency reports.,alalam,2/3/2016,daraa,0,,,,
1962495704,US Coalition Warplanes Kill Tens of Civilians in Syrias Aleppo,"Thu Oct 6 2016 US Coalition Warplanes Kill Tens of Civilians in Syrias Aleppo. The US-led coalitions fighter jets killed at least 60 civilians in Salsana village in the Northeastern parts of Aleppo. According to the Arabic-language desk of Sputnik news agency the US warplanes targeted the residential areas in the village 50km Northeast of Aleppo city and killed over 60 civilians among them several children. Local sources said that a large number of civilians were also wounded in the attacks some of them in critical conditions. Local sources in Deir Ezzor said on Monday that the US airstrikes had destroyed more bridges and supply routes in the province adding that 50 civilians were killed in the attacks. ""50 civilians including women and children were killed in the US-led coalition airstrikes on Deir Ezzor"" the sources said. Noting that the US airstrikes have pounded 7 bridges in the past four days they said that the bridges on the Euphrates in al-Mayadeen al-Bu Kamal al-Ashara al-Basira al-Tarif and al-Nowam in the Eastern and Western countryside of Deir Ezzor were attacked before the airstrike on al-Abbas bridge on Sunday. Army sources in Syria said on Sunday that the US pounded several strategic bridges in Deir Ezzor in the last few days to prevent the army and its allies further advances in the fight against the ISIL terrorists. ""The US aimed to extend the geographical area of its influence by bombing the strategic bridges in Deir Ezzor and stop the Syrian armys advance in the war against the ISIL"" the source told FNA. ""Washington also sought to cut the supply routes between the provinces and separate Deir Ezzors countryside from the city of Deir Ezzor through the bombing"" the source added. ""Destruction of Deir Ezzor bridges was also aimed at dividing the regions under the US and Russian influence in the Eastern and Western parts of the Euphrates"" the source said. The US-led coalition fighter jets once again conducted air raids over Deir Ezzor province on Friday destroying two other key bridges over the Euphrates River just three days after demolishing two other strategic bridges in similar airstrikes in the same region near the border with Iraq. According to reports the Coalitions airstrikes resulted in the destruction of al-Shihan Bridge near al-Salhin neighborhood in al-Bu Kamal countryside and Tarif Bridge in the Western countryside that extends between Deir Ezzor and Raqqa provinces. The US-led coalition warplanes had also destroyed al-Asharah Bridge that links the two banks of the river in the Eastern part of the Deir Ezzor province last Wednesday only few hours after demolishing al-Mayadeen Bridge. The bombers had also targeted the Syrian army troops near the city of Deir Ezzor on September 17 leaving over 90 military personnel dead and a hundred wounded. Russias Defense Ministry confirmed a report by the Syrian state news agency that an ISIS offensive began right after Syrian Army positions were hit by the bombers of the US-led coalition. The actions of the coalition •�clearly paved the way for ISIL terrorists to attack the position and take control of it the agency said citing the General Command of the Army and Armed Forces. The General Command called the bombing a •�serious and blatant aggression against Syrian forces and said it was ""conclusive evidence"" that the US and its allies support ISIL terrorist group. A day later a military source disclosed that the ISIS launched attacks on the Syrian army positions in Deir Ezzor only 7 minutes after the US-led coalitions airstrikes. The military source reiterated that the air and ground assault were highly coordinated. A Syrian top official said the countrys intelligence unit possesses an audio recording of a conversation between the ISIL group and the US military before the airstrikes by the US-led coalition on the Syrian army troops near Deir Ezzor on September 17. The speaker of the Peoples Council of Syria Hadiya Khalaf Abbas said that after the US coalitions airstrikes on the government troops US military directed terrorists attack on the Syrian army FNA reported. 219",alalam,10/6/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495705,Syrian Army Units Kill over 70 Terrorists in Hama Province,Wed Oct 12 2016 Syrian Army Units Kill over 70 Terrorists in Hama Province. Syrian army troops have killed more than 70 Takfiri terrorists and injured 30 others during its anti-terror military offensive in the western province of Hama. The fatalities were caused on Wednesday in the Kawkab village of the provinces Hama District. Arabic-language news website Syria Now identified one of the wounded as Hannan Abu Laith the military commander of the Jabhat Fath al-Sham (The Conquest of Syria Front) terror outfit formerly known as al-Nusra Front. Syrian forces also destroyed some tanks and military vehicles used by Takfiri militants in the same province. The official Syrian Arab News Agency meanwhile reported that the Syrian air force had targeted Takfiri militants across the northwestern Aleppo province including the Khan Tuman village killing a large number of them. File photo shows terrorists with Jabhat Fath al-Sham formerly known as al-Nusra Front It added that the army killed and injured a number of operatives tied to Jabhat Fath al-Sham in southwestern Daraa Province. A number of artillery positions belonging to Takfiri terrorists were also destroyed in Latakia Province located in Syrias northwest the countrys Defense Ministry announced. Separately unknown gunmen injured a number of civilians in mortar attacks close to Umayyad Mosque and the Mezzeh neighborhood in the capital Damascus. Since 2011 the country has found itself in the clutches of foreign-backed militancy which has so far killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. SSH 11,alalam,10/16/2016,hama,1,,,,
1962495706,6 killed in Airstrike on Village in Aleppo Province Belgian F-16 Jets in Area,Wed Oct 19 2016 6 killed in Airstrike on Village in Aleppo Province Belgian F-16 Jets in Area. At least six people were killed in an airstrike on a village in northern Syrias Aleppo province the Russian Defense Ministry said adding that two Belgian F-16 combat jets were operating in the area. According to information handed over to the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria by the local council of the Syrian city of Afrin the village of Hassadjek suffered an air attack in which six people died and four more were injured. The Russian Defense Ministry stressed that neither Russian nor Syrian air forces were carrying out any missions in the area. At the same time the ministry said that Russian data recorders detected two Belgian F-16 fighter jets in the area within the specified time RT reports. Russian and Syrian air forces halted airstrikes in Aleppo from 0700 GMT Tuesday for a 48-hour humanitarian pause. •�We are expecting statements from the US State Department that would strongly condemn the attacks on civilian facilities and the killing of civilians. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova calling on Washington to weigh in on the suspected coalition airstrike. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the ceasefire comes ahead of schedule. The humanitarian pause to allow civilians to leave Aleppo and for the delivery of aid to the city was initially scheduled to start on Thursday and to last for eight hours. SA - 12,alalam,10/19/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495708,Over 50 Jaysh Al Fateh Terrorist Killed in Clashes with Syrian Army,Mon Oct 31 2016 Over 50 Jaysh Al Fateh Terrorist Killed in Clashes with Syrian Army. Jaysh Al Fateh terrorist attacks targeting the Syrian Arab Army in the 3000 Housing Project and Al Assad Academy on Sunday in the southwestern sector of the Aleppo resulted to big defeat and lose of at least 50 member of terrorist Group. Jaysh Al Fateh stormed the Syrian Arab Army held 3000 Housing Project and nearby Al Assad Military Academy resulting in a violent series of battles that stretched for several hours. But the rebels were unable to hold any ground in the district because of heavy Syrian Arab Armys defenses lines. Also in the north of the 3000 Housing Project the Syrian Armed Forces and Hezbollah Fighters beat back Jaysh Al Fateh terrorist group attempting to infiltrate into the Al Zahra Quarter.This attack resulted in a number of deaths for on terror group. According to a military source in the Aleppo Governorate the Syrian Armed Forces killed an estimated at least 50 militants on Sunday including several foreign combatants from Chechnya China (Xinjiang Province) Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan. 12,alalam,10/31/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495709,Syrian Army kills 33 Fateh Al Sham Terrorist Captured 10 in Rural Daraa,Mon Oct 31 2016 Syrian Army kills 33 Fateh Al Sham Terrorist Captured 10 in Rural Daraa. Jabhat Fateh Al Sham (formerly Al Nusra Front) surprise offensive in Daraa countryside on Sunday against Syrian Arab Army in military camp near key town of Ibtraa turn to a misery for terrorist group. Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham attempting to overwhelm the Syrian Arab Armys (SAA) Republican Guard with a Massive numbers. Fateh Al-Sham assault faced with quick Successful ambush along the road leading to military installation in Ibtraa. According to official Syrian military spokesperson the Syrian Armed Forces killed a confirmed 33 militants on Sunday including 10 foreign members of Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham. The military spokesperson added that another 15 terrorist were captured by the Syrian Armed Forces during the failed Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham offensive AMN reports. WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT,alalam,10/16/2016,daraa,0,,,,
1962495710,Over 3 Killed 40 Injured in Terrorists Rocket Attack on Western Aleppo,Mon Oct 31 2016 Over 3 Killed 40 Injured in Terrorists Rocket Attack on Western Aleppo. At least three people were killed and 40 injured following a shelling attack by terrorist groups on the government held western Aleppo.,alalam,10/7/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495711,Child Killed 20 People Injured in Terrorist Attacks in Damascus its Countryside Aleppo Homs Hasaka,Mon Nov 7 2016 Child Killed 20 People Injured in Terrorist Attacks in Damascus its Countryside Aleppo Homs Hasaka. Due to terrorist attacks with rocket shells and explosive rounds on al-Mazzeh area in Damascus city one child has been killed and 7 people have been injured on Monday . A source at Damascus Police Command told the correspondent that terrorists located in Douma area fired rocket shells and explosive rounds at the neighborhoods of al-Sheikh Saad and al-Mazzeh 86 in al-Mazzeh area injuring 7 people who were rushed to al-Muwasat Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile in Damascus Countryside 9 persons were injured due to an attack with mortar rounds by terrorists of •�Jaish al-Islam on al-Wafideen Camp. In a statement to SANA a source at Damascus Countryside Police Command said that terrorist groups positioned in the Eastern Ghouta fired 6 mortar shells on al-Wafideen Camp which landed in the area surrounding the bakery the cemetery the bus station and April 7th Street. The source added that 9 persons were injured due to the attack in addition to causing material damage to public and private properties. Child killed two others injured in terrorist attack on al-Hamadaniye neighborhood in Aleppo One child was killed and two others were injured on Monday due to attacks by terrorist groups with shells and explosive rounds on al-Hamadaniye neighborhood in Aleppo city. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA that terrorist groups located in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city and its western outskirts fired a number of rocket shells at al-Hamadaniye neighborhood killing a girl child and injuring two others in addition to causing material damage to homes and infrastructure. Terrorists detonate IED near Qamishli National Hospital in Hasaka Terrorists detonated an explosive device near Qamishli National Hospital in Hasaka province on Monday causing material damage to the hospital and the public properties a source at Hasaka Police Command told SANA. The source said that no casualties were reported. Last month a suicide terrorist blew himself up with an explosive belt near al-Sanabel Hall in Safiyeh village on Hasaka-Qamishli road killing and injuring scores of people. Two persons injured in terrorist rocket attack in Homs Two persons were injured as the ISIS terrorist organization targeted with rocket shells the town of Jeb al-Jarrah about 73 km east of Homs city in the central Homs Province. SANA reporter said Monday that terrorist groups positioned in the villages of Rahoum and al-Mshairfeh fired 13 rocket shells on the town of Jeb al-Jarrah injuring two persons and causing material damage to the citizens houses and properties. Last month two persons were injured as the terrorist organizations fired 28 rocket and mortar shells on al-Mushrefeh village in the northeastern countryside of Homs province. 218-11,alalam,11/7/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1962495712,2 Killed 10 Injured in Terrorist Shelling in Aleppo Residential Neighborhood,Sat Nov 12 2016 2 Killed 10 Injured in Terrorist Shelling in Aleppo Residential Neighborhood. Two people have been killed and 10 other people have been injured in a terrorists groups shelling of the Sulaymaniyah neighborhood of the Syrian city of Aleppo on Saturday. The militants based in the eastern part of Aleppo shelled residential area of Sulaymaniyah in the western part of the city state news agency SANA reported. Some of the injured are in a serious condition. The Sulaymaniyah area is inhabited mainly by Christians and was the location of the October 13 mortar attack near a school which killed at least four children. The Syrian Armed Forces began a large-scale military operation in Aleppo after the September 12 truce brokered by Russia and the United States collapsed less than a week after it was endorsed. A violent conflict between the forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad and opposition factions as well as terrorist groups has been raging in Syria for more than five years. 218-11,alalam,11/12/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495713,70 Killed in Syrian and Russian Airstrikes on ISIS Training Camp in Homs,Wed Nov 23 2016 70 Killed in Syrian and Russian Airstrikes on ISIS Training Camp in Homs. 70 ISIS Terrorists killed and many injured in Syrian and Russian joint Airstrikes over the largest military training camp of Taloul belonging to so-called Islamic State terrorist group in Al Sukhnah city located in Eastern Homs. Alalam - Syria Tens of ISIS recruits terrorist and their trainers killed and wounded and all military equipment destroyed in this camp. A large number of militants had been trained in the camp Taloul and dispatched to the province of Raqqa and Deir Ezzur FNA reports. Based on reports Taloul played a crucial role in providing fresh forces for ISIS whenever the group was carrying out attacks on government positions in Homs. The key villages of Jubb al Jarrah and al Masoudiyeh which ISIS have fail attacks to capture it on yesterday are located Northwest of the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur) in Homs province Southeast of the city of Al Salamiyah and Southwest of Aqayrabat town in Hama province and are highly strategic cities. Jubb al-Jarrah and al-Masoudiyeh are along the roads to Tadmur al-Salamiyah and Aqayrabat. 12,alalam,11/23/2016,homs,1,,,,
1962495714,Nusra Front Mortar Attack Kills Injures over 70 Syrians in Eastern Aleppo Province,Thu Dec 1 2016 Nusra Front Mortar Attack Kills Injures over 70 Syrians in Eastern Aleppo Province. Tens of civilians who intended to leave the terrorist-controlled areas were killed and injured in Fatah al-Shams mortar attacks in Eastern Aleppo the Arabic-language media reports said. ALALAM Syria At least 45 civilians were killed and 30 others were wounded in Fatah al-Sham (formerly Al-Nusra Front) terrorists mortar fire the Arabic-language al-Hadas News reported. The Eastern Aleppo residents were trying to escape towards a safe passage when they came under the terrorists mortar attack. Farah al-Sham also arrested most of the injured Syrian citizens. According to reports tens of thousands of civilians including thousands of children and new born babies have escaped terrorist-controlled areas of Eastern Aleppo in recent days. Head of operations in the Russian General Staff General Sergey Rudskoy said Wednesday that over 18000 civilians left terrorist-controlled areas of Aleppo as a result of the Syrian armys successful operation. The Syrian armys recent victories in Eastern Aleppo were secured after it started special operations in Aleppo after several humanitarian pauses declared by Damascus and Moscow to give a chance to the civilian population as well as the militants to leave the Eastern parts of the city through 8 corridors and eventually managed to win full control over the Northern flank of the Aleppo citys Eastern districts and take back a number of neighborhood in the Southern part of the Eastern Aleppo FNA reported. 219,alalam,12/1/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495715,8 Killed 25 Injured by Terrorist Rocket Attacks on Aleppo City,Mon Dec 5 2016 8 Killed 25 Injured by Terrorist Rocket Attacks on Aleppo City. A man and his young daughter have been killed and 25 others have been injured on Monday when terrorists fired rocket shells on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city. A source at Police Command said that a man and his young daughter were killed and four more people got injured due to terrorist attacks with rocket shells on al-Meridian and al-Zahraa neighborhoods the city and later the source said that terrorists fired more shells at the two neighborhoods injuring 21 people; SANA reported. Meanwhile SANAs correspondent reported that civil defense teams have uncovered the bodies of 8 people from beneath the rubble of a residential building in al-Masharqa neighborhood that was struck by rocket shells fired by terrorists on Sunday adding that efforts are still underway to clear the rubble in search of survivors. 218-11,alalam,12/5/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495716,US-Led Coalitions Bombing of Raqqa Leaves 20 Syrian Civilians Dead Reports,"Fri Dec 9 2016 US-Led Coalitions Bombing of Raqqa Leaves 20 Syrian Civilians Dead Reports. Syrian state-run news agency SANA has announced that as a result of the US-led coalition bombing of Raqqa 20 civilians have been killed. According to SANA the US-led coalition attacked residential areas in the north of the Raqqa province on Thursday leaving dozens killed and injured. ""A new attack launched by the US-led coalition on residential areas in the northern Raqqa province on Thursday caused a massacre leaving dozens of civilians dead or injured"" the news agency reported. The bombing took place in al-Msheirfeh near the city of Raqqa; Sputnik reported. The civilian death toll is expected to rise as many people are in critical condition SANA reported. On Thursday the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned coalitions airstrikes in Raqqa on December 7 that left 18 civilians dead. Moscow stated that it is hard to understand statements about ""errors"" and ""negligence"" from those whose military operation in Syria had not been requested by the countrys legitimate authorities. Last week the Pentagon stated that the US-led coalitions airstrikes on the Syrian army positions were an ""unintentional regrettable error."" On September 17 US-led coalition aircraft carried out four strikes against the Syrian army near the Deir ez-Zor airport leaving 62 soldiers killed and some 100 wounded. he Pentagon said that the airstrike was a mistake and was intended to target Daesh militants while a number of Syrian officials stated that the attack was intentional. 218-11",alalam,12/10/2016,raqqa,0,,,,
1962495717,At Least 48 Killed and Injured in Terrorists Mortar Attacks in Aleppo,Thu Dec 15 2016 At Least 48 Killed and Injured in Terrorists Mortar Attacks in Aleppo. Three people were killed and scores were injured on Wednesday due to terrorist attacks with rocket shells and explosive rounds on neighborhoods in Aleppo city. SANAs correspondent quoted a source at Aleppo Police Command as saying that terrorist fired rocket shells and explosive rounds at the neighborhoods of al-Khalidiye Nile Street al-Faid al-Sukkari al-Fardous and al-Salihin. The correspondent said the attacks claimed the lives of 3 people and injured 45 others in addition to causing material damage to citizens homes and public and private properties. 12,alalam,12/3/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495719,50 ISIS Terrorists Killed in Syrian Army Anti-Terrorism Operations in Eastern Homs,Thu Dec 29 2016 50 ISIS Terrorists Killed in Syrian Army Anti-Terrorism Operations in Eastern Homs . The Syrian army forces continued anti-terrorism operations in Eastern Homs and targeted ISIS positions near the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur) inflicting heavy casualties and damages on the militants. Alalam Syria The Syrian army units supported by the artillery and missile fire pounded the ISILs moves and gathering centers near Tadmur al-Bayarat Jazal Western Qasr al-Hayyar and Abu Kala dam in Eastern Homs on Thursday. During the operations over 50 terrorists were killed and 9 of their military vehicles and 2 artillery systems were smashed. The Syrian army troops and air force targeted ISILs concentration centers and gatherings in the ancient city of Palmyra and its outskirts also on Wednesday inflicting more than a dozen casualties on the terrorists. The army men targeted the positions and movements of ISIS East of the Fourth Station and in Baar al-Fawaerah region West of Tadmur killing over 13 militants and wounding several more. The army aircraft also pounded ISILs positions and movements in the city of Palmyra and nearby areas in Badiyeh al-Qarbi (the Western Desert) the Fourth Station and the villages of al-Tiyas and Sharifeh in Eastern Homs leaving a number of militants dead and their military vehicles canons and rocket launchers destroyed. Also the army men stormed ISIS gatherings in the villages of Habreh al-Sharqi Habreh al-Qarbi Rasm Hamideh Jubb Habal Abu Qatour Unq al-Hawa Abu Hawadid Jubb Hamad and Sharifeh on Tuesday killing or wounding a large number of militants. In the meantime the army troops targeted a gathering of Fatah al-Shams commanders near al-Rastan town killing and wounding several commanders. 212,alalam,12/29/2016,homs,1,,,,
1962495720,ISIL Uses Chemical Weapons in Syrias Aleppo,"Wed Aug 3 2016 ISIL Uses Chemical Weapons in Syrias Aleppo. Syrian popular defense forces have reported that terrorists have fired shells filled with a toxic gas in the Syrian city of Aleppo killing five civilians. ""Terrorists have used a weapon causing asphyxia and damaging the nervous system. Five people have died from suffocation"" a militia member said. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011 with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. Aleppo is partially controlled by Jabhat Fatah al Sham (previously known as the al Nusra Front) a terrorist group outlawed in Russia and other countries along with Daesh; Sputnik reported. 218-11",alalam,8/3/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1962495721,Syrian Army Foils Attack on Deir ez-Zor Killing 60 Daesh Terrorists,Wed Aug 3 2016 Syrian Army Foils Attack on Deir ez-Zor Killing 60 Daesh Terrorists. The Syrian army has killed 60 Daesh takfiri terrorists while defending the city of Deir ez-Zor. An informed source told RIA Novosti that the Syrian army supported from air managed to repel the Daesh attacks in the west of the city. Deir ez-Zor a major Syrian eastern city with population of over 200000 people has been besieged by Daesh extremist groups outlawed in Russia since March 2014. Syria has been in the state of civil war since 2011. On February 27 a ceasefire brokered by Russia and the United States took effect in the country. Terrorist groups are not covered by the agreement; Sputnik reported. 218-11,alalam,8/3/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1962495722,At Least 40 Civilians Killed in US Warplanes Bombardments in Manbij,Sat Aug 6 2016 At Least 40 Civilians Killed in US Warplanes Bombardments in Manbij. The US Air Force bombed heavily two residential areas in the war-hit town of Manbij in Northeastern Aleppo leaving 43 civilians dead and many more wounded. The US warplanes for the fourth time in their so-called anti-terrorism operations targeted al-Haal market al-Sinaah district and the only bakery of the town claiming lives of 23 civilians in al-Haal and 21 others in al-Sinaah FNA reports. Telecommunication building of Manbij was also ruined in the US air attacks. Also in July over 25 civilians were killed and at least 100 more were wounded in US Air Forces attacks on an ISIL-held village near the town of Manbij. The US coalition struck the densely populated village of Aghanndorh near Manbij causing severe damage to a number of civilian sites including several residential homes. 12,alalam,8/6/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495723,200 Jeish Al Fatah Terrorists Killed by Syrian Army in Aleppo,Sat Aug 13 2016 200 Jeish Al Fatah Terrorists Killed by Syrian Army in Aleppo. The Syrian armed forces have killed over 200 terrorists in Southwestern Aleppo since they ended defense and went on the offensive on Thursday. Syrian army and resistance forces have started a new round of clashes with the militants in the Southwestern parts of Aleppo and inflicted a large number of casualties on their terrorist in the first wave of the attackFNA reports. Also Syrian army have repelled 7 waves of powerful terrorist attacks in the Southwestern parts of Aleppo in the last 10 days killing over 2200 militants. 12,alalam,8/13/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495724,More than 30 Syrian Rebels Killed in ISIS Suicide Blast,Mon Aug 15 2016 More than 30 Syrian Rebels Killed in ISIS Suicide Blast. The Islamic State (ISIS Daesh ISIL IS) terrorist group on Monday claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed more than 30 Syrian rebel fighters in a blast near the Turkish border. ISIS in a statement published on Twitter and the messaging service Telegram said a suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt among rebels •�getting ready to fight the Islamic State. The blast on Sunday night struck the Atme border crossing between Turkey and the northern Syrian province of Idlib according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The monitoring group said the anti-regime terrorists were travelling by bus to Turkey then back into Syria towards the rebel bastion of Azaz in Aleppo province. The attack killed 32 rebels as they were entering Turkey the Britain-based Observatory said updating an earlier toll on Sunday evening of 15. Its head Rami Abdel Rahman said the toll could rise further as other fighters remained critically wounded. ISISs statement said the attack left •�nearly 50 rebels dead charging they took orders from the US-led coalition fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria. ISIS has tried to advance on rebel territory in Aleppo province particularly the towns of Azaz and nearby Marea for several months. A major terrorist offensive in May saw ISIS encircle Marea but rebels pushed back the assault the following month after receiving ammunition from the coalition. More than 290000 people have been killed since Syrias conflict erupted in March 2011 AFP reported. SSH 11,alalam,8/15/2016,idlib,0,,,,
1962495725,70 Militants Killed in Aleppos Military Academy in Clashes with Syrian Army,Thu Aug 18 2016 70 Militants Killed in Aleppos Military Academy in Clashes with Syrian Army. At least 70 militants were killed and dozens of others were wounded in clashes with the army and bombings of the Syrian warplanes in Southern Aleppo. Syrian army units supported by the air force killed 70 terrorists and destroyed a tank two rocket launchers and three cannons in the military academy region in Southern Aleppo a military source said on Thursday. The Syrian air force carried out 39 fighter-bomber sorties and 35 helicopter sorties over the past 24 hours to support the ground troops in their operations against the terrorists in Aleppo he added. During the airstrikes several hideouts and gatherings of the terrorists were hit and two munitions depots were destroyed in Kafar Hamra and Arran in the Western and Eastern parts of Aleppo province. Tens of armored vehicles were destroyed and dozens of terrorists were killed in strikes by the armys artillery and air force units in different parts of Aleppo on Thursday. The Syrian warplanes and artillery fire targeted the terrorists positions in the surroundings of Rahbet Maarata Dahret al-Shurfeh Daret Ezza al-Mansoura the military academy Kafr Naha and al-Atareb in Aleppo which smashed tens of their vehicles and killed a large number of militants. Also an army unit destroyed an armored vehicle and two cars loaded with ammunition for ISIL terrorists in Deir Hafer area in the Eastern countryside of Aleppo. In Aleppo city units of the army hit the gatherings and sites of terrorists in the neighborhoods of al-Shaar al-Ansari Qazi Askar and Qastal Harami destroying a number of their vehicles FNA reported. SSH 11,alalam,8/18/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495726,Jeish Al Fatah Pounds down by 56 Airstrikes 60 Terrorists Killed Tens Injured,Mon Aug 22 2016 Jeish Al Fatah Pounds down by 56 Airstrikes 60 Terrorists Killed Tens Injured. Russian aircraft in 35 fighter jet and 21 chopper missions targeted Jeish al-Fatahs positions in the Southern and Southwestern parts of Aleppo city in Northern Syria Today. As a results numbers of Jeish Al Fatah terrorists were killed in in Tal Al Senowbarat Al Qarasi Al Mansoura while several machinegun-equipped vehicles of terror group were destroyed in the Southern side of Taslih academy building 1070 housing project and Al Moshrefeh hill. Reports said earlier today that the Syrian army units led by Colonel Soheil along with Hezbollah forces started operations in the Southeastern parts of Al Hamdaniya and the Western side of the cement factory in Southwest Aleppo and broke the defense lines of Jeish al Fatah terrorists FNA reports. Also the missile units of Hezbollah and the Syrian armys artillery units pounded the terrorists deployed in the Artillery College Arms College and the Western parts of Ramousiyeh and the Southern parts of the colleges. Over 60 terrorists were killed and tens of others were wounded in clashes with the army and its allies in the region. Mop-up operations still continue in the Military Academy region on Monday and the Syrian logistic forces are reinvigorating their positions. If the Syrian forces can fully cleanse the Military Academy in Southwestern Aleppo of terrorists the narrow corridor opened by militants to enter Aleppo will be blocked. 12,alalam,8/22/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495727,40 Civilians 25 YPG Fighters Killed 110 Injured by Turkey Near Jarablus,Mon Aug 29 2016 40 Civilians 25 YPG Fighters Killed 110 Injured by Turkey Near Jarablus. In Turkish airstrikes and artilleries attacks on two villages near Jerablus 40 civilian killed and more than 110 others wounded. Also Turkish Army killed 25 Kurdish YPG fighters calling them Terrorist. On Sunday Turkish forces ramped up their offensive with Turkish warplanes and artillery pounding areas held by pro-Kurdish forces close to Jarablus liberated from ISIS this week. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Sunday to devote equal energy to combatting Islamic State terrorists and Syrian Kurdish fighters on the fifth day of a major offensive that has left dozens dead. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 40 civilians were killed in strikes on two areas in Jarabulus the first report of significant civilian casualties since the start of operation •�Euphrates Shield. At least 110 others injured in the attacks. Also as part of ongoing Turkish military operations in northern Syria two US-backed groups on opposing sides of the operation have clashed near the city of Jarabulus in northern Aleppo province. Jaysh al Tahrir a rebel group that operates under the flag of the Free Syrian Army and has received several TOW anti-tank missiles from the US claims to have captured two villages from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) south of Jarabulus. The SDF has received considerable US-support including airstrikes and special operations forces embedded within the group Long War Journal reports. 12,alalam,8/29/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495728,Syrian Army Kills Top Terrorist Commander in Daraa Province,Sun Sep 4 2016 Syrian Army Kills Top Terrorist Commander in Daraa Province . A notorious commander of al-Omari brigade was killed in Syrian Army troops offensive on the terrorist groups stronghold in Northern Daraa. Ramadan al-Sabta alongside nine of his comrades were killed in a battle with Syrian army men in al-Lajat on a road connecting al-Shomarah to al-Shyah. Also on Saturday Syrian Army troops and National Defense Forces beat back terrorists from their positions near a chunk of the old highway of Daraa to Damascus and restored more security to the road and the region. Syrian government forces after hours of fierce clashes captured an area as large as 10 square kilometers along the highway in the town of Ibtta in Northern Daraa. Terrorist groups left behind tens of dead and wounded members and pulled the remaining pockets of forces back from the battlefield FNA reported. 219,alalam,9/4/2016,daraa,0,,,,
1962495730,4 Turkish Troopers Killed 4 Wounded in Daesh Attack in N Syria,"Wed Sep 7 2016 4 Turkish Troopers Killed 4 Wounded in Daesh Attack in N Syria. The Turkish military has saaid four of its soldiers have been killed and four others have been injured in an attack by the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in northern Syria. In a statement carried by Turkeys NTV television on Tuesday the army said the casualties came after a Daesh rocket attack on two of its tanks south of the town of al-Rai near the Turkish border. The fatalities were the first of Turkeys recent incursion into Syria to be blamed on Daesh. The Turkish television showed pictures of military helicopters flying across the Turkish-Syrian border to take the wounded to Turkey for treatment. Separately two pro-Turkey Syria militants were killed and two others sustained injuries in clashes in the same region the Turkish army statement added. On August 24 Turkish special forces tanks and jets backed by planes from the US-led coalition launched their first coordinated offensive in Syria. Damascus denounced the intervention as a breach of its sovereignty. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the operation dubbed ""Euphrates Shield"" was aimed at •�terror groups such as Daesh and the Democratic Union Party (PYD) a US-backed Kurdish group based in Syria. Hours after the beginning of the offensive Turkish-backed militants seized the city of Jarablus with Ankara saying that it wanted to establish a safe zone in the 98-kilometer (61-mile) area stretching from Jarablus to the city of Azaz; Press TV reported. 218-11",alalam,9/7/2016,homs,1,,,,
1962495732,Syrian Jets Pounds ISIS Offensive in Hama Killing 50 Terrorists,Syrian Jets Pounds ISIS Offensive in Hama Killing 50 Terrorists Fri Sep 30 2016 102138 Warplanes of Syrian Air Force (SyAAF) according to detailed information and coordinates on ISIS terrorist group movements in east Hama flied and foiled an ISIS offensive before it began. Five VBIEDs destroyed in the village of Atshanah while several other armored vehicles were incinerated. To top off the disastrous turn of events for the terror group over 50 terrorists were neutralized in the process AMN reported. It appears that the Islamic States military grouping in east Hama was preparing for a massive offensive on the Salamiyah-Ithriya axis capitalizing on the terrorist-led offensive in northern Hama which saw terrorist groups like Jund Al Aqsa and Jabhat Fath Al Sham (former Nusra Front) seize over a dozen villages from local NDF militias. 12,alalam,9/30/2016,hama,0,,,,
1962495733,Death toll in bomb attack on Syria evacuees rises to 112,"Sun Apr 16 2017 Death toll in bomb attack on Syria evacuees rises to 112. Many residents of Fuaa and Kafraya lost their lives after terrorists attacked their buses. Afp - The death toll in a suicide car bomb attack on buses carrying Syrians evacuated from two besieged government-held towns has risen to at least 112 a monitoring group said Sunday. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 98 evacuees from the northern towns of Fuaa and Kafraya were killed when an explosives-laden vehicle hit their buses at a transit point west of Aleppo on Saturday. It said the remainder of the dead were aid workers and rebels tasked with guarding the buses. It warned the death toll may rise further as ""hundreds"" more were wounded in the blast. Dozens of buses carrying several thousand refugees had been stuck by the roadside in the rebel-held town of Rashidin after leaving Fuaa and Kafraya on Friday under a deal reached between the government and opposition groups. More than 30000 people are set for evacuation under the deal brokered by rebel backer Qatar and regime ally Iran. Fuaa and Kafraya have been under rebel siege for more than two years. As part of the deal several hundred people including armed rebels will be transported out of Madaya and Zabadani towns near Damascus which are surrounded by pro-government forces. Syrias six-year civil war has seen several similar deals which the government of President Bashar al-Assad says are the best way to end the violence. Rebels say they are being forced to relocate through bombardment and seige. The government blamed Saturdays attack on ""terrorists."" The blast puts the four-town evacuation deal brokered partly by rebel backer Qatar and government ally Iran in doubt. The Observatory said after the bombing that the evacuation process had resumed but it was not immediately clear on Sunday if convoys had restarted their journeys.",alalam,4/16/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1962495735,US airstrikes kill 23 civilians in Syrias Deir ezzor,"Thu Dec 14 2017 US airstrikes kill 23 civilians in Syrias Deir ezzor. At least 23 Syrian civilians including women and children have been killed in US airstrikes on the countrys eastern Deir ezzor province says a UK-based monitoring group. (presstv) - ""At least 23 civilians among them eight children and six women were killed Wednesday before dawn by airstrikes carried out by the US-led coalition targeting a village controlled by Isis on the eastern banks of the Euphrates river"" said the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It added that all of those killed were members of the same family and had taken shelter at the location when they were killed. The US-led coalition has been conducting airstrikes against what are said to be Isis targets inside Syria since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate. The military alliance has repeatedly been accused of targeting and killing civilians. It has also been largely incapable of achieving its declared goal of destroying Isis. (Photo Smoke is seen following a US airstrike on western Raqqah Syria on July 17 2017. by AFP)",alalam,12/14/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1962495736,20 civilians killed 30 injured in car bomb attack in Deir Ezzor,Sat Nov 18 2017 20 civilians killed 30 injured in car bomb attack in Deir Ezzor. 20 civilians were killed and 30 others were injured due to a car bomb attack carried out by Isis on Friday evening at a location where displaced families were gathered in the northern countryside of Deir Ezzor province. (MNA) - SANAs correspondent in Deir Ezzor said that a car bomb was detonated by Isis terrorists in the area between al-Jafra and al-Koniko in Deir Ezzors northern countryside claiming the lives of 20 civilians at least and injuring around 30 others many of them women and children. This is the second such attack this month as on November 4th Isis carried out a similar car bomb attack targeting displaced people in the same area killing and injuring dozens.,alalam,11/10/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1962495738,At least 45 killed in US airstrike in Syrias Raqqa Local reports,Tue Oct 3 2017 At least 45 killed in US airstrike in Syrias Raqqa Local reports. At least 45 people have been killed in the US latest airstrike in Syria. (presstv) - At least 45 people have been killed in the US latest airstrike in Syria. According to local sources on Monday the civilians were killed after US jets targeted the al-Touseeiyah district in the city of Raqqah. The incident comes just one day after the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that more than 3000 people including nearly 1000 civilians have been killed during the past month. The US-led coalition has been conducting airstrikes against what are said to be Isis targets inside Syria since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate. The military alliance has repeatedly been accused of targeting and killing civilians. It has also been largely incapable of achieving its declared goal of destroying Isis. The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in two separate letters sent to UN Secretary General Antnio Guterres and rotating President of the UN Security Council Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta on August 24 stated that the US-led coalition was perpetrating war crimes and crimes against humanity through aerial bombardment of residential neighborhoods. (Photos Heavy smoke billows following a US airstrike on the western frontline of Raqqah on July 17 2017. by AFP),alalam,10/3/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1962495739,Russia says kills 7 Nusra Front field commanders in Syria air strike,Thu Oct 5 2017 Russia says kills 7 Nusra Front field commanders in Syria air strike. A Russian air strike killed 49 Nusra Front militants including seven of its field commanders in Syrias Idlib province Russias Rossiya 24 state television channel cited the Russian defence ministry as saying on Thursday. REUTERS- Nusra Front severed ties with al Qaeda last year and rebranded to head the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham alliance. Russia said on Wednesday it had critically injured a leader of the Tahrir al-Sham militant group Abu Mohamad al-Golani with an air strike in Syria that also killed 12 of his field commanders. Golani is now in a coma Russian news agencies cited Russias defence ministry as saying on Thursday.,alalam,10/5/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1965495324,Syria Accuses Rebels of Using Chemical Weapons,"24.08.2013 Syrian state media accused rebels of using chemical arms on Saturday against government troops trying to storm a contested neighborhood of Damascus claiming a major army offensive in recent days had forced the opposition fighters to resort to such weapons ""as their last card."" DAMASCUS Syria (The Associated Press Albert Aji) Syrian state media accused rebels of using chemical arms on Saturday against government troops trying to storm a contested neighborhood of Damascus claiming a major army offensive in recent days had forced the opposition fighters to resort to such weapons ""as their last card."" State TV broadcast images of plastic jugs gas masks vials of an unspecified medication explosives and other items that it said were seized from rebel hideouts. It did not however show any video of soldiers reportedly affected by toxic gas in the fighting in the Jobar neighborhood of Damascus. Still the claims could muddy the debate about who was responsible for an alleged gas attack on rebel-held suburbs of the capital on Wednesday that activists say killed more than 130 people. That attack has spurred demands for an independent investigation and renewed talk of potential international military action if chemical weapons were indeed used. Just hours before the state media reports the UN disarmament chief arrived in Damascus to press President Bashar Assads regime to allow UN experts to investigate Wednesdays alleged attack. The Assad regime has denied allegations that it was behind that attack calling them ""absolutely baseless"" and suggesting they are an attempt to discredit the government. The US Britain France and Russia have urged the Assad regime and the rebels fighting to overthrow him to cooperate with the United Nations and allow a team of experts already in Syria to look into the latest purported use of chemical agents. The UN secretary-general dispatched Angela Kane the high representative for disarmament affairs to push for a speedy investigation into Wednesdays purported attack. She did not speak to reporters upon her arrival in Damascus Saturday. With the pressure increasing on the regime to comply Syrias state media alleged on Saturday that rebels in the contested district of Jobar had used chemical weapons against government troops advancing into the area. The state news agency said several government troops who took part in an offensive experienced severe trouble breathing or even ""suffocation"" after ""armed terrorist groups used chemical weapons."" It was not clear what was meant by ""suffocation"" and the report mentioned no fatalities among the troops. The government refers to rebels fighting to topple Assad as ""terrorists."" ""The Syrian Army achieved major progress in the past days and for that reason the terrorist groups used chemical weapons as their last card"" the Syrian state TV said. That report was followed by an unusual string of breaking alerts on the TVs news scroll that made a series of claims related to the alleged use of chemical arms by rebels in the Jobar neighborhood. One message cited a Syrian TV journalist who is embedded with the troops in the district who said the army confiscated an arms cache that included gas masks and several barrels with ""made in Saudi Arabia"" stamped on them. It did not say what was in the barrels but appeared to suggest that some sort of chemical agent was inside and supplied by Saudi Arabia the regions Sunni Muslim power and a staunch supporter of Syrias Sunni-led revolt. Another news scroll said that troops after overrunning rebel positions discovered antidotes following exposure to chemical agents. The TV said the medicines were produced by a Qatari-German medical supplies company. Qatar is another strong supporter of the Syrian rebels. The report could not be immediately verified. For days the government has been trying to counter rebel allegations that the regime used chemical weapons on civilians in rebel-held areas of eastern Damascus arguing that opposition fighters themselves were responsible for that attack. On Saturday French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said dismissed the government line. ""All the information we have is converging to indicate there was a chemical massacre in Syria near Damascus and that Bashar Assads regime was behind it"" Fabius told reporters during a visit to the West Bank city of Ramallah. He did not elaborate. France has suggested that force could be used against Syria if Assads regime was proven to have used chemical arms. The new talk of potential military action in Syria has made an independent investigation by UN inspectors critical to determine what exactly transpired. The UN experts already in Syria are tasked with investigating three earlier purported chemical attacks in the country one in the village of Khan al-Assal outside the northern city of Aleppo in March as well as two other locations that have been kept secret for security reasons. It took months of negotiations between the UN and Damascus before an agreement was struck to allow the 20-member team into Syria to investigate. Its mandate is limited to those three sites however and it is only charged with determining whether chemical weapons were used not who used them. Syrias Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil told The Associated Press on Thursday that he was personally in favor of a fair transparent international delegation to investigate the latest incident. But he said that would require a new agreement between the government and the United Nations and that the conditions for such a delegation would need to be studied. ... 11 Tags Bashar al-Assad chemical weapons Angela Kane Damascus Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,8/24/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1965495325,Syrian Opposition Claims Poisonous Gas Attack,"21.08.2013Get short URL 0 0 0 Syrian regime forces fired intense artillery and rocket barrages Wednesday on the eastern suburbs of the capital Damascus in what two pro-opposition groups claimed was a ""poisonous gas"" attack that killed dozens of people. BEIRUT August 21 (The Associated Press) Syrian regime forces fired intense artillery and rocket barrages Wednesday on the eastern suburbs of the capital Damascus in what two pro-opposition groups claimed was a ""poisonous gas"" attack that killed dozens of people. The claims came as a 20-member UN chemical weapons team was in Syria to investigate three sites where chemical weapons attacks had allegedly occurred in the past. The Syrian government promptly denied the reports of Wednesdays chemical weapons attack as baseless. ""They are an attempt by to divert the UN commission on chemical weapons from carrying out its mission"" the state-run SANA news agency said quoting an unnamed government official as is its standard practice. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the shelling was intense and hit the capitals eastern suburbs of Zamalka Arbeen and Ein Tarma. It quoted activists as saying that regime forces fired ""rockets with poisonous gas heads"" in the attack that killed ""tens of people."" Rami Abdul-Rahman the Observatory chief said the activists in the area said ""poisonous gas"" was fired in rockets as well as from the air. He added that regime forces were on a wide offensive on the eastern and western rebel-held suburbs of Damascus. Another group the Local Coordination Committees said hundreds of people were killed or injured in the shelling. Such different figures from activists groups are common in the immediate aftermaths of attacks in Syria where the government restricts foreign and domestic reporting. Abdul-Rahman said more than 40 people have been confirmed dead and that the death toll could reach as many as 200 in the suburbs of Damascus. The Syrian government has long denied claims by the opposition on chemical weapons use saying rebels fighting to overthrow President Bashar Assads government have used such weapons. Following Wednesdays reports the Observatory called upon the UN team in Syria and all international organizations ""to visit the stricken areas and to guarantee that medical and relief supplies reach the people as soon as possible."" It also called for an investigation into the attack. Mohammed Saeed an activist in the area told The Associated Press via Skype that hundreds of dead and injured people were rushed to six makeshift hospitals in the eastern suburbs of Damascus. ""This is a massacre by chemical weapons"" said Saeed. ""The visit by the UN team is a joke ... Bashar is using the weapons and telling the world that he does not care."" The UN team led by Swedish expert Ake Sellstrom is meant to probe three sites the village of Khan al-Assal just west of the embattled northern city of Aleppo and two other locations which are being kept secret for security reasons. Wednesdays claim of the chemical attack if confirmed would be the most serious report since the March 19 claim of the attack in Khan al-Assal when at least 30 people were reported killed. Assads regime and the rebels have blamed each other for that attack. The unrest in Syria began in March 2011 and later escalated into a civil war. More than 100000 people have been killed in the conflict so far according to the United Nations. Updated with detail throughout ... 0 0 Tags chemical weapons Damascus Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,8/21/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1965495326,Syrian Army Kills 70 IS Militants in Two Days Near Syria-Turkey Border,26.12.2014 The Syrian Army alongside a volunteer militia has killed some 70 Islamic State fighters in two days near the Turkish border the Lebanese Al-Manar TV channel reported Friday. According to Al-Manar Syrian forces have been carrying out an offensive south of the northeastern border city of Qamishli aimed at weakening the militants security ring around the area and regaining control of the strategically important heights in the Abu Qasayeb and Tal Ghazal settlements. From here IS militants have been able to carry out attacks on Qamishli and the nearby airport. REUTERS Murad Sezer Turkish Army Seizes Armed Insurgent at Turkish-Syrian Border Syrian forces managed to regain the territory located some 48 kilometers south of the Turkish border after two days of fighting the TV channel reported. Most of the IS militants killed in the military offensive were foreign nationals who had entered Syria through Turkey according to the Syrian Arab News Agency. Meanwhile in the port city of Latakia not far from the western part of the Syria-Turkey border Syrian forces have reportedly destroyed warehouses with the ISs weapons and military equipment. Sputnik Andrei Stenin Syrias Security Services Avert Terror Attack on Damascus Military Source The Syrian government has been fighting a number of militias since an armed uprising began in 2011 the most prominent insurgent group being the Islamic State which has seized vast areas of the country as well as in neighboring Iraq. IS fighters who have declared an Islamic caliphate on the territories under their control are also being targeted by airstrikes carried out by an international coalition led by the United States. ... 43 Topic Violence Erupts as Islamic State Rises (1881) Related Syrian Forces Deny Killing Dozens of Civilians in Government-Led Airstrikes Syrian Reconciliation Talks in Moscow Can Begin January 22Opposition Party Pope Francis Prays for Peace in War-Torn Ukraine Iraq Syria Syrian Conflict Consumes 50% of Aid Agencies 2015 Humanitarian Budget UN Tags Daesh airstrikes Turkey Syria United States Latakia Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,12/26/2014,hasakeh,0,,,,
1965495328,50 Civilians Killed by Coalition Airstrikes Against IS in Syria UN,"26.11.2014 Some 50 civilians in Syria have been killed in airstrikes conducted by a US-led coalition that aims to eradicate Islamic State (IS) extremists a report from the UN Secretary General says. the international coalition continued airstrikes against ISIL in Syria on a near-daily basis with reports of some 865 people killed including 50 civilians in Aleppo Deir ez-Zor Hasakeh Idlib and Raqqa since strikes began"" the report accompanying Tuesdays oral briefing by UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos said. Amos stressed that ""UN organizations and their partners continue to work in extreme and dangerous circumstances"" adding that ""sixty nine workers have been killed since the beginning of the conflict [in Syria]"". REUTERS U.S. Air ForceSenior Airman Matthew BruchHandout Airstrikes Against IS Help Assad Government Former US Ambassador According to the UN official the Syrian economy continues to decline amid the crisis in the country. ""Syrias economy has contracted some 40 per cent since 2011. Unemployment now exceeds 54 per cent. Three quarters of the population live in poverty. School attendance has dropped by more than 50 per cent"" Amos said. ""I again appeal to donors to do more to fund humanitarian action in response to the Syria crisis. The appeal is less than half funded. We on the humanitarian side will continue to do all we can. But as I have said to this Council on many occasions this crisis requires a political solution. I hope for the sake of the people of Syria that one is found soon"" the UN official concluded. A civil war broke out in Syria in 2011 and has since claimed the lives of almost 200000 people according to UN estimates. The Syrian government forces are currently fighting against the IS jihadist group also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and opposition rebel forces. In September US President Barack Obama announced his decision to form an international anti-IS coalition and to arm Syrias ""moderate opposition"" in an effort to eradicate the extremists. The US-led coalition is currently carrying out airstrikes against IS positions in Iraq and Syria. ... 43 Topic Violence Erupts as Islamic State Rises (1881) Related Kobani in Ruins After Anti-IS Airstrikes Syrian Government Airstrikes Against IS Kill 36 Civilians Watchdog Britons Support Germans Oppose Airstrikes Against Islamic State Poll US-Led Airstrikes Against Islamic State Kill Over 900 in Syria Watchdog Tags airstrikes Syria United States Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,11/26/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1965495329,US-Led Airstrikes Against IS Kills 10 Civilians in Syria Syrian Observatory,18.10.2014Get short URL 0 13 The US-led coalitions airstrikes killed 10 civilians in Syria the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says. MOSCOW October 18 (RIA Novosti) - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced Saturday that at least 10 Syrian civilians among them children were killed by airstrikes in the US-led coalition against Islamic State (IS). According to the observatory the airstrikes targeting oil fields near the Kabiba village killed three people one under the age of 18 in the far north east Hasakah province while seven were killed by strikes targeting a gas station in a city in the eastern part of Syria Der-Ezzor. The Islamic State is a Sunni jihadi group that has been fighting the Syrian government since 2012. In June 2014 it launched an offensive in Iraq seizing vast areas in both countries and announcing the establishment of an Islamic caliphate on the territories under its control. In September US President Barack Obama announced his decision to form an international anti-IS coalition. Washington extended its airstrikes against the militants into Syria while continuing airstrikes against the groups targets in Iraq. Obama said the United States would arm and equip Kurds Iraqis and Syrias moderate opposition in an effort to eradicate the IS. ... 13 Tags Daesh airstrikes War on Terror Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,10/18/2014,hasakeh,1,,,,
1965495330,Double Terrorist Attack in Homs Kills 18 Including 10 Children Reports,01.10.2014 A double terrorist attack in the western Syrian city of Homs has claimed the lives of 18 civilians including 10 children Lebanese TV channel Al-Mayadin reported. MOSCOW October 1 (RIA Novosti) - A double terrorist attack in the western Syrian city of Homs has claimed the lives of 18 civilians including 10 children Lebanese TV channel Al-Mayadin reported. According to earlier media reports two car bombs went off near the Akrameh al-Makhzumi school and the Zaim hospital in the citys Akrameh region. An armed conflict has been taking place in Syria since 2011. According to the United Nations the war has claimed more than 191000 lives while more than three million Syrians have become refugees and over 108 million nearly half of the countrys population is in need of humanitarian assistance.,sputnik,10/1/2014,homs,1,,,,
1965495331,US Airstrikes Kill 11 Civilians Inculding Children near Syrias Aleppo Reports,24.09.2014 Airstrikes carried out by the United States against the so-called Nusra Front insurgents in northwestern Syria have killed 11 civilians including four children Al Jazeera reported Wednesday citing an undisclosed Syrian opposition source. Airstrikes carried out by the United States against the so-called Nusra Front insurgents in northwestern Syria have killed 11 civilians including four children Al Jazeera reported Wednesday citing an undisclosed Syrian opposition source. Al Jazeera quoted local opposition activists as saying that the civilians were killed as US aircraft hit a residential building in the city of Idlib near Aleppo. The building was located near the headquarters of the Nusra Front or Jabhat al-Nusra an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. The Pentagon said the attacks near Aleppo targeted the facilities of the Khorasan militant group composed of al-Qaeda veterans who were allegedly plotting strikes on US soil and actively recruiting Westerners. Earlier the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the attacks carried out by Washington and its Arab allies killed 31 civilians. The US has formed a multinational coalition to fight various terrorist groups in the Middle East after arguably the most notorious of them the Islamic State (IS) seized large parts of Syria and Iraq proclaiming a caliphate. The rapid advance of the IS prompted the White House to authorize airstrikes against IS fighters on Iraqi territory in August. The US-led coalition performed the first series of airstrikes drone attacks and Tomahawk missiles launches targeting insurgents in Syria on Tuesday which reportedly continued on Wednesday.,sputnik,9/24/2014,idlib,0,,,,
1965495332,Explosion Kills Four in Hometown of Assad Family,21.02.2015 At least four people were killed in an explosion that rocked the Syrian town of al-Qardaha the hometown of the Assad family according to media reports. The incident took place outside a hospital. Powerful blast killed four people in Qardaha the heartland of Syria uling Assad clan origin of explosion unknown monitoring group. A nurse a hospital employee and two soldiers are reportedly among the deceased according to UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. There was another man in the car with the suicide bomber although it was not clear whether he was an accomplice or a hostage SORH said Sunday adding that the explosion took the lives of 2 women (a nurse and a hospital employee) as well as 2 soldiers wounding several others. The father of Syrian President Bashar Assad Hafez Assad was born in al-Qardaha located in the Latakia province. This is the first car bomb attack to hit Qardaha since the start of the anti-Assad uprising in March 2011. The city has been subject to strict surveillance by Syrias security forces. The 2011 uprising has evolved into a civil war in Syria. Government forces have been fighting against several rebel groups operating in the country including the Islamic State (IS). According to the latest SORH estimates the Syrian military conflict has claimed the lives of more than 210000 people.,sputnik,2/21/2015,lattakia,1,,,,
1965495334,Islamists Launch Rocket Attack on Damascus At Least 3 Killed 30 Wounded,"05.02.2015 A Syrian rebel Islamist group has launched a rocket attack on residential areas of Damascus leaving at least three killed and 30 wounded according to local reports. Rockets and shells fired by the Jaysh al-Islam or Islam army landed in the very heart of the Syrian capital media report citing numerous witness accounts. Rocket rain on Damascus center by Jaish al-Islam (Islamist rebel force) 2nd time in less than two weeks. Thats something new. Syria Raniah Salloum (Ranyah) February 5 2015 Over 30 rockets so far on Damascus Syria pic.twitter.com1xzGKUMiYM Elijah J. Magnier (EjmAlrai) February 5 2015 The rocket attack was apparently in revenge for airstrikes by forces loyal to Syrias President Bashar al-Assad in Eastern Al-Ghouta a rebel stronghold in Damascus. I am sure zahran1970 is enjoying these pictures of school kids taking cover in Damascus DamscusUnderAttack pic.twitter.comegRjP0lkvn Baibars Abou Fadel (KeepingtheLeith) February 5 2015 Schools were closed due to the strikes and local residents were forced to take shelter from the attack. Syria Death in Damascus - Rocket attack shakes Syrian capital - YouTube In a Twitter post earlier this week the Islam Armys leader Mohammed bin Abdullah Zahran Aloush warned that Damascus was a ""military zone"" and that his group would respond to airstrikes by the Syrian military on Ghouta which left dozen people killed.",sputnik,2/5/2015,damascus,1,,,,
1965495335,At Least Six Lebanese Pilgrims Killed Dozens Hurt in Damascus Bus Blast,"01.02.2015 A bus blast in Damascus central district killed at least six people and wounded dozens; SANA has called the attack a ""terrorist explosion"". A reported blast on a bus in Damascus central district killed at least six people AFP reports. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not immediately clear what had caused the blast in the Souq al-Hamadiyeh neighbourhood of Damascus. Inside the Lebanese Shia pilgrims bus targeted this morning by a suicide bomber in Damascus pic.twitter.comhtebsAe1Ps Carol Malouf (carolmalouf) 1 •µ 2015 Nusra twitter account publishes picture of Abou Ez the suicide bomber responsible for the Damascus bus bombing pic.twitter.comhC7legGjLN Carol Malouf (carolmalouf) 1 •µ 2015 The blast was also reported by Syrian state television with the official SANA news agency confirming at least four people being killed and 19 wounded. According to the information provided by the Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman the bus was reportedly carrying Lebanese Shiite Muslim pilgrims. Syrias Ikhbariya television released the footage of men and a woman who are now hospitalized Reuters reports. It also showed an image of the targeted bus and security services on the scene. Al-Nusra Front Twitter feed said one of the groups members blew himself up ""inside a bus at the market"". It seems there was an unverified photo of a possible bomber and another one - of the wrecked vehicle according to Reuters. The civil war in Syria has been raging since March 2011. According to the UN reports by now the conflict has taken lives of more than 200000 people.",sputnik,2/2/2015,damascus,0,,,,
1965495337,At Least 25 Killed in Suicide Blast at Army Outpost in Aleppo,07.07.2015Get short URL Topic Violence Erupts as Islamic State Rises (1881) 0 25 A suicide bomber from the Nusra Front terrorist group blew himself up at an army outpost in Syrias largest city of Aleppo Monday killing at least 25 Syrian Army soldiers and fighters loyal to President Bashar Assad and injuring many more the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the watchdog the attacker blew himself up inside a vehicle in front of an orphanage used as a military base and the sound of the blast was heard across the city. REUTERS Hosam Katan A rebel fighter attends a demonstration celebrating Nusra Fronts take over of Idlib about a month ago and calling for the implementation of the Islamic Sharia law in Al-Sakhour neighborhood of Aleppo The number of those injured was not immediately clear. The Nusra Front is a branch of al-Qaeda terrorist organization operating in Syria and Lebanon. The group was formed in 2012 during the Syrian Civil war. Syria has been mired in a civil war since 2011. The government is fighting a number of opposition forces as well as radical Islamist militant organizations including the Nusra Front and the Islamic State. ... 25 Topic Violence Erupts as Islamic State Rises (1881) Related Explosion in Syrian Mosque Leaves At Least 25 Dead Syrian Tourism Minister Says Economy Lost Over $5Bln Due to Civil War Turkey Denies Plans for Intervention in Syria - Turkish PM US Must Work With Syrian Government to Defeat ISIL US Refusal to Include Assad in Coalition Music to Ears of ISIL - Ex-Envoy India Bans Oil Trade With Organizations Linked to IS - Ministry of Commerce Tags blast al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Al-Nusra Front Aleppo Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,7/7/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1965495338,Explosion in Syrian Mosque Leaves At Least 25 Dead,"04.07.2015 A mosque blast in Idlib has reportedly left 25 militants of Al-Nusra Front including one of its leaders dead. Situated in the northern part of Syria the Idlib province saw 25 Al-Nusra fighters killed when a bomb exploded in a mosque on Friday said a monitoring group. ""Twenty-five members of Al-Nusra Front including a leader of the jihadist group died in an explosion inside a mosque in the city of Ariha in Idlib province"" Rami Abdel Rahman head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights was quoted by AFP as saying. Hundreds of Syrians had reportedly been summoned for an Iftar (an evening meal to end Ramadan passed) in the Salem mosque in the city of Ariha the agency reported. Photo FacebookSyrianArabNewsAgencySana Defiant of ISIL Syrian Muslims Open Mosque Named After Virgin Mary The death toll could reach dozens of civilians who came to the Mosque for the holy Ramadan week. The cause of the blast has not been revealed yet. Idlib province with a population of 165000 has controlled mostly by Al-Nusra Front since April. Civil war in Syria ongoing since 2011 has brought 230000 deaths as jihadists government forces and rebels continue to fight each other.",sputnik,7/4/2015,idlib,0,,,,
1965495339,Over 20 Daesh Terrorists Killed in SDF Operations in Syrian Main Battlefields,02.10.2017Get short URL 191 A total of 24 Daesh terrorists were killed in Syrian separate operations near the cities of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa local media reported on Monday citing anonymous sources. MOSCOW (Sputnik) A total of 24 Daesh terrorists (a terrorist group banned in Russia) were killed in separate operations in Syria near the cities of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa local media reported on Monday citing anonymous sources. Sputnik •µ Years of Living Next to Daesh for Syrian Family From Deir ez-Zor According to the ANF News media outlet 12 Daesh members were killed by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during fighting for three small villages to the northeast of Deir ez-Zor. The villages were liberated and some terrorist ammunition was seized. Another 12 Daesh terrorists were killed in Raqqa as the SDF continue their advance in the center of the city. Three SDF fighters were also killed in the clashes. The SDF are concluding their own operations against Daesh in northern Syria independently of Damascus. In late 2016 the SDF supported by the US-led international coalition started an operation aimed to liberate Raqqa. ... 91 Related US Mistakes Lack of Aid Led to Humanitarian Catastrophe in Raqqa - Moscow British Filmmaker Loved by Kurdish Community Killed in Daesh Ambush Near Raqqa US-Led Coalition Airstrikes Near Raqqa Killed at Least 84 Civilians US-Led Coalition Airstrikes Kill at Least 12 Civilians in Syrian Deir ez-Zor Tags murder Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Daesh Syria Raqqa Deir ez-Zor Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,10/2/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965495340,At Least Five Police Officers Killed in Damascus Blast,02.10.2017 Fifteen people died during an explosion not far from central Damascus as Sputnik correspondent said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) An explosion occurred not far from central Damascus local media reported Monday. According to the SANA news agency the incident took place in the Al Midan district and may be a terrorist attack. Sputnik correspondent revealed that 15 people died including five policemen as a result of the blast. Moreover a local security source told Sputnik that the terrorist attack had been conducted by four suicide bombers wearing explosives on the belts and carrying grenades and weapons. No extremist group has taken responsibility for the attack so far. ... 014 Related Blast Occurs at Syrian Army Checkpoint in Damascus - Reports Blast Rocks Southern Damascus Suburb Huge Blast Erupts in Damascus Airport Area Reasons Unknown - Reports Tags bombing explosion terrorist Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) Syria Damascus Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,10/2/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1965495341,Russian Jets Destroy Daesh Training Center Take Out Seven Commanders in Syria,"03.10.2017 Russias Aerospace Forces have killed 304 Daesh militants and left more than 170 wounded as the offensive against the terrorists on the eastern bank of the Euphrates river near Deir ez-Zor Syria continues. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russias Aerospace Forces have taken out seven Daesh (ISIS) terrorist field commanders including a terrorism coordinator in Syria on the eastern bank of the Euphrates over the past two days Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Tuesday. ""Seven field commanders of various levels were killed including a native of Kazakhstan Abu Islam al-Kazaki who coordinated the actions of Daesh assault units in the Euphrates valley"" the spokesman relayed. AP Photo Hussein Malla Over 20 Daesh Terrorists Killed in SDF Operations in Syrian Main Battlefields ""Over the past two days the Russian Aerospace Forces continued to destroy the Daesh group on the eastern bank of the Euphrates. Confirmed losses of terrorists in the area totaled 304 militants killed and more than 170 wounded"" Konashenkov said. ""The center for the assembly and training of Daesh foreign mercenaries including about 40 militants from the North Caucasus as well as a mobile sniper group of terrorists were destroyed by an airstrike"" he added. He said three command posts nine terrorist strongpoints eight tanks three artillery systems 17 SUVs with large-caliber weapons and four ammunition depots were also destroyed. Russia along with Iran and local militia forces has been assisting the Syrian government in its fight against terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the Arab country since 2011. The ongoing war in Syria has left an estimated 220000 dead and displaced approximately 12 million people (the nations pre-war population was over 20 million but most refugees are internally displaced living in government controlled regions). Many of those who have left the country have poured into nations such as Turkey Lebanon and Jordan while others have sought asylum in Europe making it the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II according to the United Nations. ... 861 Related Russias Three Major Gains Which Completely Changed Military Situation in Syria Russia Puts Not Only Military But Political Efforts in Syria - Commander Syrian Crisis Russia Turns the Tide of War While US Plays a Double Game Tags terrorist Daesh Igor Konashenkov Syria Russia Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,10/3/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965495342,US-Led Coalition Airstrikes Kill at Least 12 Civilians in Syrian Deir ez-Zor,01.10.2017Get short URL 4016 At least 12 civilians mostly women and children were reportedly killed in US-led coalition airstrikes in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the Sana news agency the coalitions strikes hit the city of Al Bukamal killing five civilians. Another strike targeted a settlement on the provinces east claiming the lives of seven people. The airstrikes left ten civilians injured and caused damage to the nearby houses and infrastructure the news agency specified. Sputnik Mikhail Alayeddin Syrian Army Reportedly Engaged in Fierce Fighting Against Daesh in Homs The day before a source told Sputnik that the Syrian government troops and allies had repelled a massive counterattack of jihadist forces on a key supply route linking Palmyra and Deir ez-Zor. The source pointed out that the main operation took place between the settlements of Ash Sholah and As Sukhnah and was aimed at ensuring the security of highway traffic. The highway between Palmyra and Deir ez-Zor has recently become passable for humanitarian convoys after the Syrian government forces breached the three-year siege of Deir ez-Zor by Daesh on September 5. ... 016 Tags civilian deaths anti-Daesh coalition coalition airstrikes Deir ez-Zor Syria Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,10/1/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965495343,At Least Three Civilians Killed in Daesh Shelling of Syrias Deir ez-Zor - Sputnik International,05.10.2017(updated 1935 05.10.2017) Get short URL 101 A mortar attack on Al Qousour district of Syrias eastern city of Deir ez-Zor left three civilians dead and six others injured. DEIR EZ-ZOR (Syria) (Sputnik) Reportedly the shelling was carried out by Daesh (banned in Russia). Several mortar shells exploded on a busy street near the Jami mosque. Women and children were among the dead and injured. Most of those wounded were taken to a military hospital. On September 5 Syrian government troops supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces broke the blockade around Deir ez-Zor maintained by Daesh for several years. Syrian forces operation on liberating the city from the militants is currently underway. ... 01 Related Daesh Terrorists Attack District of Syrias Deir Ez-Zor Injuring Four People Daesh Shells Syrias Deir ez-Zor Injures 10 People Years of Living Next to Daesh for Syrian Family From Deir ez-Zor US-Led Coalition Airstrikes Kill at Least 12 Civilians in Syrian Deir ez-Zor Tags blockade shelling Daesh Russian Aerospace Forces Deir ez-Zor Syria Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,10/5/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965495344,Russian Forces Destroy Daesh Command Post in Syria Killing About 80 Terrorists,"07.10.2017(updated 1500 07.10.2017) Get short URL 11990 Russias Defense Ministry has reported the elimination of Daesh command position in the Al Mayadin district about 80 militants killed. The ministry added that there were nine people from the North Caucasus among the terrorists killed. ""To the south of Deir ez-Zor in the valley of the Euphrates river a group of over 60 foreign mercenaries originating from CIS countries Tunisia and the Arab Republic of Egypt were killed in an airstrike. A total of 12 trucks with heavy weapons were also destroyed"" Konashenkov said. The Russian Defense ministry also stressed that important Daesh commanders hiding for a long time in Iraq were also killed during the strikes. ""According to information received via several channels and confirmed ""on the ground"" influential Daesh field commanders natives of the North Caucasus Abu Omar al-Shishani Alyauddin Al-Shishani and Salahuddin al-Shishani who were hiding in Iraq for a long time were destroyed"" Konashenkov said. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov stated that within the last 24 hours Russian Aerospace forces in Syria were focused on destroying Daesh reinforcements with a large number of foreign mercenaries arriving from Iraq to the region of Abu Kamal along the Syrian-Iraqi border. ""After additional reconnaissance and confirmation of the objectives by the Russian command in Syria we planned an operation to destroy Daesh command posts manpower and armored vehicles of in this area by the missile and airstrikes In the area of the city of Al Mayadin we destroyed a terrorist command post and up to 80 militants including 9 natives from the North Caucasus. In the same place we destroyed 18 off-road vehicles with large-caliber weapons and three ammunition depots"" Konashenkov said. AP Photo Hassan Ammar Libyas Security Forces Reportedly Find Burial Sites of Over 20 Executed Christians According to Konashenkov Russian military intelligence in Syria within a week revealed areas of their concentration and command posts near the city of Abu Kamal as well as routes to the city of Al Mayadin and further to the southern outskirts of the left-bank part of the city of Deir ez-Zor. The day before Russian Foreign Ministry official stated that Moscow was standing ready for full-scale cooperation on taking down terrorism as it was in the interests of not only Russia but the whole world. However he added that such cooperation has not been established so far. Several days before the Russian Defense Ministry announced that a Russian airstrike in Syrias the Idlib left al-Nusra Front leader in coma and eliminated 49 other terrorists. The operation came as the Russian foreign minister said that Moscow would support armed groups fighting against al-Nusra Front in the war-torn country. ... 990 Tags Daesh Russian Aerospace Defense Forces Meyadin Abu Kamal Syria Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,10/7/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965495345,Russian Airstrikes Destroy Daesh Command Center Kill 70 Terrorists Near Mayadin,"10.10.2017(updated 1601 10.10.2017) Get short URL 1721 The Russian Aerospace Forces have destroyed a Daesh command center in Syrias Deir ez-Zor province and killed some 34 terrorists who entered the country from Iraqs western regions the Russian Defense Ministry said. The Russian aircraft carried out 182 airstrikes against the positions of Daesh terrorists in Syria in the past 24 hours the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. A total of 70 Daesh terrorists who were later identified as nationals of CIS states and Algeria were eliminated in the Mayadin area according to Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov. The airstrikes were carried out after reconnaissance drones had discovered a large stronghold of Daesh terrorists on the eastern bank of the Euphrates river near the city of Mayadin. The terrorists had an artillery and tank projectiles depot as well as a ramified network of underground tunnels there. ""A Daesh command post and three groups of terrorists who arrived in the area from the territory of Iraq as a reinforcement were destroyed. The elimination of 34 militants the destruction of 5 SUVs with large-caliber weapons as well as 2 vehicles with ammunition has been confirmed"" Russian Konashenkov stated commenting on airstrikes near the village of Hatla in the Deir ez-Zor province. The spokesman went on by saying that a Russian Sukhoi Su-34 jet hit the same area 40 minutes later when Daesh militants arrived at the scene to evacuate wounded terrorists. As the result of that strike more militants were eliminated. Sputnik Dmitriy Vinogradov Russian Su-24 Warplane Crashes in Syria All Crew Members Dead Earlier in the day Konashenkov said that the US forces had reduced its anti-Daesh operation in Iraq as the Syria army was conducting an operation to liberate the Deir ez-Zor province from terrorists. The spokesman stressed that foreign mercenaries from Iraq use armored vehicles and pickups with weapons to provide daily replenishment to Daesh troops in the Syrian city of Mayadin. The city of Al Mayadin is the major Daesh stronghold in the neighboring province of Deir ez-Zor. Terrorists have used this hub to accumulate weapons and manpower to launch attacks on the cities of Palmyra and Deir ez-Zor. It was reported earlier that the Syrian army was conducting an operation to encircle Daesh militants in Mayadin. Lately Syrian forces have been on the offensive in the area around the city of Deir ez-Zor. Most militants have been pushed back several miles east and across the Euphrates. Daesh militants then started fleeing for Mayadin and further toward the northern outskirts of Deir ez-Zor.",sputnik,10/10/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965495346,Two Suicide Bombers Detonate Explosives Near Police Station in Syrias Damascus,11.10.2017(updated 1838 11.10.2017) Get short URL 113 At least nine people were killed and more than 10 people were injured in three suicide-bomber attacks near a police station in Damascus on Wednesday an informed source told Sputnik. The SANA news agency reported earlier that least one person was killed and six more wounded in a series of blasts that rocked the Syrian capital on Wednesday according to SANA news agency citing the Syrian Interior Ministry. Two suicide bombers have conducted an attack near police headquarters on the Khalid ibn al-Walid street in the Syrian capital of Damascus according to the Syrian Interior Ministry. Sputnik Yazan Kalash Explosion in Damascus Reuters reported citing the Syrian interior ministry that the attackers tried to storm the police station and confronted the guards before blowing themselves up. Another explosion occurred shortly after the two blasts when a third terrorist detonated explosives near the entrance to a Damascus market. The venues are reported to be located in close proximity. Sputnik Muhammad Maarouf Explosion in Damascus A Ria Novosti correspondent working in Damascus said that several people were killed and some other wounded as a result of the explosion. This is the latest suicide bomb attack to have taken place in the Syrian capital in recent weeks. In early October four suicide bombers blew themselves up in the al Midan district of Damascus killing 15 people including five policemen. Sputnik Muhammad Maarouf Explosion in Damascus,sputnik,10/11/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1965495348,Daesh Executes 128 Civilians in Town for Cooperating with Syrian Government,"23.10.2017(updated 2340 23.10.2017) Get short URL 548 A human rights group has claimed that Daesh executed at least 128 Syrian civilians in the town of Al-Qaryatayn which has been traded between the militant group and the Syrian Arab Army multiple times. The civilians were massacred in reprisal for collaborating with the government of Bashar al-Assad. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the killings occurred over a 20 day period. The Syrian army retook the city in April 2016 after eight months of Daesh occupation. However Daesh chased the government forces out on October 1 but the Syrian army regrouped and returned three weeks later recapturing the city once more with support from Russian airstrikes. But in that three-week period Daesh executed 128 residents of the town which had a population of about 18000 before the civil war started. The Palmyra Coordination Committee a local group that supports protest and resistance against the Syrian government reported that at least 35 of the slain were found with their bodies dumped in a mine shaft. Sputnik Hikmet Durgun US-Led Coalition Confirms Syrias Raqqa Completely Liberated From Daesh ""After the regime retook it [on Saturday] the towns residents found the bodies on the streets. They had been shot dead or executed with knives"" said Rami Abdel Rahman the head of SOHR. ""Most of the [Daesh] fighters who attacked the town a month ago were sleeper cells. They are from the town know the towns residents and who is for or against the regime"" he added. The more human rights groups and government forces search the more corpses they discover. Of the Daesh executioners one resident of the town told the Associated Press ""These are people who dont know God they dont know anything. They killed children and women with knives they beat women broke their arms."" SOHR added that at least 12 residents of the town were killed by government forces after they regained control of Al-Qaryatayn. Sputnik HKMET DURGUN Syrian Democratic Forces Recapture Oil Field in Deir ez-Zor Province Al-Qaryatayn had a large Christian minority but the war has obliterated their population as Daesh goes out of their way to target non-Muslims. Many of the towns Catholic and Orthodox Christian minorities have been abducted or killed or have fled the area reducing the Christian population from 2000 to a few hundred. The ancient oasis town believed to have been populated by people since 1750 BC was used by Daesh to protect the nearby city of Palmyra which they captured in May 2015. After trading hands multiple times the Syrian Army retook Palmyra seemingly for good in March 2017. It is also close to Deir ez-Zor the largest city in eastern Syria and one of Daeshs final strongholds in Syria until last month. Government forces beset the riverside town in September 2017 and have wrested nearly the entire region from Daesh control. ... 48 Related Syrian Army Reportedly Kicks Out Daesh From Suburbs of Qaryatayn Town Turkish Envoy to Russia Ankara Comitted to Ceasefire in Syria Damascus Demands Immediate Withdrawal of Turkish Army From Syria - State Media US Admitting Syrian Militants Use Chemical Weapons Welcome Overdue Corrective The Story of Tactical Beard of Syrian Deir ez-Zor Defense General Zahreddine Tags massacre The Syrian war Syrian Army Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Daesh Rami Abdel Rahman Al-Qaryatayn Deiz ez-Zor Palmyra Syria Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,10/23/2017,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1965495349,Hama Province Syrian Troops Reportedly Kill 30 Terrorists Free 19 Civilians,29.10.2017(updated 1731 29.10.2017) Get short URL 0 110 In the north-east of Hama province Syrian army units continue to fight against the Nusra Front a terrorist group. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to Lebanese Shiite paramilitary group Hezbollah more than 30 Nusra Front militants including three commanders were killed by the Syrian army and its allies in clashes near the villages of Khirbat-Jawed Tam Hawa and Abu Lefeh in the northeastern part of Hama province. Syrian Army Allies Free New Areas in Deir Ezzor Kill Scores of Terrorists in Hama Syria Iraq Ksa Uae Qatar pic.twitter.comcfDtDjMvkz (YaZeynab) 29 2017 . Syrian Army Captures Several Terrorist-Held Regions in Northeastern Hamahttpst.coGtDL9PVBg0 pic.twitter.comgo7275KrXQ Fars News Agency (EnglishFars) 29 2017 . The troops loyal to Damascus established control over the abovementioned villages following the clashes the statement added. READ MORE WATCH Russian Airstrikes Send Terrorists Fleeing in Syrias Hama In a separate operation in Hama the Syrian troops have found and saved 19 civilians abducted by Daesh (ISIS) terrorists local media reported Sunday. The Syrian Arab News Agency reported that people had been freed in Al-Saan in Hamas eastern countryside and then transported to the city of Salamiyah. The civilians were reportedly kidnapped on October 11 during a terrorist attack on a bus. The news comes amid reports that on Saturday the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out a number of strikes on the positions of the Daesh militants near the village of Al-Muaker which is located in the eastern part of Hama province. ... 110 Related Syrian Army Destroys Daeshs Mortar Shells Plant in Deir ez-Zor Province Syrian Army Gains Control of Largest Daesh Hotbed in Deir ez-Zor - State Media Pentagon Calls Syrian Generals Claims on US Arms Supplies to Daesh Ridiculous Syrian Army Encircles Daesh in Eastern Syrias Al Mayadin Tags terrorists liberation Daesh Al-Nusra Front Syria Hama Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,10/29/2017,hama,0,,,,
1965495350,US-Led Coalition Airstrike Kills Over 100 Civilians in Manbij,19.07.2016(updated 1457 19.07.2016) Get short URL 2440 Over 100 Syrian civilians have been killed in US-led coalition airstrikes against Daesh terrorist group near the city of Manbij in the Aleppo governorate a local source told Sputnik on Tuesday. DAMASCUS (Sputnik) The strike was carried out on Tuesday morning with women and children among the victims the source said. REUTERS Rodi Said Anti-Daesh Forces Get the Better of Terrorists in Battle for Manbij The US-led coalition of more than 60 nations has been carrying out airstrikes against the Daesh in Syria and Iraq since the summer of 2014. Manbij located between Daeshs de facto capital of Raqqa and the Syrian-Turkish border is a strategically important area for the terrorist group. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011 with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. The Islamic State terrorist group also known as Daesh in Arabic is outlawed in the United States Russia and many other nations. ... 440 Related US-Led Coalition Destroys 22 Daesh Positions Near Syrias Manbij - CENTCOM Syrian Arab Coalition Moves Toward Center of Manbij Occupied by Daesh US-Led Coalition Destroys 18 Daesh Positions Near Syrias Manbij Tags airstrikes US-led coalition civilian casualties Syrian crisis Manbij Syria United States Aleppo Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,7/19/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965495352,Six People Killed in Shelling of Central Damascus Hospital Staff,"24.07.2016(updated 2042 24.07.2016) Get short URL 0 46 A shelling of the central neighborhoods of Damascus left six people dead and more than 10 wounded. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Six people were killed and over 10 were injured in a shelling of the central neighborhoods of Damascus on Sunday a hospital staff told RIA Novosti. ""As a result of todays shelling six people died and over 10 citizens have been hospitalized"" the hospital staff said. Two shells exploded in the Shaalan district in the city center a few others blew up in the area of the old town and near Thawra Street a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.",sputnik,7/24/2016,damascus,1,,,,
1965495353,Terrorists Shell Syrias Aleppo Al-Baath Killing 4 Injuring 7,24.07.2016Get short URL 124 At least four people were killed and seven injured by terrorists shelling of Syrian cities of Aleppo and al-Baath on Saturday local media reported. Sputnik Ilya Pitalev Number of Settlements Joining Syrian Ceasefire Deal Reaches 207 MOSCOW (Sputnik) At the Aleppos residential neighborhood of al-Khalidiye terrorists killed a child and injured five other people with a rocket shelling SANA news agency reported citing a source at the Aleppo Police Command. Another shelling took place in al-Baath the province of Quneitra where the Nusra Front terrorists opened rocket fire hitting a family of five people. A father a mother and a son were killed while another son and a grandfather sustained severe injuries. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011 with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. On February 27 a US-Russia brokered ceasefire came into force in Syria. Terrorist groups such as Islamic State (IS also known as Daesh) as well as Jabhat al-Nusra (Nusra Front) both outlawed in Russia and a range of other states are not part of the deal. ... 24 Related Four Ceasefire Violations Recorded in Syrias Damascus Province Lavrov Reveals US Secretary of State Kerrys Demands in Syria Activists Use Pokemon Go in Syria to Draw Attention to Suffering Children Tags terrorism shelling Baath Aleppo Syria Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,7/24/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965495354,US-led Coalition Kills Over 20 Daesh Operatives Plotting Terrorist Attacks,"20.07.2016Get short URL 0 55 US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said that the US-led anti-Daesh coalition killed key Daesh ministers and captured one of the principals of the terrorist groups chemical weapons program. Sputnik Dmitriy Vinogradov Syrian Airstrikes Kill Over 100 Daesh Fighters in Hama Province WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US-led anti-Daesh coalition has killed more than twenty Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) operatives who were actively developing plans to launch terrorist attacks abroad US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said on Wednesday. ""Weve killed over 20 of ISILs [Islamic State] external operators who were actively plotting to attack our homelands and personnel Carter stated according to his prepared remarks at a joint ministerial meeting distributed by the Pentagon. Carter also noted that the anti-Daesh coalition has also killed key Daesh ministers and captured one of the principals of the terrorist groups chemical weapons program. AP Photo Senior Airman Matthew Bruch US Air Force US-Led Coalition Launches 31 Airstrikes Against Daesh in Iraq Syria Wherever local forces have moved in Iraq and Syria Carter added the coalition has taken out Daesh field commanders and is continuing to attack its oil infrastructure. The Islamic State also known as Daesh in Arabic is a terrorist group that controls territory in Iraq and Syria and it outlawed in the United States Russia and a plethora of other nations. ... 55 Related Greater EU Intel Sharing in Face of Daesh Threat Complicated - Expert US-Backed Forces Capture Daesh Syria Headquarters at Hospital in Manbji At Least 70 Kosovars Reportedly Fight for Daesh in Iraq Syria US-Led Coalition Launches 31 Airstrikes Against Daesh in Iraq Syria Tags Daesh Ashton Carter United States Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,7/20/2016,hama,0,,,,
1965495355,Syrian Airstrikes Kill Over 100 Daesh Fighters in Hama Province,20.07.2016(updated 1329 20.07.2016) Get short URL 0 154 The Syrian Arab Air Force destroyed a convoy of vehicles armed with machine guns near the city of Salamiyah and killed about a hundred of militants according to local media. BEIRUT (Sputnik) The Syrian Arab Air Force killed more than 100 militants of the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) terrorist group in a series of airstrikes conducted in the central countrys province of Hama local media reported Wednesday. Syrias aircraft destroyed a convoy of vehicles armed with machine guns near the city of Salamiyah and killed about a hundred of militants SANA news agency reported. AP Photo Pavel Golovkin Russian Military Delivers Over 5 Tonnes of Humanitarian Aid to Syrias Hama The Air Force shelled Daesh positions in Raqqah and Deir ez-Zor provinces as well the media outlet added. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011 with government forces fighting numerous opposition groups including the allegedly moderate factions as well as terrorist formations such as the IS which is prohibited in many countries including Russia and the United States. ... 154 Related Russian Military Delivers Over 5 Tonnes of Humanitarian Aid to Syrias Hama Russia Brings 2.5 Tons of Humanitarian Aid to Syrian Hama Province Russian Military Delivers Over Six Tonnes of Aid to Syrian Hama Aleppo Daesh Militants Attack Syrian Army Positions Southeast of Hama Province Tags airstrikes Syrian Arab Air Force Daesh Syria Hama Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,7/20/2016,hama,1,,,,
1965495358,Suicide Blast Near Ahrar al-Sham Militants HQ in Syria Leaves 45 Dead,"21.05.2017(updated 2139 21.05.2017) Get short URL 0 67 At least 45 people were killed and 30 wounded by suicide bombing in Syrias Idlib province. DAMASCUS (Sputnik) A suicide blast near the headquarters of Ahrar al-Sham military group in the Syrian Idlib province left on Sunday at least 45 people dead and about 30 injured a local source told Sputnik. ""At least 45 people were killed and 30 were injured in the blast against the headquarters of Lions of Islam Brigade which belongs to Ahrar ash-Sham in Idlibs eastern neighborhood of Seraqeb"" the source said. The source did not specify whether there were civilians among the victims however noted that a commander of the group had been killed. Sputnik Michael Alaeddin Four Syrian Terrorist Groups Join Ranks With Ahrar al-Sham Statement No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. On December 29 2016 the Russian Defense Ministry said that Ahrar al-Sham was among the opposition groups that agreed to join the nationwide Syrian ceasefire between the Syrian government and opposition factions on December 30. Earlier in the day media reported citing an Ahrar al-Sham statement that a terrorist had driven a motorbike up to the headquarters detonated a bomb attached to the motorbike and then came inside and detonated an explosive attached to himself. ... 67 Related Al-Nusra Front Ahrar ash-Sham Continue Shelling Kurdish District of Aleppo Saudi-Backed Syrian Rebel Faction Ahrar al-Sham Rejects US-Russia Ceasefire Deal Al-Nusra Front Ahrar ash-Sham Hindered Evacuation of Civilians From Aleppo - UN West Not Ready to Recognize Jaysh al-Islam Ahrar ash-Sham as Terrorists Tags suicide attack The Syrian war Ahrar al-Sham Seraqeb Syria Idlib Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,5/21/2017,idlib,0,,,,
1965495359,Daesh Attacks Syrian Deir ez-Zor With Rockets Kill 3 Civilians,Daesh Attacks Syrian Deir ez-Zor With Rockets Kill 3 Civilians - Reports Sputnik Mikhail Voskresenskiy Middle East 2159 18.05.2017(updated 2204 18.05.2017) Get short URL 0 55 Daesh terrorists attacked the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor on Thursday with rocket shells and killed three civilians local media reported. AFP 2018 Ayham al-Mohammad Syrian Army Kills Wounds Dozens Daesh Militants in Deir ez-Zor MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to SANA news agency terrorists fired a number of rocket shells on al-Qussour neighborhood injured three other people and caused a material damage to houses. On Wednesday media reported citing a military source that the Syria army had killed 28 and wounded 30 Daesh militants in the city. The province of Deir ez-Zor has a large Daesh presence. Its capital city of Deir ez-Zor held by the Syrian government has been under terrorists siege since 2014. It is receiving UN aid through airdrops carried out daily by Russian warplanes. ... 55 Related Syrian Army Kills Wounds Dozens Daesh Militants in Deir ez-Zor Syrian Government Army Launches Offensive Against Daesh in Deir ez-Zor (VIDEO) US-Led Coalition Strikes Destroy 2 Daesh Headquarters Near Deir Ez-Zor Tags Daesh Syria Deir Ez-Zor Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,5/18/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965495360,Death Toll From Daesh Militants Attack on Village in Syrian Hama Reaches 51,"18.05.2017Get short URL 0 15 The death toll following Daesh Thursday attack on Aqareb es Safi village reached 51 people a source in Salamiyeh National Hospital told Sputnik. Sputnik Mikhail Voskresenskiy Syrian Army Repelled Daesh Attack on Aqareb East of Hama DAMASCUS (Sputnik) The death toll following Daesh (banned in Russia) Thursday attack on Aqareb es Safi village in the Syrian Hama province reached 51 people a source in Salamiyeh National Hospital told Sputnik. ""Fifty-one dead and over 100 wounded these are the final numbers regarding the victims of the Daesh attack on Aqareb es Safi village"" the source said. Aqareb es Safi has a strategically important geographical position due to its location near the the M5 north-south motorway linking Aleppo with other Syrian provinces. The Syrian army along with militias loyal to Damascus has been fighting against numerous terrorist groups including the Daesh within a civil war that has lasted for more than six years.",sputnik,5/18/2017,hama,0,,,,
1965495361,Syrian Army Kills Wounds Dozens Daesh Militants in Deir ez-Zor - Sputnik International,17.05.2017 The Syrian army killed 28 and wounded 30 Daesh terror group militants in Deir ez-Zor city and its surroundings local media reported citing a military source. The source told the SANA news agency that a tank two infantry fighting vehicles and two vehicles equipped with heavy machine guns were destroyed during the clashes. The province of Deir ez-Zor has a large Daesh presence. Its capital city of Deir ez-Zor held by the Syrian government has been under Islamist siege since 2014. It is receiving UN aid through airdrops carried out daily by Russian warplanes.,sputnik,5/17/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965495362,US-led Coalition Strikes on Syrian Abu Kamal Leave 31 Civilians Dead,US-led Coalition Strikes on Syrian Abu Kamal Leave 31 Civilians Dead - Reports REUTERS Social Media Website Middle East 1924 16.05.2017(updated 1925 16.05.2017) Get short URL 1211 US-led coalition strikes against Daesh terrorists in the eastern Syrian city of Abu Kamal (al Bukamal) left at least 31 civilians dead and dozens injured Syrian media reported Tuesday. REUTERS Senior Airman Matthew Bruch Coalition Denies Being Behind Abu Kamal Strike Allegedly Killing Syria Civilians But its Own Data Says Vice Versa MOSCOW (Sputnik) The number of victims of the coalition strikes in the province of Deir-ez-Zor conducted on Monday might rise as many people remained under the rubble Syria TV reported. On Monday the United Kingdom-based monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed the US-led coalition strike killed 23 people mostly civilians in Abu Kamal. Commenting on the issue Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. John Dorrian wrote on Twitter that the coalition did not carry out strikes near Abu Kamal. ... 211 Related Cairo Opposition Platform Insists Any Deal on Syria Should Be of UN Nature Syria Talks Parties Consider Creation of Mechanism of Discussing Constitution Clashes With Syrian Opposition in N Syria Continue - Kurdish YPG Militia Tags civilian casualties Syria Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,5/16/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965495363,US-Led Coalition Strike on Raqqa Kills 20 Civilians,28.05.2017(updated 1549 28.05.2017) Get short URL 6319 An airstrike carried out by the US-led coalition on Saturday in Raqqa killed 20 civilians and left seven people injured SANA news agency reported citing a local source. The coalition conducted a strike on a vehicle carrying civilians from Raqqa late on Saturday the source revealed. REUTERS Nour Fourat You Shall Not Pass Russian Air Force Monitoring Daesh Attempts to Flee Raqqa Disguised as Civilians There was no immediate comment from the US-led coalition. The US-led coalition of 68 nations is conducting airstrikes ground-based and rocket-propelled artillery fire in Syria and Iraq against Daesh terrorist group outlawed in Russia. The coalition supports the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which predominately consists of Kurdish fighters but also includes members of the Syrian Arab Coalition. Damascus does not recognize operations carried out by the SDF as legitimate. Earlier on Saturday Damascus sent letters to the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) and the UN Security Council (UNSC) calling for the cessation of the US-led coalition airstrikes in Syria as it causes numerous deaths among civilians and violates international law. A recent report issued by the Syrian Network for Human Rights showed that the US-led coalition strikes had killed over 1200 civilians since the beginning of the operation in 2014. Later that month an airstrike carried out by the coalition in Syrias eastern town of Al Bukamal reportedly killed at least 31 civilians and injured many others. ... 319 Related Russian MoD Releases Footage of Strikes Targeting Daesh Militants Fleeing Raqqa Russian Airstrikes Kill 120 Daesh Terrorists Fleeing From Raqqa - Source Tags civilian casualties Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Syria Raqqa Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,5/28/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1965495364,Russian Airstrikes Kill 120 Daesh Terrorists Fleeing From Raqqa,"27.05.2017(updated 1133 27.05.2017) Get short URL 13963 The Russian Aerospace Forces have destroyed some 120 Daesh (banned in Russia) militants trying to escape the violent groups self-proclaimed capital city of Raqqa in Syria a military source told Sputnik. The radicals were eliminated by Russian airstrikes on May 25 while fleeing from Syrias Raqqa for Palmyra according to a source in the Russian Defense Ministry. The source revealed that the convoy of 39 pick-up trucks armed with large-caliber machine-guns was heading out of the city. ""As a result of these strikes 32 pick-up trucks were destroyed and some 120 terrorists were killed"" the source said explaining that the Russian military in Syria received several confirmed reports that Daesh terrorists made a deal the units of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) operating near Raqqa allowing them to leave the embattled city without obstacles. Sputnik Dmitriy Vinogradov NATOs Pledge to Fight Daesh Means Bloc Will Operate Separately From Russia ""Upon receiving this information the command of the Russian contingent in Syria has taken measures to prevent the exodus of Daesh terrorists in the southern direction"" the source said. The source went on by saying that Russian drones have been deployed around the clock to track the possible routes that the terrorists could use to escape the city and move toward Palmyra. Russian combat aircraft and special forces units were also engaged in the operation to prevent the militants from fleeing Raqqa. ""Any attempts by Daesh militants to move toward Palmyra and to build up their forces there will be squashed"" the source stressed. AFP 2018 DELIL SOULEIMAN US Service Member Dies of Injuries in Northern Syria - CENTCOM The US-led coalition reported earlier on Friday it had conducted nine airstrikes on Daesh militants in Raqqa destroying six fighting positions three vehicles a tactical vehicle and a mortar system. The alliance also said that airstrikes between April 27 and May 18 had eliminated three senior foreign Daesh leaders responsible for the terrorist groups financing training and drone operations. The Syrian conflict has been raging since 2011 with its government troops fighting against numerous opposition and terrorist groups. The Kurdish-led SDF launched the Wrath of Euphrates operation in November 2016 aimed at the liberation of Raqqa city from terrorists. Never miss a story again sign up to our Telegram channel and well keep you up to speed! ... 963 Tags Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Daesh Russian Defense Ministry Syria Russia Raqqa Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,5/27/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1965495366,Eight Civilians Killed in US-Led Coalitions Airstrike West of Syrias Raqqa,30.04.2017) Get short URL 3214 An airstrike of the US-led anti-terror coalition has claimed lives of eight civilians in the Syrian city of Al-Tabqah west of Raqqa local media reported Sunday. REUTERS Rodi Said US Tanks to Storm Raqqa as Major Offensive Takes Shape MOSCOW (Sputnik) The coalitions airstrike was conducted as part of the offensive operation against Daesh which controls the city the Syrian state broadcaster reported. Other media reports suggest that at least 14 people we killed by the airstrike. The US-led coalition of 68 nations is conducting airstrikes ground-based and rocket-propelled artillery fire against Daesh in Syria and Iraq. The strikes in Iraq are conducted in support of the Iraqi government but those in Syria are not authorized by the UN Security Council or the government of President Bashar Assad.,sputnik,4/30/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1965495367,Clashes Between Several Militant Groups in Damascus Suburbs Leave 100 Dead,28.04.2017Get short URL 1195 Over 100 militants were killed in clashes between Faylaq al-Rahman Jaysh al-Islam and Jabhat Fatah al Sham (banned in Russia) in the Damascus suburbs according to media reports. BEIRUT (Sputnik) Clashes between Faylaq al-Rahman Jaysh al-Islam and Jabhat Fatah al Sham (banned in Russia) in the Damascus suburbs resulted in the death of over 100 militants media reported Friday. According to the Al Mayadeen broadcaster the clashes are still underway. Photo Igor Bubin Damascus Airport Attack Terrorism Wont Sow Fear in the Souls of Syrians The Syrian army in turn continues the operation to liberate the district of Kabun in the eastern suburb of Damascus according to the broadcaster. Terrorists in response regularly bomb the residential areas of the city with rockets. The terrorist attacks regularly occur in the Syrian capital as the government and international partners continue fighting against terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) outlawed in Russia.,sputnik,4/28/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1965495368,Kurdish SDF Kills 23 Daesh Militants as Part of Operation to Liberate al-Tabqa,Kurdish SDF Kills 23 Daesh Militants as Part of Operation to Liberate al-Tabqa REUTERS Rodi Said Middle East 1730 28.04.2017Get short URL Topic Battle Against Daesh in Syria (180) 0 54 The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) killed 23 Daesh members and liberated three neighborhoods of the Syrian northern city of al-Tabqa on Friday. AP Photo Daesh Leaders Fleeing Wrath of the Euphrates in Raqqa Head for Deir ez-Zor MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the Firat news agency the liberated neighborhoods are Nebabile Zahra and al-Wahab. The Kurdish fighters also reportedly discovered a tunnel operated by Daesh militants. The SDF was formed in 2015 as the defense force of northern Syrias de facto autonomous Rojava federation and is supported by the US-led coalition. The SDF launched the Wrath of Euphrates operation to seize control over Syrias Raqqa the de facto Daesh capital in November 2016 and are now in the start of the fourth stage of the campaign undertaking the liberation of the rural areas of Raqqa province from terrorists. Al-Tabqa is located less than 30 miles from Raqqa.,sputnik,4/28/2017,raqqa,0,,,,
1965495369,Kurdish PYD Armed Wing Kills 17 Turkish Soldiers in North Syria,28.04.2017) Get short URL 54015 According to media reports Kurdish Democratic Union Partys military wing dubbed Peoples Protection Units killed 17 Turkish servicemen and left three others wounded Kurdish media reported citing a source in the YPG. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Kurdish Democratic Union Partys (PYD) military wing dubbed Peoples Protection Units (YPG) killed 17 Turkish servicemen and left three others wounded Kurdish media reported citing a source in the YPG. The YPG members also have destroyed an armored personnel carrier of the Turkish army in northern Syrias Afrin located near the border with Turkey Firat news agency said Thursday. Tensions between Ankara and the Kurdish pro-independence PKK escalated in 2015 after a three-year ceasefire between the two sides collapsed over a series of terror attacks allegedly committed by PKK members prompting Ankara to launch a military operation in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern regions. Never miss a story again sign up to our Telegram channel and well keep you up to speed! ... 4015 Related Turkish Forces Destroy Two Tonnes of Kurdish Militants Explosives State Department Accuses Turkey of Putting US Forces at Risk in Strikes on Kurds Turkeys Attacks on Kurds Show It is Not Happy About Kurdish-Russia-US Contacts Tags servicemen Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) Turkey Syria Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,4/28/2017,aleppo,0,,,,
1965495371,Alleged Israeli Strike Killed 3 Syrian Defense Forces Fighters in Golans,23.04.2017) Get short URL 4430 The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) allegedly have struck the military base of the Damascus-backed National Defense Forces (NDF) in the Golan Heights killing three Syrian fighters as a result local media reported Sunday citing an NDF official. AFP 2018 JALAA MAREY No Casualities Reported Amid Syrian Projectile on Golan Heights - IDF MOSCOW (Sputnik) The NDF base was attacked on Sunday in the Naba al-Fawwar area of the Syrian Quneitra province in the Golan Heights the Times of Israel newspaper reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group confirmed the attack according to the newspaper. On Friday the Israeli combat planes delivered a missile strike on Syrian army positions in the Khan-Arnab area in Quneitra province causing material damage a Syrian military source told Sputnik. The IDF said that a total of three rockets launched from the Syrian territory fell on the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights causing no injuries. Israel occupied the Golan Heights in the 1967 Six-Day War with Syria and annexed the territory in 1981. The international community has not recognized the Israeli annexation. ... 430 Related Iraqi Militia Creates Brigade to Liberate Golan Heights From Israel - Spokesman Missile Launched From Syria Hits Golan Heights - Israel Defense Forces Israeli Air Force Targets Syrian Mortars in Golan Heights as Fighting Escalates Tags strike Golan Heights Israel Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,4/23/2017,quneitra,1,,,,
1965495372,Over 130 Civilians Children Killed in April 15 Terrorist Attack Near Aleppo,"20.04.2017(updated 1618 20.04.2017) Get short URL 215 The death toll of a terrorist attack near Aleppo on April 15 surpasses 130 people including 67 children according to the United Nations. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Over 130 people including 67 children were killed in a terrorist attack near the Syrian city of Aleppo on April 15 UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said Thursday. ""This horrific attack on April 15 the latest figures came up to more than 130 people killed among which 67 children perhaps more than 200 wounded. All this was quite shocking for everyone"" de Mistura told reporters during a press briefing. On Saturday a suicide attacker detonated a car bomb in the Rashidin neighborhood of Aleppo near a convoy of buses carrying civilians who had been evacuated from the towns of Fua and Kefraya. ""No one could say who was responsible [for the attack]. We only know that they were terrorists. I think many are trying to find out and very many would like to see that these horrible murderers and terrorists are brought to justice"" Jan Egeland the UN special envoy for Syria on humanitarian issues said during the briefing. Shia populated Fua and Kefraya settlements near Aleppo have been besieged by militants for three years with the humanitarian situation worsening as the aid convoys have been prevented from reaching the towns by terror groups operating in the region. The evacuation from the both towns as well as from Madaya and Zabadani settlements started on April 14 within the framework of the population swap deal reached by Damascus and opposition forces in March. ... 15 Related Dozens of Casualties Reported in Aleppo Bomb Blast - Syrian State Television Plowshares Into Swords Aleppo Farmers Defend Themselves From Daesh in Syria Christians in Aleppo Celebrate Easter for First Time Since Citys Liberation Militants Not Letting Terror Act Victims Near Aleppo Go to Govt Controlled Area Death Toll in Blast Targeting Evacuees From Besieged Towns in Aleppo Rises to 70 Tags terrorist attack The Syrian war Staffan de Mistura Syria Aleppo Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,4/20/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1965495373,Kurdish-Led Forces Kill 47 Daesh Militants in Northern Syrian City of Al Tabqah,19.04.2017(updated 1041 19.04.2017) Get short URL 0 73 The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have managed to advance closer to the center of northern Syrian city of Al Tabqah and kill 47 Daesh militants (Daesh outlawed in Russia) in the area since Monday local media reported Wednesday. AP Photo Syrian Kurds Set Up Body to Govern Raqqa After Daesh Defeat MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the Firat news agency the SDF advanced 0.3 miles in the citys Alexandria neighborhood and 0.6 miles in Ayid Saxir neighborhood as part of its operation Wrath of Euphrates. In November 2016 the SDF which predominately consists of Kurdish fighters but also includes members of the Syrian Arab Coalition launched an operation called the Wrath of Euphrates to seize control over Syrias Raqqa the de facto IS capital. Al Tabqah is located some 27 miles to the east of Raqqa. On April 14 the SDF announced the start of the fourth stage of the campaign this time aiming to clear rural areas of the Raqqa province of terrorists in preparation for the final liberation of the territory. Never miss a story again sign up to our Telegram channel and well keep you up to speed!,sputnik,4/19/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1965495374,Center of Damascus Shelled 2 Civilians Killed 7 Injured,16.04.2017Get short URL 0 612 A woman and child were killed after terrorists shelled the center of the Syrian capital of Damascus while seven other people were injured local media reported. REUTERS Social Media Website Blast Occurs Near Bus Convoy Evacuating Syrians From Besieged Towns to Aleppo Over 20 Dead MOSCOW (Sputnik) The terrorists fired mortal shells at the Umayyad square in the capital a Syrian TV broadcaster reported. In March two blasts occurred near Bab al-Saghir cemetery in Damascus claiming the lives of at least 40 people and injuring 120 others. The Tahrir al Sham militants reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack. The news comes amid a nationwide Syrian ceasefire which came into force late December 2016. ... 612 Related Syrian Military Calls on Militants in Damascus Suburbs to Lay Down Arms Damascus Officially Invited OPCW Experts to Investigate Idlib Incident Lavrov Syrian Army Repels Militant Attack on Western Damascus Tags shelling Damascus Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,4/16/2017,damascus,1,,,,
1965495375,Kurdish-Led Forces Kill 35 Daesh Militants in Northern Syria in 24 Hours,16.04.2017(updated 1723 16.04.2017) Get short URL 0 87 Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) killed 35 Daesh (outlawed in Russia) militants near in northern Syria in last 24 hours media reported Sunday. YouTubeJustInfortheTruth Daesh Suffers No Casualties in MOAB Bombing in Afghanistan - Reports MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the Kurdish Firat News Agency 10 IS militants were killed during fights in the Syrian norther town of Al Tabqah on Saturday night. Another militant was killed in a village to the east of the town. Total of 24 IS terrorists were eliminated near the Syrian city of Raqqa the de facto capital of Daesh. On Friday the SDF announced the start of the fourth stage of the Euphrates Rage campaign this time aiming to clear rural areas of the Raqqa province of terrorists in preparation for the final liberation of Raqqa from the Daesh. The SDF launched the Euphrates Rage campaign to retake Raqqa last November with the support of the US-led international coalition. The US involvement has been protested by Damascus which did not give consent to US presence on the Syrian territory. ... 87 Related Turkey Detains 49 Daesh Suspects in Showcase Operation Ahead of Sunday Vote Syrian Army Frees Territories Near Deir ez-Zor Airbase From Daesh Four Senior Daesh Commanders Killed in Afghanistan by US Mother of All Bombs US Coalition Strikes Kill 2 Daesh Senior Leaders 10 Militants Near Iraqi Sinjar Tags militants Kurds injuries victims killings Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Syria Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,4/16/2017,raqqa,0,,,,
1965495376,Death Toll in Blast Targeting Evacuees From Besieged Towns in Aleppo Rises to 70,"Death Toll in Blast Targeting Evacuees From Besieged Towns in Aleppo Rises to 70 REUTERS Social Media Website Middle East 1735 15.04.2017(updated 2033 15.04.2017) Get short URL 9832 A source told Sputnik that a suicide blast targeting a bus convoy with evacuees from the besieged Syrian towns of Fua and Kefraya has risen to 70. Earlier in the day a blast occurred near a bus convoy evacuating residents of the besieged Shiite towns of Fua and Kefraya to Aleppo. The previous death toll was 20 with 50 others injured. ""The number of victims [in the explosion] is at least 70; over 130 are injured. It is difficult to say as there are many burnt bodies and body parts around the damaged buses"" the source told Sputnik. According to the souce there are many children and women among those killed. REUTERS Social Media Website Blast Occurs Near Bus Convoy Evacuating Syrians From Besieged Towns to Aleppo Over 20 Dead The explosion hit the Rashidin area on Aleppos outskirts. The bus was waiting for entering the city of Aleppo. According to a Sputnik source in Aleppo the blast supposedly was caused by a suicide attacker who detonated an explosive device. The car with the attacker approached the buses disguised as a vehicle transporting food. The evacuation of Fua and Kefraya residents is a part of a deal between the Syrian government and militants. On Friday a convoy of 75 buses arrived in Aleppo evacuating some 5 thousand people from the besieged cities. Fua and Kefraya are the only government-controlled enclave in Idlibs vast militant-held area. The towns of some 20000 people have been under siege since 2013. The humanitarian situation remains dire with a lack of food and basic necessities. The humanitarian situation in the towns of Fua and Kefraya has been deteriorating given that the aid convoys had been prevented by terror groups operating in Syria from reaching the towns. ... 832 Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,4/15/2017,aleppo,1,,,,
1965495378,US Coalition Strike Accidentally Kills 18 Kurdish-Led Moderate Rebels in Syria,"13.04.2017) Get short URL Topic Operation to Liberate Raqqa From Daesh (61) 112010 The US-led coalition accidentally struck the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Tabqa killing 18 moderate Syrian rebels fighting against Daesh. The incident occurred on April 11. ""The strike was requested by the partnered forces who had identified the target location as an ISIS [Daesh] fighting position"" the US Central Command said in a press release. ""The target location was actually a forward Syrian Democratic Forces fighting position."" REUTERS Rodi Said Battle for Raqqa Syrian Democratic Forces Liberate Another Village From Daesh Near al-Tabqa The coalition is probing the cause of the incident according to the release. Tabqa which is believed to be the last stronghold of Daesh is located some 40 kilometers (25 miles) away from Raqqa. Taking the city is part of the operation to liberate Raqqa with the offensive against Tabqa having started on March 21. In November 2016 the SDF which predominately consists of Kurdish fighters but also includes members of the Syrian Arab Coalition launched an operation called the Rage of Euphrates to seize control over Syrian Raqqa the de facto Daesh capital. Earlier in April the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) have gained control of all the roads leading to the northern Syrian city of Tabqa. ... 2010 Topic Operation to Liberate Raqqa From Daesh (61) Related US-Led Coalition Conducts 12 Strikes in Syrias Tabqa - Joint Task Force Syrian Democratic Forces Liberate Another Village From Daesh Near al-Tabqa US-Led Coalition Conducts 14 Airstrikes Against Daesh in Syrias Tabqa Daesh Trying to Launch Counteroffensive Against Syrian Kurds Near Al Tabqa Tags US-led coalition Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Raqqa Tabqa Syria Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,4/13/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1965495379,Syrian Army Eliminates Over 75 Nusra Front Militants in Southern City of Daraa,"Syrian Army Eliminates Over 75 Nusra Front Militants in Southern City of Daraa Sputnik Michael Alaeddin Middle East 1449 09.04.2017Get short URL 1285 The Syrian armys units eliminated over 75 Nusra Front militants including the suicide bombers and foreign mercenaries from Saudi Arabia and Jordan in Daraas Manshiyah district according to a military source. DAMASCUS (Sputnik) The Syrian government forces eliminated over 75 militants of the Jabhat Fatah al Sham terrorist group (formerly known as Nusra Front banned in Russia) in Syrias southern city of Daraa a military source told Sputnik Sunday. ""The Syrian armys units eliminated over 75 Nusra Front militants including the suicide bombers and foreign mercenaries from Saudi Arabia and Jordan in Daraas Manshiyah district"" the source said. Syria has been in a state of civil war for six years with government forces fighting against Syrian opposition groups striving to overthrow President Bashar Assad and numerous extremist and terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh outlawed in Russia) and Jabhat Fatah al Sham. ... 285 Related Syrian Army Eliminates 2200 al-Nusra Front Terrorists in Hama Since March 23 Only 1 Out of 15 Terror Groups Operating in Syrias Homs Linked to Nusra Front Syrian Army Liberates Kokab in Hama Province From Nusra Militants Syrian Army Repels Ex-Nusra Front Attacks in Eastern Damascus Tags Syrian crisis Syrian Armed Forces Al-Nusra Front Syria Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,4/9/2017,daraa,1,,,,
1965495380,Kurdish-Led Forces Eliminate 12 Daesh Militants Near Al Tabqah in Northern Syria,09.04.2017Get short URL 0 85 12 Daesh terrorists were killed by Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) near Syrias northern town of Al Tabqah according to local media. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) eliminated 12 Islamic State jihadist groups (ISIL or Daesh outlawed in Russia) militants near Syrias northern town of Al Tabqah media reported Sunday. According to the Kurdish Hawar news agency the clashes erupted on Saturday night to the east from Al Tabqah and continued till Sunday morning. REUTERS Rodi Said Daesh Trying to Launch Counteroffensive Against Syrian Kurds Near Al Tabqa Reports On Saturday reports emerged that Daesh had been trying to break the frontline between Al Tabqah and the dam on the Euphrates for two days but SDF managed to repel the attacks. In November 2016 the SDF which predominately consists of Kurdish fighters but also includes members of the Syrian Arab Coalition launched an operation called the Wrath of Euphrates to seize control over Syrian Raqqa the de facto Daesh capital.,sputnik,4/9/2017,raqqa,0,,,,
1965495381,Civilian Death Toll in US-Led Coalition Airstrike in Raqqa Rises to 20,08.04.2017(updated 1954 08.04.2017) Get short URL 0 214 The number of civilians killed by the US-led coalition airstrike in the Syrian northern province of Raqqa has risen to 20 with children among the casualties media reported Saturday. Flickr U.S. Department of Defense At Least 10 Civilians Die in US-Led Coalitions Strikes Near Raqqa - Reports DAMASCUS (Sputnik) Earlier in the day Syrian SANA news agency reported about ten casualties. According to the Al Masdar media outlet the US-led coalition bombed Hanida village to the west from Syrias Raqqa. At least 20 civilians were killed including four children. The US-led coalition is currently carrying out airstrikes near Raqqa to support the offensive of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against Daesh. The Rage of Euphrates operation aimed at liberating Raqqa from Daesh which seized the town and proclaimed it as own capital in 2014 was launched in November 2016 by the SDF.,sputnik,4/8/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1965495382,At Least 10 Civilians Die in US-Led Coalitions Strikes Near Raqqa,"08.04.2017(updated 1456 08.04.2017) Get short URL 9427 At least 10 civilians were killed in US-led coalitions strikes west of Daeshs de facto capital of Raqqa Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported. ""US-led coalitions aviation staged bloodshed in Khuneida town in the western part of the Raqqa province resulting in deaths of at least 10 civilians"" SANA reported citing local residents. The coalition conducts strikes in Raqqa to support the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting against Daesh. AP Photo Bram Janssen US-Led Coalition Bombs School and Mosque in Raqqa Mainstream Media Diverts Attention This is not the first time when the US-led coalitions strikes in Syria or Iraq cause civilian casualties. Late March media reported that at least 200 people many of whom were civilians were killed in recent airstrikes in Mosul. On March 17 an alleged US-led coalition airstrike targeting the militants and their equipment hit a building in al-Jadida neighborhood in western Mosul. The militants reportedly forced dozens of civilians into the structure and secured the building with explosives. The US-led coalition commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend said that ""we probably had a role"" in high casualties in Mosul. Moreover on March 22 media reported that dozens mostly women and children were killed and injured in a presumable US-led coalition airstrike on a Syrian school west of Raqqa. Unverified reports estimated up to 33 people may have been killed in the strike. Damascus confirmed the reports. According to sources the school that served as a shelter for 50 families from Aleppo Raqqa and Homs was almost completely destroyed. ... 427 Related US-Led Coalition Bombs School in Raqqa Mainstream Media Diverts Attention Syria Confirms Airstrike on School Near Raqqa Delivered by US-Led Coalition Dozens Killed in Likely US-Led Coalition Strike on School Near Raqqa - Reports Tags Daesh Syria Raqqa Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,4/8/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1965495383,US Missile Strikes on Syrian Airbase Killed Four Children Living Nearby,"07.04.2017(updated 1404 07.04.2017) Get short URL Topic US Missile Attack on Syrian Air Base (200) 2510 The US missile strike on Syrias Shairat airbase killed four children an informed source in Homs told Sputnik Friday. HOMS (Sputnik) On Thursday night the United States launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian military airfield in Ash Shairat located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the city of Homs. US President Donald Trump said the attack was a response to the alleged chemical weapon use in Syrias Idlib on Tuesday which Washington blames on the Syrian government. ""According to our information among the killed civilians there are four children. They are from ordinary families living near the airbase. There is nothing more to say"" the source said. AP Photo Robert S. PriceU.S. Navy US Missile Strike on Syria Kills Five Injures Seven - Homs Governor Earlier conflicting reports on the number of casualties as a result of the attack emerged. The Homs governor said five were killed and seven injured. The Russian Defense Ministry said Syria is currrntly investigating the number of casualties. The Russian Foreign Minister said no Russian servicemen died as a result of the attack. Russia described the attack as an aggression against a sovereign state. Following the US military action Russia decided to suspend its memorandum of understanding on air safety over Syria with the United States according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. ... 510 Topic US Missile Attack on Syrian Air Base (200) Related Putin to Discuss US Missile Strikes in Syria With Russian Security Council US Missile Attack in Syria Was De Facto in Terrorists Interests - Kremlin Syrian Foreign Ministry to Appeal to UNSC After US Missile Attack - Ambassador Russian MoD Says US Missile Attack on Syrian Airbase Prepared Long Ago Tags missile attacks civilian casualties Syria United States Russia Homs Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,4/7/2017,homs,1,,,,
1965495384,US Missile Strike on Syria Kills Five Injures Seven - Homs Governor,"07.04.2017(updated 1121 07.04.2017) Get short URL Topic US Missile Attack on Syrian Air Base (200) 0 38 A US missile strike on a military airfield in Syria near Homs killed five people and injured seven Homs Governor Talal Barazi said Friday. DAMASCUS (Sputnik) The US launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian military airfield in Ash Shairat near Homs late Thursday. US President Donald Trump said the attack was a response to the alleged chemical weapon use in Idlib on Tuesday which Washington blames on Damascus. ""According to preliminary data five people were killed in the attack seven others injured"" Barazi was quoted as saying by Al Mayadeen TV channel. AP Photo Felipe Dana US Missile Attack on Syria Attempt to Divert Attention From Mosul - Moscow According to the governor the settlement was severely damaged as the result of the missile strike. On Thursday night the United States launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian military airfield in Ash Shairat located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the city of Homs. US President Donald Trump said the attack was a response to the alleged chemical weapon use in Syrias Idlib on Tuesday which Washington blames on the Syrian government. On Tuesday an alleged chemical weapon attack in Syrias Idlib province claimed the lives of some 80 people and inflicted harm on an additional 200 civilians. The Syrian National Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces that reported the attack as well as a number of Western states blamed the Syrian government troops for the attack while Damascus has refuted these allegations with a Syrian army source telling Sputnik that the army did not posses chemical weapons. ... 38 Topic US Missile Attack on Syrian Air Base (200) Tags strike Syria United States Homs Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News",sputnik,4/7/2017,homs,1,,,,
1965495387,At Least 27 Children Killed in Syrian Idlib Attack,"06.04.2017 The attack in Syrian Idlib province claimed the lives of at least 27 children while over 500 people including many minors were injured the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement on Thursday. According to the statement UNICEF continues to provide treatment and medical facilities in the area of the attack as well as to cooperate with health partners ""to raise awareness about medical response to chemical attacks."" ""At least 27 children were confirmed killed in the attack in Idlib northwest of Syria A further 546 people among them many children have been injured. Casualty figures are expected to rise"" the statement read. On Tuesday Syrian opposition forces stated that some 80 people were killed and 200 injured in a chemical weapon attack in the Syrian Idlib province blaming the Syrian army for the incident. A source in the Syrian army later told Sputnik that the army did not have chemical weapons and the allegations could be part of anti-Damascus propaganda. The United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) have launched an investigation into the incident. In 2013 Syria joined the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons after a chemical weapon attack in Syrian East Ghouta. In January 2016 the OPCW announced that all chemical weapons in Syria had been destroyed. However in June 2016 the US State Department released a report stating that Syria continues to use chemical substances against citizens and can also stockpile chemical weapons.",sputnik,4/6/2017,idlib,1,,,,
1965495388,Kurdish SDF Troops Kill 13 Daesh Militants Near Syrias Town of Al Tabqah,Kurdish SDF Troops Kill 13 Daesh Militants Near Syrias Town of Al Tabqah REUTERS Rodi Said Middle East 0041 06.04.2017Get short URL 185 The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces killed 13 jihadists of Daesh terrorist group in clashes near the Daesh-controlled town of Al Tabqah local media reported. REUTERS Rodi Said SDF Media Team Member Among Journalists Injured in Tabqa Operation MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Al-Masdar news outlet reported on Wednesday that the terrorists were killed while trying to attack the positions of the SDF surrounding the town of Safsafah near Al Tabqah. The battle for Al Tabqah is part of the SDF offensive aimed at liberation of the Daesh-occupied city of Raqqa which is considered to be the capital of the so-called caliphate. In March SDF military commander Nasser Haj Mansour told Sputnik that the Kurdish-led units had surrounded the strategically important Al Tabqah located some 25 miles west of Raqqa. ... 85 Related Daesh Commander Killed by SDF Near al-Tabqah Town in Northern Syria SDF Temporarily Halts Advance on Syrias Raqqa to Allow Repairs at Tabqa Dam SDF Units Liberate Airport Near Syrian Tabqa From Daesh on Way to Raqqa Syrias Biggest Dam Partially Collapses Due to SDF-Daesh Fight Near Raqqa Tags Daesh Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Syria Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik News,sputnik,4/6/2017,raqqa,1,,,,
1965511105,Extremists in Syria Admit Killing 30 Alawites,"6-09-2013 Extremists in Syria Admit Killing 30 Alawites . Al-Qaeda-affiliated extremists in Syria announced they are targeting members of the Alawite community in the country Al-Qaeda-affiliated extremists in Syria announced they are targeting members of the Alawite community in the country adding that they massacred dozens of Alawites in three Homs villages last week. On Sunday terrorist group Al-Nusra Front claimed responsibility for Tuesdays attacks in which at least 30 Alawites including several women children and elderly men were shot dead in cold blood. Al-Nusra said in an internet statement that its militants entered the villages of Massudiyeh Maksar al-Hissan and Jab al-Jerah in Homs province and carried out the massacre. The group said one of its jurists asked them to slay Alawites whom he called ""enemies of God"". "" this was the first time these villages were entered and such a high number was killed"" it added. Last month Abu Mohammad al-Golani a commander of al-Nusra threatened to target Alawites with rockets. ""On top of that we will prepare a thousand rockets that will be fired on their towns in revenge for the Damascus Ghouta massacre"" he said in an audio recording posted on YouTube on August 25. ",manar,9/16/2013,homs,1,,,,
1965511106,Militants Attack Syrias Idlib Kill 3 Including Journalist,15-09-2013 Militants Attack Syrias Idlib Kill 3 Including Journalist. A bomb attack in northwest Syria killed three people on Sunday including a journalist working for a publication of the ruling Baath party. A bomb attack in northwest Syria killed three people on Sunday including a journalist working for a publication of the ruling Baath party state-run news agency SANA said. The agency reported the killing of Fakhreddine Hassan a journalist for the Baath partys youth publication. He was killed along with two other people by a blast that hit their bus on a road in the northwestern province of Idlib. Another nine people were wounded in the attack. International press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders recently reported 23 journalists killed in Syrias 30-month war as well as the death of at least 58 citizen journalists. Syria was hit by a violent unrest since mid-March 2011 where the Syrian government accuses foreign actors of orchestrating the conflict by supporting the militant opposition groups with arms and money.,manar,5/12/2013,idlib,1,,,,
1965511107,Damascus Car bomb Kills Four,"05-09-2013 Damascus Car bomb Kills Four . Four people were killed and six others injured in a car bomb attack in western Damascus on Thursday state news agency SANA reported. Four people were killed and six others injured in a car bomb attack in western Damascus on Thursday state news agency SANA reported. The blast hit near a research and testing centre affiliated with the ministry of industry in the Sumaria neighborhood of the Syrian capital. ""A terrorist car bomb attack killed four people and wounded six others"" SANA reported adding that the blast damaged shops and cars near the centre. The centre established in 1965 tests industrial products its website says. Since the beginning of the crisis in March 2011 a series of car bombs have targeted Damascus and several other Syrian cities killing dozens. Syrian army warplanes hit militants positions in the northwestern province of Idlib in central Hama province as well as in the northern province of Aleppo and in the coastal city of Latakia. In the east of Damascus the Syrian military continued to battle the insurgents in Jubar.",manar,9/5/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1965511108,Syrian Army Kills 40 al-Nusra Front Members in Damascus Ambush,"02-09-2013 Syrian Army Kills 40 al-Nusra Front Members in Damascus Ambush. Syrian army managed to claim on Monday most of al-Nusra Front group members during an ambush while trying to sneak to the East Ghota in Damascus countryside. Syrian army managed to claim on Monday most of al-Nusra Front group members during an ambush while trying to sneak to the East Ghota in Damascus countryside. The national military units were able to kill about 40 militants of al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front terrorist organization and the so-called free Syrian army in the area of Rahibeh in rural Damascus according to the opposition ""Cham"" TV network. ""Armed opponents from al-Nusra Front and the free army ambushed the Syrian army in this region after it had been agreed between them and the Reconciliation Commission to hand over their weapons to the Syrian authorities and end the rebellion"" the TV network said. ""The opponents exploited this agreement and attacked the Syrian army barriers in Rahibeh in an attempt to occupy it fully which led to get involved in a battle against the army which claimed several persons during the clashes dubbed as violent."" ""Artillery and aircraft projectiles were used in the battle and left nearly 40 militants killed"" according to the opposition story. Moreover the Syrian army was able Monday to give a heavy blow to the so-called Islam Brigade in rural Damascus killing one of its commanders Qasim Halabouni in Qalamun region of Damascus countryside. The opposition coordinators have confirmed on their Facebook pages including the page ""Information Office of the Bab Saba neighborhood"" the killing of Qasim Halabouni (Abu Mohammad) operations chief of al-Zubair bin Awam phalanges in Duma in rural Damascus during clashes with the Syrian forces. Syria was hit by a violent unrest since mid-March 2011 where the Syrian government accuses foreign actors of orchestrating the conflict by supporting the militant opposition groups with arms and money.",manar,9/2/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1965511109,17 Killed as Qaeda Attacks Syria Kurd Town,"17-08-2013 17 Killed as Qaeda Attacks Syria Kurd Town. Al-Qaeda loyalists attacked a mainly Kurdish town in northeastern Syria sparking fighting in which 17 people were killed two of them ambulance crew Al-Qaeda loyalists attacked a mainly Kurdish town in northeastern Syria sparking fighting in which 17 people were killed two of them ambulance crew a watchdog said on Saturday. The assault on the strategic border town of Ras al-Ain was part of a wider offensive by Al-Qaeda against several Kurdish majority areas of northern and northeastern Syria that began on Friday and was continuing on Saturday the opposing UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Syrian Kurd activist Havidar said civilians had fled ""in waves into villages in Turkey."" ""Intermittent clashes are continuing to take place till now in the Asfar Najjar area and the outskirts of Tal Halaf"" Havidar told Agence France Presse via the Internet. Syrian army pulled out of majority Kurdish areas of Syria last year leaving Kurds to fend for themselves. Syria was hit by a violent unrest since mid-March 2011 where the Syrian government accuses foreign actors of orchestrating the conflict by supporting the militant opposition groups with arms and money.",manar,8/17/2013,hasakeh,0,,,,
1965511110,33 Militants Claimed in Syria in Fierce Fighting of Homs Aleppo,"13-08-2013 33 Militants Claimed in Syria in Fierce Fighting of Homs Aleppo. Syrian activists said on Tuesday that at least 33 members of the ""Islamic State in Iraq and Levant"" and ""al-Nusra Front"" organizations were killed. Syrian activists said on Tuesday that at least 33 members of the ""Islamic State in Iraq and Levant"" and ""al-Nusra Front"" organizations were killed during the ongoing fierce fighting since the militants launched a massive campaign in the Aleppo city of Deir Ezzor three days before. ""Clashes are too violent. Militants are using some tanks they possess while the regular forces target their pockets"" activists told Agence France Presse. Moreover the general military commander of Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front terrorist group in Syria Imad al-Ahmad al-Hamad was killed in a special operation carried out by the Syrian army in Howayqa neighborhood of Deir Ezzor. Al-Hamad was also the Emir of al-Nusra Front Al-Alam news website said. Bilal Talib al-Dagher - chief of the so-called ""Al-Mostafa Brigades"" Abo al-Zir al-Diri dubbed as ""Lion of Incursions"" and Ahmad al-Mashreq - chief of the so-called ""Al-Saeqa Brigade"" - were among the killed. Lately militants attacks focused on Howayqa neighborhood which contains security centers government buildings and official circles. Meanwhile Syrian army units destroyed a weapons and ammunition bunker managed by the opposition groups and number of their strongholds and gathering points in Deir Ezzor and its countryside. Scores of them were left killed and injured. ""An army unit engaged with an armed terrorist group whose members tried to infiltrate from Sana neighborhood to Rasafa neighborhood leaving most of them dead including a sniper"" state-run news agency SANA reported. SANA also said that army units ""killed many terrorists of Al-Nusra Front some of them were of Palestinian and Tunisian nationalities during a series of operations carried out Tuesday against their strongholds in the East Ghota towns and the villages and countryside of Damascus."" In al-Hosn Castle of TaKalakh countryside of Homs the Syrian Army targeted one the militants bunkers killing a number of them and wounding others. Among the killed were Ahmad Orwa al-Zoabi - a field commander Walid Khaled al-Jalakh Walid al-Hosni Mohammad Ibin Nashwan al-Hosni Hassan Ahmad Steif Khaled Mahmoud Jannad Ali al-Dorra Mohammad Mahmoud Awwad Bo Jawad al-Doomani and Issa Ahmad Gharib. In a related development other media outlets stated that Abu Jahjah a Tunisian terrorist was killed along with other terrorists belonging to Al Qaeda organization in the Ras al-Ein of al-Hasakah province. The national military also destroyed a mortar and a bulldozer which were used by insurgents to set up earth mounds and block the streets in the neighborhood of Barzeh of Damascus. Syrian soldiers also killed a number of them near Al-Mestah Hill and the surrounding farms in Teshrin Hospital. Among the Targeted militants were Anas al-Aghwani chief of one of the armed groups. Dozens of Al-Nusra Front militants were also claimed in al-Thayabiya and Hajira towns of rural Damascus including the Palestinian Sami Al-Ahmad and Muhammad Yahya Mandil. The Syrian army launched a wide-scale military operation in April to put an end to the violent unrest in the country. Syria was hit by the unrest since mid-March 2011 where the Syrian government accuses foreign actors of orchestrating the conflict by supporting the militant opposition groups with arms and money. ",manar,2/2/2013,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1965511111,Syrian Army Kills Dozens of al-Nusra Members in Adra Ambush,"Syrian Army Kills Dozens of al-Nusra Members in Adra Ambush Middle East Syria Military 07-08-2013 0147 PM A Syrian army unit killed dozens of al-Nusra Front terrorists during an ambush carried out Wednesday morning southwest of the industrial city of Adra in Damascus countryside. A Syrian army unit killed dozens of al-Nusra Front terrorists during an ambush carried out Wednesday morning southwest of the industrial city of Adra in Damascus countryside state-run news agency reported. The army unit confiscated the insurgents weapons including machine guns Israeli-made Uzi machine guns and BKC and RPG launchers. According to SANA al-Nusra militants including elements holding foreign nationalities tried to infiltrate into the East Ghota and to attack one of the military posts in rural Damascus. The opposing UK-based Syrian Observatory confirmed that ""at least 62 militants were killed in an ambush carried out by the Syrian regular forces west of the industrial city of Adra northeast of Damascus."" The Syrian army launched a wide-scale military operation in April to put an end to the violent unrest in the country. Syria was hit by the unrest since mid-March 2011 where the Syrian government accuses foreign actors of orchestrating the conflict by supporting the militant opposition groups with arms and money.",manar,8/7/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1965511112,Bomb Kills 18 in Damascus Suburb,"06-08-2013 Bomb Kills 18 in Damascus Suburb. A bomb killed 18 people in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana on Tuesday the latest in spate of blasts to hit the district state television said. A bomb killed 18 people in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana on Tuesday the latest in spate of blasts to hit the district state television said. The car bomb in the suburbs Siouf square also wounded 56 people the broadcaster said. It said children were among the dead. The explosion struck at around 715 pm (1615 GMT) when traffic was heavy as Muslims headed home for the ""Iftar"" meal that breaks the daylight fast observed during the holy month of Ramadan. State television aired footage of wrecked shop fronts around the square and dozens of burned out vehicles. A similar bombing in the same square on July 25 killed at least seven people and wounded more than 60. In August last year another car bomb killed at least 27 people in the southeastern suburb.",manar,8/6/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1965511114,Damascus Car Bomb Kills 70 People at Least,"27-09-2013 Damascus Car Bomb Kills 70 People at Least. A car bomb killed at least 70 people and left more than hundred other wounded on Friday in the town of Rankus north of Damascus countryside. A car bomb killed at least 70 people and left more than a hundred other wounded on Friday in the town of Rankus north of Damascus countryside. The UK-opposition Syrian Observatory said ""tens"" of people were injured in the blast next to Khaled Bin Walid mosque between Asal al-Ward and Rankus in Qalamoun. Some news agencies reported that the bomb left dozens were killed and more than 100 others injured as the explosion coincided with the end of Friday prayers in the mosque. Local activists called on residents to avoid gathering for fear of additional attacks in the town which has regularly been the scene of fighting between rebels and regime forces.",manar,11/9/2013,damascus,1,,,,
1965511115,Deadly Blast Hits South Damascus,24-09-2013 Deadly Blast Hits South Damascus. Three citizens were martyred and others were injured in terrorist suicide bombing using a car bomb which took place in al-Tadamun neighborhood in Damascus according to SANA. Three citizens were martyred and others were injured in terrorist suicide bombing using a car bomb which took place in al-Tadamun neighborhood in Damascus according to SANA. An official source said the bombing took place in Nisreen Street in al-Tadamun neighborhood resulting in the martyrdom of 3 citizens and injuring 11 others in addition to causing significant material damages to more than 15 houses and 10 cars which were parked in the crowded residential area.,manar,3/2/2013,damascus,0,,,,
1965511116,ISIL Armed Groups Battle in Rural Idlib 13 Killed,23-09-2013 ISIL Armed Groups Battle in Rural Idlib 13 Killed. Thirteen militants of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant organization were killed Monday during battles with other opposition armed groups in Idlib countryside. Thirteen militants of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant organization were killed Monday during battles with other opposition armed groups in Idlib countryside. The opposition UK-based Syrian observatory indicated that among the killed was a local Libyan emir who was killed during violent clashes with gunmen in the vicinity of Hazano town several kilometers away from the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey. Another seven people of a local armed group were also killed in the clash which took place after al-Qaeda terrorist organization members tried to arrest two persons of the town residents. Earlier ISIL gunmen seized the headquarters of al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra terrorist group in the Shaddadi area in Hasakah countryside north-east of the country. Moreover in Azaz situation is still unstable after recent clashes between the ISIL militiamen and Storm of North Brigade of the so-called free Syrian army. The free army accused the ISIL of violating the cease-fire agreement by abstaining from releasing many of the detainees. Recently fierce clashes erupted between the ISIL Al-Nusra Front and the free army in the wake of disputes on power and control sharing over areas not reclaimed so far by the Syrian army. The Syrian national military launched a wide-scale military operation in May 2013 in the countrys main provinces to restore security and release citizens from terrorist threats. Syria was hit by a violent unrest since mid-March 2011 where the Syrian government accuses foreign actors of orchestrating the conflict by supporting the militant opposition groups with arms and money. ,manar,9/23/2013,idlib,1,,,,
1965511118,30 ISIL Militants Killed in Clashes with Kurds in NE Syria,25-12-2014 30 ISIL Militants Killed in Clashes with Kurds in NE Syria. At least 30 militants of the terrorist group operating in Iraq and Syria were killed in clashes with Kurdish troops in northeastern Syria on Thursday reports said. At least 30 militants of the terrorist group operating in Iraq and Syria were killed in clashes with Kurdish troops in northeastern Syria on Thursday reports said. The fighting pitted ISIL militants against members of the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) in the village of Qassiab in Hasakeh province according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The YPG regained control of the village two days after it was seized by the terrorists said the Britain-based group. The Kurds also lost three fighters in the clashes it added. ISIL launched last June a brutal offensive against several areas across Iraq and Syria as it announced its so-called caliphate in these areas. However several forces including the Iraqi army backed by the Kurdish fighters and popular forces and the Syria army have been since June waging counter attack in order to regain areas seized by the Takfiri terrorists.,manar,12/25/2014,hasakeh,1,,,,
1965511119,ISIL Kills 20 FSA Members on Qalamoun Barrens,18-12-2014 ISIL Kills 20 FSA Members on Qalamoun Barrens. The ISIL terrorists group killed 20 members of the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) on Qalamoun barrens as the clashes between the two sides have intensified in the area according to Al-Manar reporter. The ISIL terrorists group killed 20 members of the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) on Qalamoun barrens as the clashes between the two sides have intensified in the area according to Al-Manar reporter. ISIL has threatened to kill more FSA members and commanders after they rejected to express allegiance to the terrorist group.,manar,12/18/2014,damascus,1,,,,
1965511120,ISIL Nusra Clash Fiercely on Qalmoun Barrens 25 Terrorists Killed Injured,17-12-2014 ISIL Nusra Clash Fiercely on Qalmoun Barrens 25 Terrorists Killed Injured. Fierce clashes have erupted between Nusra Front as well as the so-called Free Syria Army (FSA) on one hand and ISIL on the other on Qalamoun barrens claiming at least 10 killed and 15 injured Al-Manar correspondent reported. Fierce clashes have erupted between Nusra Front as well as the so-called Free Syria Army (FSA) on one hand and ISIL on the other on Qalamoun barrens claiming at least 10 killed and 15 injured Al-Manar correspondent reported. Security sources told Al-Manar that the clashes which have reached the barrens of the town of Qara in Qalamoun concentrate at Sheikh Ali and al-Zamrani crossings which border the outskirts of the northeastern Lebanese town of Arsal. The sources added that all kinds of weapons are being used and that the clashes started after Nusra Front and FSA in the region rejected to express allegiance to ISIL.,manar,12/17/2014,damascus,1,,,,
1965511121,Syrian Army Kills over 60 ISIL Terrorists in Deir Ezour,16-12-2014 Syrian Army Kills over 60 ISIL Terrorists in Deir Ezour. The Syrian army clashed fiercely with ISIL terrorists in the vicinity of Deir Ezour military airport killing or injuring scores of them. The Syrian army clashed fiercely with ISIL terrorists in the vicinity of Deir Ezour military airport killing or injuring scores of them. The Syrian army also killed over 60 ISIL terrorists in al-Jafra Mohasan and in other areas in Deir Ezour. The Syrian military continued its anti-terrorism operations in different areas across the country inflicting heavy losses upon the militant groups.,manar,12/16/2014,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965511122,Kurdish Forces Kill 16 ISIL Terrorists in Syria,13-12-2014 Kurdish Forces Kill 16 ISIL Terrorists in Syria. Kurdish forces killed at least 16 ISIL terrorists in an attack on Saturday in northeast Syria near the border with Turkey the UK-based opposing Syrian Observatory. Kurdish forces killed at least 16 ISIL terrorists in an attack on Saturday in northeast Syria near the border with Turkey the UK-based opposing Syrian Observatory. The assault targeted ISIL positions south of the town of Ras al-Ain in Hasakeh province the group added. Ras al-Ain was the scene of fierce fighting last year before Kurdish forces ousted the terrorists from the border town. The Observatory also reported clashes at the terrorist-besieged border town of Kobani some 100 kilometers (60 miles) away.,manar,12/13/2014,hasakeh,1,,,,
1965511124,50 ISIL Terrorists Killed in Kobani in 24 Hours,30-11-2014 50 ISIL Terrorists Killed in Kobani in 24 Hours. At least 50 ISIL terrorists have been killed in the past 24 hours in clashes suicide bombings and US-led air strikes in Syrias Kobani a monitor said Sunday. At least 50 ISIL terrorists have been killed in the past 24 hours in clashes suicide bombings and US-led air strikes in Syrias Kobani a monitor said Sunday. The opposing UK-based Syrian Observatory said the number of deaths was one of the highest daily tolls for the terrorist group since it launched an assault on the strategic town on the Turkish border in September. The monitoring group said at least five of those killed were suicide bomb attackers two of them involved in attacks on the border crossing that separates Kobani from Turkey. Another 11 were killed in clashes that ensued between Kobanis Kurdish defenders and the jihadists at the border after the bombings but there was no breakdown for the remaining toll. The group also said 11 Kurdish fighters were killed in the same period in Kobani along with one Syrian rebel fighter backing the Kurdish forces. ISIL began advancing on Kobani on September 16 hoping to quickly seize the small border town and secure its grip on a large stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border. At one point it looked set to overrun the town but Kurdish Syrian fighters backed by US-led coalition air strikes and an influx of Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces have held back the group. For now the town remains roughly evenly divided between ISIL and Kurdish control.,manar,11/30/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511127,ISIL Claims Beheading of 18 Syrians US Aid Worker,"16-11-2014 title: ISIL Claims Beheading of 18 Syrians US Aid Worker. The so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant terrorist group on Sunday claimed to have executed Peter Kassig a US aid worker kidnapped in Syria as a warning to the United States The so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant terrorist group on Sunday claimed to have executed Peter Kassig a US aid worker kidnapped in Syria as a warning to the United States. The same video showed the gruesome simultaneous beheadings of at least 18 men described as Syrian military personnel the latest in a series of mass executions and other atrocities carried out by ISIL. ""This is Peter Edward Kassig a US citizen of your country"" said a black-militant wearing a balaclava the same outfit worn by the man who beheaded two American journalists and two British aid workers in earlier videos. The man stood over a severed head bearing a resemblance to Kassig a former American soldier who had been allegedly providing medical treatment and aid to those suffering from Syrias war. ""Here we are burying the first American crusader in Dabiq eagerly waiting for the remainder of your armies to arrive"" the militant said. Dabiq is the site of a major 16th century battle in what is now northern Syria that saw the Ottomans defeat the Mamluks and begin a major expansionist phase of an empire the ISIL group considers to have been the last caliphate. In a highly choreographed sequence earlier in the video terrorists marched at least 18 prisoners said to be Syrian officers and pilots by a wooden box of long military knives each taking one as they passed then forced them to kneel in a line and decapitated them. The terrorist group has killed hundreds of Iraqi and Syrian tribesmen who opposed it attacked religious and ethnic minorities sold women as slaves executed scores of Iraqi security personnel and carried out beheadings on camera.",manar,2/2/2014,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511128,Syrian Army Kills Terrorist Commander on Barrens of Assal Al-Ward in Qalamoun,15-11-2014 Syrian Army Kills Terrorist Commander on Barrens of Assal Al-Ward in Qalamoun. The Syrian army targeted the militants gatherings on the barrens of Assal Al-Ward in Qalamoun killing the terrorist commander Abu Taha well-informed sources told Al-Manar. The Syrian army targeted the militants gatherings on the barrens of Assal Al-Ward in Qalamoun killing the terrorist commander Abu Taha well-informed sources told Al-Manar. The sources added that Karam Ammoun another terrorist leader was also killed after he had earlier been injured by the Syrian armys shelling onto Nusra sites on Flita barrens in Qalamoun in Damascus countryside. Units of the Syrian armed forces also inflicted on Saturday heavy losses upon terrorists and destroyed their equipment in several areas across the country.,manar,11/15/2014,damascus,0,,,,
1965511129,Syrian Army Kills Terrorist Commander in Qalamoun Advances in Deir Ezour- Al Manar TV Website Archive,10-11-2014 Syrian Army Kills Terrorist Commander in Qalamoun Advances in Deir Ezour. The Syrian army killed a terrorist commander as well as five of his entourage as they were trying infiltrate towards Filita in Qalamoun in Damascus countryside. The Syrian army killed a terrorist commander as well as five of his entourage as they were trying infiltrate towards Filita in Qalamoun in Damascus countryside. The Syrian army also advanced in Huweijet al -Sakr in Deior Ezour killing and injuring scores of terrorists.,manar,11/10/2014,damascus,1,,,,
1965511130,Mortar Attack Targets Damascus School Claims 11 Children,05-11-2014 Mortar Attack Targets Damascus School Claims 11 Children. At least 11 children were killed in Damascus when terrorist mortar attack targeted a school in an eastern district of the Syrian capital. At least 11 children were killed in Damascus when terrorist mortar attack targeted a school in an eastern district of the Syrian capital a monitoring group said on Wednesday. The attack occurred in Qaboun a district in the east of the city. The opposition UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that the death toll was expected to rise because a number of those wounded were in critical condition. Syria was hit by a violent unrest since mid-March 2011 where the Syrian government accuses foreign actors mainly the Saudi Arabia and Turkey of orchestrating the conflict by supporting the militant opposition groups with arms and money.,manar,11/5/2014,damascus,0,,,,
1965511131,ISIL Beheads 8 Syria Militants despite Surrendering,"03-11-2014 ISIL Beheads 8 Syria Militants despite Surrendering. ISIL terrorists beheaded eight Syrian militants who had surrendered in a town on the border with Iraq last week despite pledges of an amnesty ISIL terrorists beheaded eight Syrian militants who had surrendered in a town on the border with Iraq last week despite pledges of an amnesty a monitor said Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the men were executed and their bodies hung on makeshift crucifixes in Albu Kamal in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor. ""The men surrendered in Albu Kamal because the Islamic State had offered amnesty to people who fought them if they turned themselves in"" Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Instead he said the eight opposition fighters were beheaded and then hung from crosses in a method often employed by the terrorist group. Meanwhile in the city of Deir Ezzor the provincial capital ISIL decapitated another three men also hanging their corpses from crosses the Observatory said. The group said it was unclear when the executions took place adding that two of the men were accused of collaboration with the Syrian government and the third of fighting against ISIL terrorist.",manar,11/3/2014,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1965511132,100 ISIL Terrorists Killed in Kobani,"01-11-2014 100 ISIL Terrorists Killed in Kobani. Fighting raged in the Syrian border town of Kobani on Saturday after ISIL terrorists launched a new assault on Kurdish fighters bolstered by the arrival of heavily armed Iraqi peshmerga forces. Fighting raged in the Syrian border town of Kobani on Saturday after ISIL terrorists launched a new assault on Kurdish fighters bolstered by the arrival of heavily armed Iraqi peshmerga forces. The roughly 150 Iraqi fighters many of them chanting ""Kobani"" received a heros welcome as they crossed the border from Turkey late Friday to join fellow Kurds trying to repel the ISIL group. Fierce clashes in and around KobanI have killed about 100 IS fighters in the past three days according to media reports",manar,2/2/2014,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511136,Twin Car Bombs in Syrias Homs Kill 32 Most School Students,01-10-2014 Twin Car Bombs in Syrias Homs Kill 32 Most School Students. The death toll from twin the terrorist ugly explosions in the Syrian province of Homs rose to 32 and more than 115 wounded persons most of them children and several sustaining critical injuries. The death toll from twin the terrorist ugly explosions in the Syrian province of Homs rose to 32 and more than 115 wounded persons most of them children and several sustaining critical injuries. Two terrorist bombings hit an area near a school compound in Ikrima neighborhood in Homs city on Wednesday. A source in the central province said that terrorists detonated up a car bomb in front of the New Ikrima School and only a few minutes later a suicide bomber blew himself up in front of Ikrima al-Makhzoumi School. The attacks took place at the time when students were leaving school to inflict maximum casualties. The source pointed out that the car bomb was made up of three gas cylinders each packed with 7 kg of C4 explosives and concealed in a Mazda. Prime Minister Dr. Wael al-Halqi condemned the twin terrorist blasts that rocked Homs city on Wednesday. These terrorist acts in which terrorists have taken their hatred out on our schoolchildren are meant to discourage Syrias children from pursuing knowledge he told SANA. The terrorist groups have been taken aghast by the Syrian armys military successes the Premier said which accounts for their resort to these cowardly acts. Al-Halqi said these terrorist acts will make us even stronger and more determined to restore security and stability all over Syria. In the same context Regional leadership of al-Baath Arab Socialist Part strongly condemned the twin terrorist explosions that targeted the students. In a statement the Partys leadership said that the terrorist twin explosions reveal again the brutality of terrorists and their hatred against the Syrian citizens who achieved a lot of victories over terrorism. Homs governor Talal al-Barazi said targeting safe children in their schools is an act of cowardice and a desperate attempt to undermine the steadfastness of Syria and reverse the state of security and stability in Homs province. Al-Barazi whose comments came during a visit he paid to the hospitals where the injured from Wednesday twin terrorist bombings lay said the internal security forces have facilitated the movement of ambulances which rushed to the site of the explosion to evacuate the victims and rescue the wounded. Director of Homs Health Directorate Dr. Hassan al-Jundi said the health sector is on high alert to take all necessary measures under these extraordinary circumstances. The twin terrorist bombings have taken the lives of scores most of them schoolchildren he added indicating that the injuries range in severity from moderate to severe.,manar,6/10/2014,homs,1,,,,
1965511137,Syrian Army Frustrates Terrorist Attack on Qalamoun Kills 10 Terrorists,01-10-2014 Syrian Army Frustrates Terrorist Attack on Qalamoun Kills 10 Terrorists. The Syrian army encountered a terrorist attack against one of its posts in Assal al-Ward in Qalamoun killing 10 terrorists and injuring 20 others. The Syrian army encountereda terrorist attack against one of its posts in Assal al-Ward in Qalamoun killing 10 terrorists and injuring 20 others. Syrian Army Controls Several Areas in Hama Latakia The Syrian army on Wednesday established full control of al-Masasneh village southwest of Mourek in the countryside of the central province of Hama leaving numbers of terrorists dead and wounded in addition to destroying their vehicles according to SANA. The Syrian army also regained the villages of Ein al-Jawzeh and Ruweiset al-Jaoureh in the northern countryside of Latakia after killing big numbers of terrorists some of them are non-Syrian. Syrian Army Strikes Scores of Terrorists across Country The Syrian army continued on Wednesday to launch military operations against the terrorist organizations across the country inflicting heavy losses upon them in personnel and equipment SANA reported. Army units targeted gatherings of terrorists in Bosra al-Sham Atman al-Hrak and al-Yadouda while other units destroyed a bulldozer in al-Nueima town in the countryside of Daraa killing of a number of terrorists. Meanwhile an army unit killed many terrorists and injured others in Mashara and al-Samadaniyeh al-Gharbiyeh in the countryside of Quneitra. Syrian Army units also targeted gatherings of terrorists in Kadin Salma Dourin al-Mugheiriyeh and Tirtyah areas in the northern countryside of the coastal province of Latakia killing a big number of them and destroying many of their cars which were equipped with heavy machine guns. The Syrian army destroyed several boats for terrorists in al-Rastan Lake killing all terrorists aboard in addition to eliminating scores of terrorists in al-Waer al-Samalil and Deir Salam in al-Houla and in al-Hilaliya farm in Um Sharshouh in the countryside of the central province of Homs. In Deir Ezzor a unit of the Syrian armed forces destroyed two dens for ISIL terrorists in Nazlet al-Rdeisat the city killing and injuring several of them.,manar,10/1/2014,damascus,0,,,,
1965511138,47 Leaders of Ahrar Al-Sham Killed in Idleb Blast,"10-09-2014 47 Leaders of Ahrar Al-Sham Killed in Idleb Blast. The blast which wiped out the terrorist Ahrar al-Sham commands meeting in Idleb killed 47 the opposing UK-based Syrian Observatory reported. The blast which wiped out the terrorist Ahrar al-Sham commands meeting in Idleb killed 47 the opposing UK-based Syrian Observatory reported. ""Explosives were positioned near the meetings hall."" The explosion in northwestern Syria killed Ahrar al-Shams leader Hassan Aboud as well as other commanders according to the group part of the so-called Islamic Front alliance. Some 50 of the groups leaders had been gathered at a house when the blast went off inside the meeting. In a video statement Ahrar al-Sham said its council appointed Hashem al-Sheikh also known as ""Abu Jaber"" as leader and Abu Saleh Tahan as military chief. It pledged to keep fighting against Syrian government forces and ISIL. It is worth noting that neither Ahrar al-Sham nor the Islamic Front alliance blamed any group for the blast.",manar,9/10/2014,idlib,0,,,,
1965511139,28 Terrorists Killed in Idleb Syrian Army Regains Several Towns in Hamah,09-09-2014 28 Terrorists Killed in Idleb Syrian Army Regains Several Towns in Hamah. Military sources told Al-Manar that the Syrian army regained Khatab town and the areas if Zor Qsayaa as well as Kherbat Hajam in Hamah countryside. Military sources told Al-Manar that the Syrian army regained Khatab town and the areas if Zor Qsayaa as well as Kherbat Hajam in Hamah countryside. The Syrian army continued its operations in Jobar neighborhood and in other areas in Damascus tightening the grip on the terrorists and destroying a number of tunnels in the area. In the countryside of the southern province of Quneitra units of the armed forces killed and injured many terrorists after targeting their gatherings in the surrounding of Tal al-Mal Tal Mashara in the surrounding of Um Batina Mosque to the east of Deir Maker and in the village of al-Khazrajiyeh according to the source. In Idlib twenty-eight heads of the Ahrar al-Sham militant group were killed in an explosion that targeted a meeting tonight according to the Syrian opposing UK-based Observatory. The Syrian army units killed a number of terrorists in Saraqeb Khan Sheikhoun Maarat al-Numan and Jabal al-Arbaeen in Idleb countryside. In Deir Ezour the Syrian army targeted ISIL strongholds killing and injuring a number of terrorists.,manar,9/9/2014,idlib,1,,,,
1965511140,Syrian Army Kills 18 ISIL Terrorists in Deir Ezour Advances in Jobar,04-09-2014 Syrian Army Kills 18 ISIL Terrorists in Deir Ezour Advances in Jobar. The Syrian opposing UK-based observatory said that the Syrian army killed 18 ISIL commanders and members in air raids on their strongholds in Deir Ezour. The Syrian opposing UK-based observatory said that the Syrian army killed 18 ISIL commanders and members in air raids on their strongholds in Deir Ezour. The Syrian army fiercely clashed on Thursday with the terrorist groups in Quneitra countryside on Golan Heights killing a dissident officer who was leading a militant group. Military sources reported that the Syrian army repelled the militants attempts to infiltrate into Nabea al-Sakhr neighborhood inflicting heavy losses upon them. The Syrian army also advanced in the neighborhood of Jobar eastern Damascus as a case of floundering stormed the militants due to the losses they suffered. The Syrian military killed scores of terrorists in Maaret al-Numaan in the countryside of Idleb and targeted ISIL strongholds in Raqqa province according to media reports. ,manar,9/4/2014,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965511141,ISIL Kills Crucifies 5 Syrians in Deir Ezzor,ISIL Kills Crucifies 5 Syrians in Deir Ezzor Middle East Syria Security 31-08-2014 0742 PM Militants of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist organization killed and crucified five civilians in Mouhessen town and Jadid Ekeidat village in Deir Ezzor. In new manifestation of unbridled brutality militants of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist organization killed and crucified five civilians in Mouhessen town and Jadid Ekeidat village in the countryside of the northeastern province of Deir Ezzor state-run news agency said. SANA reporter quoted a number of residents in the town as saying that ISIL terrorists killed three civilians from the town two of them are elderly men on charges of apostasy and crucified them in the towns square. In the meantime other ISIL terrorists shot two civilians dead after blindfolding them and tying their hands. The two victims were also crucified in the square of Jadid Akidat village eye witnesses said. Earlier ISIL terrorists killed and crucified two more citizens in al-Hessan village executed two others in Mouhessen town and assassinated lawyer Dawood Suleiman al-Shaher member of the general commission of the Bar Association branch in Deir Ezzor who had been abducted for several days. In Damascus three women including a girl child were wounded and two houses were damaged in a terrorist mortar attack that hit al-Shaghour neighborhood. A source at the Police Command told SANA reporter that terrorists fired a mortar round that landed in Zqaq al-Sheikh in the neighborhood injuring 3 women including a 9-year-old girl in addition to damaging two houses. On Saturday four citizens including a young girl were wounded by mortar shells fired by terrorists on al-Shaghour al-Abbasiyyeen and al-Qassaa neighborhoods in the city of Damascus. ,manar,8/31/2014,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965511142,Syrian Army Kills 15 Terrorists in Qalamoun Advances in Jobar,29-08-2014 Syrian Army Kills 15 Terrorists in Qalamoun Advances in Jobar. The Syrian army ambushed Friday a group of terrorists on Flita barrens in Qalamoun killing 15 and injuring dozens of them. The Syrian army ambushed Friday a group of terrorists on Flita barrens in Qalamoun killing 15 and injuring dozens of them according to Al-Manar reporter. The Syrian army units continued operations in Jobar and the areas surrounding it in eastern Ghouta in Damascus countryside destroying several tunnels with the terrorists inside and establishing control over building blocks SANA reported. The Syrian military also operated against the militant groups across the country inflicting heavy losses upon them. ,manar,8/29/2014,damascus,1,,,,
1965511143,Syrian Army Kills 50 Al-Nusra Front Terrorists in Daraa,24-08-2014 Syrian Army Kills 50 Al-Nusra Front Terrorists in Daraa. The Syrian army had successfully killed at least 50 Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists in Daraa countryside in Southern Syria The Syrian army had successfully killed at least 50 Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists in Daraa countryside in Southern Syria as army units made major advances in the town of Arabeen in Eastern Ghouta killing at least 35 terrorists in fierce clashes. The Syrian army ambushed a gathering for Al-Nusra front in Daraa city killing 50 militants. On Friday a military source announced that the Syrian forces have defeated militants across the outskirts of Daraa. A large number of militants were killed and wounded and so many others fled the battlefronts after Syrian soldiers massive attacks against their strongholds in al-Jubailiyeh area and cement factory in Aleppo. The source noted that the Syrian armys victories in Arabeen Douma Marj Al-Sultan Zobdin and Ain Tarma have widened rifts among the militants. Meantime the Syrian troops regained control of a cement factory in near the city of Aleppo while other army units continued their military operations in Al-Moslemieh region near Aleppo Central Prison. Also Syrian Armed Forces inflicted massive losses upon insurgents in Idlib and Damascus countryside killing and wounding a large number of the foreign-backed militants. In a series of new operations Syrian soldiers won the battle against the rebels in Nahleh town in Idlib countryside where scores of them were killed Syrian Arab News Agency reported. A military source told the State News Agency on Sunday that 180 gunmen in Bassima in Damascus countryside turned in themselves and their weapons to authorities. ,manar,8/24/2014,daraa,1,,,,
1965511144,Syrian Army Ambushes Kills 140 ISIL Terrorists in Raqqa Countryside,21-08-2014 Syrian Army Ambushes Kills 140 ISIL Terrorists in Raqqa Countryside. The Syrian army Thursday ambushed and killed 140 ISIL terrorists in the vicinity of Tabaqa military airport in Raqqa countryside. The Syrian army Thursday ambushed and killed 140 ISIL terrorists in the vicinity of Tabaqa military airport in Raqqa countryside. The Syrian military on Thursday continued its operations against terrorists in several areas across the country inflicting heavy losses upon them. After concluding the reconciliation agreements in several neighborhoods in southern Damascus the local residents started to back to their houses as the authorities launched the workshops of rehabilitating the public utilities.,manar,8/21/2014,raqqa,1,,,,
1965511145,Syrian Army Kills 31 ISIL Terrorists in Raqqa Province,17-08-2014 Syrian Army Kills 31 ISIL Terrorists in Raqqa Province. The Syrian warplanes targeted ISIL strongholds in Raqqa province killing 31 terrorists including commanders. The Syrian warplanes targeted ISIL strongholds in Raqqa province killing 31 terrorists including commanders. The Syrian army foiled militant infiltration attempts and targeted the terrorists gatherings across the country killing and injuring scores of them.,manar,8/17/2014,raqqa,1,,,,
1965511146,At Least 19 Executed by ISIL in Deir Ezour,"07-08-2014 At Least 19 Executed by ISIL in Deir Ezour. The opposition UK-based Syrian Observatory reported that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant executed at least 19 men at an oil field in Deir Ezour. The opposition UK-based Syrian Observatory reported that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant executed at least 19 men at an oil field in Deir Ezour. The Observatory added that ISIL executed the 19 men on charges of ""corruption on earth"" and retracted ""Sources in Deir Ezour asserted that the executed were workers in the oil field."" ",manar,8/7/2014,deir ezzor,1,,,,
1965511147,Syria Terrorists Commit Massacre in Hama Village 14 Civilians Killed,"09-07-2014 title: Syria Terrorists Commit Massacre in Hama Village 14 Civilians Killed. Syria insurgents killed at least 14 civilians in the village of Khatab in central Hama province overnight. Syria insurgents killed at least 14 civilians in the village of Khatab in central Hama province overnight. Official news agency said the terrorists out a massacre against 14 civilians including women and children. ""An armed terrorist group infiltrated the village of Khatab at dawn and committed a massacre among the civilian residents killing 14 of them"" SANA quoted a police source in the city as saying. For its part the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said ""14 residents of Khatab in the northwestern Hama countryside were killed including seven (female) civilians by the insurgents. The group said the terrorists accused the residents of ""collaboration"" with the Syrian government and executed the 14. ",manar,5/13/2014,hama,0,,,,
1965511149,Syrian Army Kills over 80 Terrorists in Various Provinces,24-02-2015 Syrian Army Kills over 80 Terrorists in Various Provinces. Units of the Syrian army and armed forces on Tuesday continued its mop-up operations tightening the noose around foreign-backed terrorists in several areas across the country. Units of the Syrian army and armed forces on Tuesday continued its mop-up operations tightening the noose around foreign-backed terrorists in several areas across the country. Idleb Units of the army and armed forces intensified fire power against terrorist organizations dens and gatherings in Qar al-Ghazal al-Houteh Tal Salmo and Um Jerin in Abu al-Duhour area in the countryside of the northern Idleb province a military source said Tuesday. Many terrorists were killed and some of their vehicles were destroyed during the army strikes the source told SANA. More terrorists were killed others were left injured and their ammo and weapons were destroyed during army operations in Maaret Harma village. Internationally wanted French criminal reported killed Meanwhile activists circulated news on social media pages about the killing of Bassam al-Ayashi an internationally-wanted criminal of French nationality in the area near Arab Saeed town to the west of Idleb city. Homs Army units killed more than 30 terrorists from ISIL in Jazal in the countryside of Palmyra. Many terrorists were killed and others were injured in army strikes on their gatherings in al-Talila area southeast of Palmyra in addition to destroying many of their hideouts in Tal Mahasa and Tal Abdo areas. In Jub al-Jarah area the army targeted terrorist dens and some of their vehicles destroying them along with terrorists inside them in Rasm al-Tawil Masada Um al-Rais and Abu Qator. Others Army units eliminated a number of terrorists during their attempt to infiltrate from Um Sahrij village towards Twlol al-Hawa and Maksar al-Hissan villages in addition to killing terrorists in Burj Kaey in al-Hola in the northern countryside of the province. A number of terrorists were killed and others were injured on the road between al-Gajar and al-Rastan. In al-Waer neighborhood in Homs city the army continued its operations in cooperation with popular defense groups killing many terrorist organizations members. Hama Units of the army and armed forces killed 40 terrorists and destroyed their weapons and ammo in operations targeting terrorist hideouts in Kafr Zita in Hamas countryside near Idlebs southern countryside. The army also carried out a special operation targeting terrorist gatherings in al-Latamneh in Hamas northwestern countryside killing a number of terrorists and injuring others in addition to a precise and concentrated operation targeting terrorist hideouts in Eqeirbat which resulted in the death of ten terrorists. An army unit targeted terrorist hideouts and concentrations in the village of al-Rahjan in al-Salamiye area leaving many terrorists dead and injured and destroying their ammo in addition to eliminating a number of terrorists in the village of Hamadi Omar on the road between al-Balaas Mountain and Palmyra. Another unit eliminated a number of terrorist injured others and destroyed their hideouts in the village of al-Hwaiz in al-Ghab Plain area while yet another unit inflicted losses upon terrorists in Hurr Binafso in the provinces southern countryside. Latakia Army units destroyed terrorist organizations dens killing many of their members in Khan al-Jouz al-Eido al-Hor Kansaba Salma and al-Aliyeh in the northern countryside of Latakia province. The operations resulted in the death of many terrorists including Maher al-Tellawi Abdelsalam Sido Hisham Zako Marwan Zahira Ali Kerkasi Mahmoud Ashira and Mohammad Safu in addition to destroying their weapons ammo and a number of their vehicles. Damascus Countryside Army units focused an intense barrage of firepower on terrorist hideouts in the eastern part of al-Qalamon area in Damascus Countryside on Monday killing a large number of terrorists and destroying a cache containing large amounts of ammunition and weapons. On Tuesday army units destroyed a vehicle along with the terrorists inside it in the farms north of Harasta and demolished a tunnel which was used by terrorists in al-Intaj neighborhood in Harasta. In Douma the army carried out concentrated operations in Aliya farms resulting in the death of many terrorists including Abdelfattah Bwarbubia from Libya and Fayez Jarboua from Palestine. At the outskirts of Erbin terrorist Mohammad al-Malla was killed while clashes in Jobar resulted in losses among terrorists. In the south of Eastern Ghouta an army unit destroyed two vehicles used by terrorists and eliminated the terrorists Kassem Kassab and Qutaiba Ghabash in the farms of Zebdin town in al-Mleiha area. Daraa Units of the army and armed forces on Tuesday killed and injured numbers of terrorists in Aqraba Um al- Awsaj Tal-Antar Tal-Qarein and Samlin. A military source told SANA that the army destroyed a pickup truck transferring terrorists in al-Zemrin town in the southern province. In the Eastern part of the province a unit of the army destroyed a vehicle loaded with terrorists in al-Gharia al-Gharbiya while other terrorists were killed and injured in the town of al-Kark al-Sharqi according to the source. Other army units killed and wounded a number of terrorists in Attman town to the northern part of Daraa city as well as killed and injured another number of terrorists hideouts at the surroundings of Katakit Build. And om Daraj at Karak neighborhood. Meanwhile Terrorist organizations affirmed losses in their ranks and killing of a number of them including one of what they call a group leader Abu Muhamad al-Sharhouli. Quneitra Units of the army and armed forces destroyed a mortar base and many vehicles leaving all terrorists aboard killed in the roundabout of Nabe al-Sakher al-Hamidia al-Samdania al-Gharbia and Boreiqa in the countryside of al-Quneitra province. An army unit destroyed a convoy of terrorists vehicles in Khazan Rasm al-Shouleh in Quneitra countryside in addition to destroying heavy machineguns in al-Rawabi village. ,manar,2/24/2015,idlib,0,,,,
1965511150,Twin Suicide Blasts Target Checkpoint near Damascus Claim 4 Martyrs,23-02-2015 Twin Suicide Blasts Target Checkpoint near Damascus Claim 4 Martyrs. Twin suicide blasts targeted al-Mustaqbal checkpoint on Sayyeda Zainab (AS) Highway near Damascus claiming 4 martyrs and 13 injured. Twin suicide blasts targeted al-Mustaqbal checkpoint on Sayyeda Zainab (AS) Highway near Damascus claiming 4 martyrs and 13 injured. SANA reported that the first explosion happened when a terrorist stepped down from a car at the checkpoint and detonated a blast belt before the second suicide bomber exploded the same car. ,manar,2/23/2015,damascus,0,,,,
1965511152,Terrorists Rocket Shells Claim 9 Civilians in Aleppo,16-02-2015 Terrorists Rocket Shells Claim 9 Civilians in Aleppo. Nine civilians including three children were killed when terrorists fired rocket shells on al-Serian neighborhood in Aleppo city a source in the northern province said on Monday SANA reported. Nine civilians including three children were killed when terrorists fired rocket shells on al-Serian neighborhood in Aleppo city a source in the northern province said on Monday SANA reported. The attacks left also 20 other civilians injured and caused material damage to a number of houses cars and shops noting that the shells were fired by terrorists who are positioned in Bani Zaid neighborhood. ,manar,2/16/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511153,Jaysh al-Islam Fires Rocket Shells at Damascus Kills 3 Wounds 20,05-02-2015 Jaysh al-Islam Fires Rocket Shells at Damascus Kills 3 Wounds 20 Militants of the so-called Jaysh al-Islam terrorist group fired rocket shells on Thursday at residential neighborhoods in East Ghota of Damascus leaving 3 citizens killed and 20 others wounded. Militants of the so-called Jaysh al-Islam terrorist group fired rocket shells on Thursday at residential neighborhoods in East Ghota of Damascus leaving 3 citizens killed and 20 others wounded Al-Manar TV correspondent reported. A source at Damascus police told SANA news agency that the rocket attacks damaged houses and burned a number of cars. Meanwhile a source at Damascus hospital said that bodies of two martyrs and several injured civilians some of them in critical condition arrived in the hospital. Takfiri groups operating in Syria launch frequent attack against residential area in an attempt to retaliate against army blows. Syria was hit by a violent unrest since mid-March 2011 where the western media reports accuse countries mainly the USA Turkey and Saudi Arabia of orchestrating the civil conflict in the country and providing terrorist groups with money weapons and trained mercenaries. In May 2011 Syrian army launched a wide-scale operation against armed groups and gunmen operating in the country who are retaliating by carrying out terrorists attack against residential areas across the state. ,manar,2/5/2015,damascus,1,,,,
1965511156,Terrorist Bomb Targets Bus in Damascus Claims 6 Lebanese Martyrs 22 Injured,01-02-2015 Terrorist Bomb Targets Bus in Damascus Claims 6 Lebanese Martyrs 22 Injured. 6 Lebanese martyrs and 22 injured were claimed in a terrorist bombing which targeted on Sunday a bus at a parking lot in the neighborhood of al-Kallaseh in Damascus. 6 Lebanese martyrs and 22 injured were claimed in a terrorist bombing which targeted on Sunday a bus at a parking lot in the neighborhood of al-Kallaseh in Damascus. The bus was transporting Lebanese pilgrims from the shrine of Sayyeda Ruqayya (AS) to that of Sayyeda Zainab (AS) when an explosive device planted in the vehicle at the parking lot was detonated. According to well-informed sources the competent apparatuses dismantled another explosive device which had been planted near the targeted bus. The terrorist group of Nusra Front claimed responsibility for the bombing according to media reports ,manar,2/1/2015,damascus,1,,,,
1965511157,11 Killed as Nusra Attacks US-Trained Militants in Syrias,"31-07-2015 11 Killed as Nusra Attacks US-Trained Militants in Syrias. Al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front launched an offensive Friday on the headquarters of a new US-formed anti-government militant group in the countrys north leaving at least 11 dead Al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front launched an offensive Friday on the headquarters of a new US-formed anti-government militant group in the countrys north leaving at least 11 dead a monitor said. The attack came one day after the Takfiri group kidnapped eight militants from Division 30 who had been trained and equipped by Washington said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. ""Al-Nusra attacked at dawn the headquarters of Division 30 near the town of Azaz in the northern province of Aleppo"" the Britain-based Observatory said. Clashes broke out after the assault that killed five of Al-Nusra and allied militants as well as six militants who were defending Division 30 said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. He said Al-Nusra launched the attack to seize weapons ""given by Washington to the militants"" but that the group had not been able to enter the base as clashes continued during the day. In a statement posted on its Facebook page about the attack Division 30 called on Al-Nusra to stop ""spilling the blood of Muslims"". At least 54 members of Division 30 entered Syria in mid-July equipped with 30 American-made all-terrain vehicles arms and ammunition. Eight of them including a commander were kidnapped on Thursday by Al-Nusra in a village in Aleppo province the Observatory said. ",manar,7/31/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511158,Israeli Drone Strike Kills 3 Popular Fighters in Syrias Quneitra,29-07-2015 Israeli Drone Strike Kills 3 Popular Fighters in Syrias Quneitra Three fighters from the Popular committees in Syrias Quneitra were martyred as an Israeli drone struck their position in al-Hadar village which borders the occupied Golan Heights. Three fighters from the Popular committees in Syrias Quneitra were martyred as an Israeli drone struck their position in al-Hadar village which borders the occupied Golan Heights. In a different context units of the Syrian army and the armed forces on Wednesday continued to tighten the noose around terrorists across the country through launching more military operations against their dens and positions killing scores of them and destroying their arms and ammunition. ,manar,2/2/2015,quneitra,0,,,,
1965511159,Syria Civilian Killed Others Injured in Mortar Shells Bomb Attack,27-07-2015 Syria Civilian Killed Others Injured in Mortar Shells Bomb Attack. One Syrian civilian was killed on Monday and at least 17 others were injured in several attacks across the country. One Syrian civilian was killed on Monday and at least 17 others were injured in several attacks across the country. SANA news agency reported that mortar shells fired by terrorists at al-Zablatani area and Damascus Sheraton Hotel killed a civilian and injured 14 others. The agency quoted a source at the Police command as saying that terrorists of the so called Jaish al-Islam fired three shells landed in al-Zablatani residential area causing the death of one civilian and injury of 13 others in addition to material damage inflicted upon three cars. The source added that another mortar shell fell in the vicinity of Damascus Sheraton Hotel leaving a dustman injured. Another mortar shell also landed in Bab Touma neighborhood caused material damage in one of the houses. Elsewhere in in Qamishli 80 km to the north of the Eastern Hasaka province three other persons were wounded when an explosive device went in the area. Terrorists detonated an explosive device which they had earlier planted on a bicycle parked in front of al-Bayan school at the center of Qamishli city a source in Hasaka province told SANA reporter. ,manar,7/27/2015,damascus,0,,,,
1965511161,ISIL Used Chemical Weapons against Syria Kurds in Hasakeh,"18-07-2015 ISIL Used Chemical Weapons against Syria Kurds in Hasakeh. Militants of the Takfiri group ISIL fired missiles containing toxic gas at Kurdish forces in Syria last month the forces and a monitoring group said. Militants of the Takfiri group ISIL (so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant) fired missiles containing toxic gas at Kurdish forces in Syria last month the forces and a monitoring group said. The Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) and the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights both reported the late June attacks in Hasakeh province in northeastern Syria. The YPG said the attacks occurred on June 28 and targeted the Kurdish-held Salhiya district of Hasakeh city and Kurdish positions south of the town of Tel Brak. ""Upon impact the projectiles released a yellow gas with a strong smell of rotten onions"" the statement said. It added that the ground around the impact sites was stained with a liquid that was green at first but turned yellow on contact with sunlight. ""Our troops exposed to the gas experienced burning of the throat eyes and nose combined with severe headaches muscle pain and impaired concentration and mobility. Prolonged exposure to the chemicals also caused vomiting."" The YPG reported no deaths in the attacks and said that exposed forces subsequently recovered from their symptoms. They added that YPG fighters had captured industrial-grade gas masks from ISIl forces in recent weeks ""confirming that they are prepared and equipped for chemical warfare along this sector of the front."" The Observatory also reported the two attacks. Citing medical sources the Britain-based monitoring group said at least 12 YPG fighters suffered symptoms including choking burning eyes and vomiting in the attack south of Tel Brak. ",manar,7/2/2015,hasakeh,0,,,,
1965511162,US-led Air Strikes Kill 7 Al-Nusra Gunmen in Syria,"09-07-2015 US-led Air Strikes Kill 7 Al-Nusra Gunmen in Syria. Seven militants from Syrias Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front terrorist group including commanders were killed in US-led air strikes Wednesday in the northwest of the conflict-riven country. Seven militants from Syrias Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front terrorist group including commanders were killed in US-led air strikes Wednesday in the northwest of the conflict-riven country a Britain-based opposition monitoring group said. The US-led raids in Syria which began last September have allegedly focused on the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) takfiri group but Al-Nusra Front terrorist organization has also been the target of some strikes. ""Seven Al-Nusra members including commanders were killed in at least five coalition air strikes against the groups bases and a vehicle in Idleb province"" the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Rami Abdel Rahman said. Most of Idleb province has been under the control of Al-Nusra and its terrorist allies. The United States is backing more moderate rebels in their fight against the Syrian regime. Like ISIL Al-Nusra is blacklisted as a ""terrorist organization"" by Washington. Syria was hit by a violent unrest since mid-March 2011 where the western media reports accuse countries mainly the USA Turkey Saudi Arabia and Qatar of orchestrating the civil conflict in the country and providing terrorist groups with money weapons and trained mercenaries. On May 2011 Syrian army launched a wide-scale operation against armed groups and gunmen operating in the country who started to escape the army blows and infiltrate illegally to Lebanon. ",manar,7/9/2015,idlib,0,,,,
1965511163,Syrian Army Foils Takfiri Attack in Daraa Kills at least 50 Gunmen in Lattakia,07-07-2015 title: Syrian Army Foils Takfiri Attack in Daraa Kills at least 50 Gunmen in Lattakia. The Syrian army continued on Tuesday military operations against the terrorist organizations hideouts and positions across the country inflicting heavy loses upon them in personnel and equipment. The Syrian army continued on Tuesday military operations against the terrorist organizations hideouts and positions across the country inflicting heavy loses upon them in personnel and equipment state-run SANA news agency reported. In Daraa an army unit carried out intensified operations against the al-Nusra front affiliate terrorist organizations in al-Nueimeh village 4 km east of Daraa city. The army operation resulted in killing and injury scores of terrorists and the destruction of their weapons and ammunition the source added. Another army unit eliminated a number of terrorists in precise military operations against al-Nusra Front and other Takfiri terrorist organizations positions to the west of the schools complex in Daraa al-Mahata the east of al- Tulabieh square and to the south of al- Khalil mosque in Daraa al-Balad. Meanwhile terrorist organizations admitted on their social media websites the killing of a number of their members including Khaldoun Hamad al-Yousef and Aahmad Mousa al-Abboud. Terrorists vehicles equipped with machine guns were destroyed in a series of army air strikes in Daraa city and its surroundings. An army unit destroyed an ammunition depot in Khrab al-Shahm town in the countryside of the province near the Jordanian border. In the neighboring Quneitra province an army unit carried out a special operation in which it killed a number of terrorists affiliated to al-Nusra Front the so-called Ahrar al-Sham Movement and Al-Furqan Brigades in Mashara town in the eastern countryside of the southern Quneitra province. Another army unit targeted gatherings of terrorists and others movements to the north of al-Hamidiyeh village to the west of Quneitra city leaving some of them killed or wounded. In Lattakia at least 50 terrorists most of them from al-Nusra terrorist group were killed in army operations against their dens and positions in the villages of Droushan al-Durra and Rabia 60 km to the north of Lattakia city in the coastal Lattakia province. The military source added that an armored vehicle another equipped with a machinegun and an amount of ammunition and weapons belonging to the terrorists were destroyed in the operations. In northern Syria the army units targeted terrorists positions in the neighborhoods of al- Rashidin Alliramoun al-Zaidiyeh Bustan al-Qasr Qadi Askar and al-Jadideh in Aleppo city killing and injuring scores of terrorists. Meanwhile a source in Aleppo province told SANA that an army unit destroyed last night a car packed with large amounts of explosives which the terrorists tried to drive it into Jamiyet al-Zahraa neighborhood on the western outskirts of Aleppo city. The car was completely destroyed before it managed to enter the neighborhood said the source stressing that the suicide bomber and all the terrorists near the car were killed. The army units the source added clashed with terrorists who tried to infiltrate toward the neighborhood killing and injuring scores of them. In the same context army units killed al-Nusra terrorists in operations against their positions and hideouts in al-Mansoureh village and in the surroundings of the Scientific Research building near the city. In the southern countryside of the province many terrorists were killed and injured and their vehicles weapons and ammunition were destroyed during army operations against their hideouts and movements in the village of Binan al-Hos and Khirbet al-Maaser. In the neighboring Idleb province army units destroyed a number of hideouts for al-Nusra with terrorists weapons and ammunition inside to the north and south of Abu al-Duhour airport and in Bishlamoun Kinsafra and Jisr al-Shughour in the countryside of the province. In Hasaka the army air force carried out a series of air strikes against hideouts of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) takfiri group in al-Shadadi city in the northeastern Hasaka province. The military source confirmed to SANA that the air strikes left several hideouts destroyed in Masaken 48 and the Water Station in the city. More hideouts were destroyed in al-Arisha town in al-Shadadi area which terrorists have turned into a main center for them where they train recruits and make explosives and car bombs. Meanwhile SANA reporter in Hasaka province said army targeted gatherings of ISIL terrorists in the surroundings of the main power station and the neighborhoods of al-Lailiyeh and al-Nashwa al-Gharbiyeh and near the Hotel School in the southern outskirts of Hasaka city. In central Syria army units inflicted heavy losses upon terrorists in personnel and equipment during operations against their hideouts and gatherings in Taldao and al-Houla in northeastern Homs province. The source added that a number of al-Nusra terrorists were killed and their weapons and ammunition were destroyed in Saliko Street in al- Rastan in the countryside of Homs province. In Damascus Countryside the army air force killed ISIS terrorists and destroyed a car bomb and a machine gun in Tal al-Dabe al-Gharbi on the outskirts of al-Badia desert between Damascus countryside and Homs. An army unit the source also said targeted terrorists most of them affiliated to al-Nusra Front to the west of Tallet Marwan near Mighr al-Mir village 40 km to the southwest of Damascus. A vehicle with terrorists on board was destroyed there. Syria was hit by a violent unrest since mid-March 2011 where the western media reports accuse countries mainly the USA Turkey Saudi Arabia and Qatar of orchestrating the civil conflict in the country and providing terrorist groups with money weapons and trained mercenaries. On May 2011 Syrian army launched a wide-scale operation against armed groups and gunmen operating in the country who started to escape the army blows and infiltrate illegally to Lebanon. ,manar,7/7/2015,lattakia,0,,,,
1965511164,US Raids on ISILs Syria Stronghold Kill 22 including Civilians,"05-07-2015 US Raids on ISILs Syria Stronghold Kill 22 including Civilians. Six civilians including a child were among at least 22 people killed in US air strikes on the stronghold of the Takfiri group ISIL (so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) on Saturday and Sunday a monitor said. Six civilians including a child were among at least 22 people killed in US air strikes on the stronghold of the Takfiri group ISIL (so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) on Saturday and Sunday a monitor said. The rest of the dead in the raids on the city of Raqa were ISIL militants the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Dozens of people were also wounded in the raids which took place on Saturday and Sunday. The US-led coalition which launched an air war against ISIL in Syria last September said it had carried out ""significant"" air strikes against Raqa. ""The significant air strikes tonight were executed to deny Daesh (ISIL) the ability to move military capabilities throughout Syria and into Iraq"" spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gilleran said. ""This was one of the largest deliberate engagements we have conducted to date in Syria and it will have debilitating effects on Daeshs ability to move from Raqa."" Coalition forces ""successfully engaged multiple targets"" throughout Raqa the statement said destroying IS structures and transit routes. The strikes ""have severely constricted terrorist freedom of movement"" it added. Washington is leading an international coalition fighting ISIL in Syria and Iraq where the extremist group has proclaimed an Islamic ""caliphate"" in territory under its control. However many reports make doubts about the real intentions of the US raids pointing out that the coalition warplanes had dropped weapons and several supplies to the Takfiri insurgents. Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei had repeatedly accused the US of backing the Takfiris saying that Washington is not honest in fighting ISIL. ",manar,7/5/2015,raqqa,1,,,,
1965511165,Terrorist Blast Kills Grand Mosque Imam in Damascus,"03-07-2015 Terrorist Blast Kills Grand Mosque Imam in Damascus. A terrorist explosive device planted inside the Grand Mosque in Syrias Damascus went off on Friday killing the Imam Sheikh Salman al-Afandi. A terrorist explosive device planted inside the Grand Mosque in Syrias Damascus went off on Friday killing the Imam Sheikh Salman al-Afandi state-run TV reported. Local sources told SANA news agency that a terrorist group planted the IED under the platform of the mosque and detonated it during the Imams speech. Sheikh Afandi was martyred at once and five other worshippers were wounded. The explosion caused much destruction inside the mosque. In a statement issued afternoon the Ministry of Awqaf announced the martyrdom of Sheikh Afandi stressing that the blood of the martyrs ""will only increase our determination to defeat the takfiri terrorism and forces of darkness and evil anytime anywhere."" In June 23 a group of terrorists blew up a car bomb in front of Maath bin Jabal mosque in Baydar al-Sultana neighborhood in central Damascus at the time when worshippers were getting out from Taraweeh prayers killing several people and injuring several others. ",manar,7/3/2015,damascus,1,,,,
1965511166,Five Civilians Killed in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Aleppo,03-07-2015 Five Civilians Killed in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Aleppo. Five civilians were killed on Thursday and more than 90 others were wounded in rocket attacks launched by terrorists against many residential neighborhoods in Aleppo. Five civilians were killed on Thursday and more than 90 others were wounded in rocket attacks launched by terrorists against many residential neighborhoods in Aleppo. A police source told SANA that a number of rocket shells were launched by terrorists positioned in Bani Zaid and al-Rashideen on al-Zaharra al-Ashrafeya Mughambo University city and al-Nile street. The attacks claimed the lives of five citizens and injured 90 others causing material damages to houses shops and cars. ,manar,7/3/2015,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511169,ISIL Terrorists Execute 24 Civilians after Seizing Syria Village,"29-07-2016 ISIL Terrorists Execute 24 Civilians after Seizing Syria Village. The Takfiri ISIL group has executed at least 24 civilians after seizing a village in northern Syria from a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance a monitor said Friday. The Takfiri ISIL group has executed at least 24 civilians after seizing a village in northern Syria from a US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance a monitor said Friday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said ISIL executed 24 civilians ""in the last 24 hours"" after taking Buyir from the Syrian Democratic Forces. The village is located some 10 kilometers (6 miles) northwest of Manbij a key waypoint between the Turkish border and the ISIL de facto capital of Raqa city. ISIL seized control of several villages in the countryside northwest of Manbij since launching a ""fierce assault"" on Thursday according to the Britain-based Observatory. The so-called SDF backed by air strikes from a US-led coalition launched an offensive to retake Manbij from IS on May 31. The alliance managed to enter the town but have since faced fierce opposition from the Takfiris who have fought back with suicide bombers and car bombs. ",manar,7/29/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511170,Syria Dozens Martyred Injured in Qamishli ISIL Terrorist Attack,"27-07-2016 Syria Dozens Martyred Injured in Qamishli ISIL Terrorist Attack. A terrorist car bomb attack killed at least 44 and injured 140 others on Wednesday in al-Qameshli city in Hasaka province. An ISIL terrorist car bomb attack killed at least 44 and injured 140 others on Wednesday in al-Qameshli city in Hasaka province. SANA news agency quoted a source in Hasaka as saying that a terrorist suicide bomber carried out the attack using a car bomb in al-Gharbiya neighborhood on the road between al-Hialiyeh roundabout and Youth City roundabout on the western part of the city. The source said that scores of people were killed and injured in the attack and that a number of residential buildings and the infrastructure in the area sustained severe damage. Medical sources in the city told SANAs reporter that al-Qamishli National Hospital and a number of private hospitals received the bodies of 44 victims as well as 140 injured people some of whom sustained severe injuries which means that the death toll is likely to rise. For its part the Takfiri ISIL group claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement circulated on social media it said the attack was carried out by a bomber in an explosives-laden truck. The terrorist group said the attack was ""a response to the crimes committed by the crusader coalition aircraft"" in the town of Manbij a bastion of the Takfiri group in Syrias Aleppo province. ",manar,7/27/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1965511171,Death Toll from Terrorist Attacks in Aleppo City Rises to 11 44 Injured,23-07-2016 Death Toll from Terrorist Attacks in Aleppo City Rises to 11 44 Injured. Eleven civilians were killed among them a child and two women while 44 others were injured in terrorist attacks with rocket shells and sniper bullets on neighborhoods and the public facilities in Aleppo city on Friday Eleven civilians were killed among them a child and two women while 44 others were injured in terrorist attacks with rocket shells and sniper bullets on neighborhoods and the public facilities in Aleppo city on Friday. A source at Aleppo Police Command said that eight civilians were killed and 34 others injured in a rocket shell fired by terrorist groups on the public park. The source added that terrorists also fired a number of rocket shells on al-Khaldiyeh neighborhood killing three civilians and injuring 7 others and causing huge material damage to the citizens houses cars and private properties. Earlier five civilians including a child and a woman were killed and 27 others were injured due to a rocket shell fired by terrorists on the Public Park in Aleppo city according to a source at Aleppo Police Command. The source told SANAs correspondent that some of the injured civilians are in a critical condition and that the attack caused material damage to the park and its facilities. Meanwhile a number of citizens were injured due to terrorist rocket attacks on the besieged towns of al-Fouaa and Kafraya in Idleb in a new breach of the cessation of hostilities agreement. Local sources told SANA reporter that terrorists positioned in Binnish and Maaret Masrin towns targeted al-Fouaa and Kafraya towns with a number of rocket shells injuring a number of citizens and causing material damage to citizens properties. In Damascus Countryside a citizen was injured due to a terrorist rocket attack on Harasta Suburb in Damascus Countryside. A source at Damascus Countryside Police Command said that terrorist groups fired three rocket shells on Harasta Suburb injuring a citizen and causing material damage to public and private properties.,manar,7/4/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511172,US-led Coalition Strikes Kill 21 Civilians in Northern Syria,18-07-2016 US-led Coalition Strikes Kill 21 Civilians in Northern Syria. Airstrikes by US-led coalition fighter jets have killed at least 21 civilians in northern Syrian territories held by ISIL terrorists Airstrikes by US-led coalition fighter jets have killed at least 21 civilians in northern Syrian territories held by ISIL terrorists a monitoring group said. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday that at least 15 people were killed as the coalition carried out raids in a northern district of Manbij city. The UK-based group which advocates the Syrian opposition said six more people lost their lives in a village near Manbij after similar attacks by coalition fighter jets. The so-called multinational task force against ISIL started its controversial mission in Iraq in late 2014 after ISIL seized control over territories west and north of the country. The United States claims the attacks are carried out to assist Syrian Kurds and Arabs fighting against ISIL in areas along the Turkish border in the province of Aleppo. However the attacks have led to numerous deaths among the civilians and Syrian military forces. The US and allies use the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey to bomb purported ISIL positions in northern Syria and Iraq. ,manar,7/18/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511173,Russian Strikes Kill 18 ISIL Fighters in Syria,"15-07-2016 Russian Strikes Kill 18 ISIL Fighters in Syria. Russian air strikes have killed 18 ISIL group fighters in central Syria including near the historic city of Palmyra over the past 24 hours a monitor said on Friday. Russian air strikes have killed 18 ISIL group fighters in central Syria including near the historic city of Palmyra over the past 24 hours a monitor said on Friday. The Britain-based opposing Syrian Observatory said European members of ISIL were among the dead in the strikes around the town of Sukhna and near Palmyra in the central province of Homs. A key ally of the Syrian government Russia began carrying out air strikes in the country in late September. On Thursday it said it had carried out more than 50 raids over two days targeting ISIL jihadists near Palmyra which government forces recaptured from the extremist group in March. ""The Russian air force has increased the intensity of its strikes against targets of the armed units of international terrorist organizations near the city of Palmyra"" the ministry said in a statement Thursday on its Facebook page. Six Tupolev bombers flew out of an airbase in Russia on Thursday morning and conducted strikes east of Palmyra near the cities of Arak and Sukhna as well as in the Homs region the statement said. ",manar,7/15/2016,homs,0,,,,
1965511175,Syrian Forces Foil Raid on Castello Kill 29 Militants,10-07-2016 Syrian Forces Foil Raid on Castello Kill 29 Militants. Nearly 30 foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists have been killed in an offensive they had unsuccessfully launched to reopen a key supply route into the Syrian northern city of Aleppo Nearly 30 foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists have been killed in an offensive they had unsuccessfully launched to reopen a key supply route into the Syrian northern city of Aleppo. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced on Sunday that militants from the so-called Faylaq al-Sham and Nusra Front the latter of which is the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda mounted an attack to recapture the strategic Castello Road on Thursday. It added that Syrian army soldiers launched a counter-offensive killing 29 extremists and foiling their attack. The attack has ended and the road remains completely closed said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman. The Castello Road was effectively severed by Syrian forces Thursday when they seized a hilltop within firing range of the key supply route. By Saturday the army soldiers were within 500 meters (yards) of the road and firing on any vehicle attempting to use it. The Observatory said at least one car had been targeted on the road early Sunday morning adding it was unclear if it was carrying civilians or fighters. The capture of the Castello Road came in the wake of recent advances by the Syrian army in the al-Mallah Farms area northwest of Aleppo. The army had been attempting to seize Mallah for more than two years as it runs adjacent to the Castello Road the last route militants can use to access districts they control in the second Syrian city. The capture of Mallah Farms and Castello Road enables Syrian forces to besiege militant-held neighborhoods of Aleppo and puts them within the firing range of the army. ,manar,7/10/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511176,Syria Terrorists Target Aleppo with Over 10 Rocket Shells,09-07-2016 Syria Terrorists Target Aleppo with Over 10 Rocket Shells. Terrorist groups targeted the area surrounding the Municipal Palace in Aleppo city with more than 10 rocket shells on Saturday morning violating the cessation of hostilities agreement. Terrorist groups targeted the area surrounding the Municipal Palace in Aleppo city with more than 10 rocket shells on Saturday morning violating the cessation of hostilities agreement. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA that terrorist groups fired more than 10 rocket shells on the area surrounding the Municipal Palace causing huge material damage to the buildings and private and public properties. On Friday terrorists targeted al-Furqan and al-Fayed neighborhoods and the University Housing in Aleppo with tens of rocket shells killing according to teh latest toll 44 civilians and wounding over 140. ,manar,7/9/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511177,5 Civilians Killed in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Aleppo,07-07-2016 5 Civilians Killed in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Aleppo. Rocket shells were fired on Wednesday by terrorist groups on residential areas in Aleppo province leaving five civilians killed SANA reported. Rocket shells were fired on Wednesday by terrorist groups on residential areas in Aleppo province leaving five civilians killed SANA reported. A source at Aleppo Police Command said three civilians were killed after terrorists targeted Saif al-Dawleh neighborhood in Aleppo city with rocket shells. Earlier two children were killed and 6 others were injured as two rocket shells hit al-Zahraa town in the northern countryside of the province the source said. Three other civilians were reported injured as a third shell fell in al-Masharqeh neighborhood in Aleppo city according to the source. Material damage caused by terrorist rocket attack on al-Baath city Quneitra In the same context al-Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) terrorists targeted al-Baath city in the southern Quneitra province with rockets. Two shells fired by terrorists positioned in al-Samadaniyeh al-Gharbiyeh village fell in the vicinity of the Agricultural Research Centers building in al-Baath city a source at Quneitra Police Command told SANA. The attack caused only material damage to the locals houses and properties but no human casualties were reported the source confirmed. ,manar,7/7/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511178,Syrian Army Allies Kill 100 Terrorists in Mallah Farms in Aleppo,30-06-2016 Syrian Army Allies Kill 100 Terrorists in Mallah Farms in Aleppo. Over 100 militants including field commanders were killed by the Syrian army and allies who repelled a major terrorist attack on Mallah Farms in Aleppo northern countryside. Over 100 militants including field commanders were killed by the Syrian army and allies who repelled a major terrorist attack on Mallah Farms in Aleppo northern countryside. Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) Jaish al-Fateh and a number of terrorist groups were involved in the attack which was frustrated since its beginning when the Syrian army detonated the terrorists booby-trapped vehicles before reaching their targets. The Syrian air force and artillery regiment ambushed and struck the terrorists reinforcements claiming scores of terrorists and blocking their progress towards Mallah Farms which marks a remarkable battlefield victory. Moreover the Syrian army units backed by the Air Force continued on Thursday targeting gatherings and vehicles of ISIL and other terrorist organizations across the country inflicting heavy losses upon them in personnel and equipment. ,manar,6/5/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511179,7 Civilians Killed 25 Injured in Terrorist Car Attack in Tal Abyad Raqqa,29-06-2016 7 Civilians Killed 25 Injured in Terrorist Car Attack in Tal Abyad Raqqa. Seven civilians were killed and 25 other were injured most of them in critical condition in a terrorist car bomb attack in Tal Abyad city in the northern countryside of Raqqa province on Wednesday Seven civilians were killed and 25 other were injured most of them in critical condition in a terrorist car bomb attack in Tal Abyad city in the northern countryside of Raqqa province on Wednesday. Local sources in the city told SANA that the terrorist bombing occurred at the center of the city in front of Teachers Syndicate. Besides the casualties the attack also caused great material damage to the Syndicates building and nearby houses according to the locals. Tal Abyad city is located about 100 km to the north of Raqqa city. ,manar,6/2/2016,raqqa,0,,,,
1965511180,7 Civilians Injured in New Terrorist Rocket Attack in Aleppo,17-06-2016 7 Civilians Injured in New Terrorist Rocket Attack in Aleppo. Seven civilians were injured in a terrorist rocket attack on al-Khalediya neighborhood in Aleppo city. Seven civilians were injured in a terrorist rocket attack on al-Khalediya neighborhood in Aleppo city according to SANA. In a statement to SANA a source at Aleppo Police Command said that terrorists targeted with rocket shells al-Khalediya neighborhood in Aleppo city injuring 7 people who were rushed to the citys hospitals for treatment. The source added that the attack caused also material damage to the citizens houses and properties. Since the cessation of hostilities agreement came into effect on February 27 2016 terrorist groups had breached it 677 times with most of the breaches in Aleppo and Damascus countryside. ,manar,6/17/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511181,Syrian Army Advances in Latakia Kills 16 Terrorists,16-06-2016 Syrian Army Advances in Latakia Kills 16 Terrorists. The Syrian army managed on Thursday to put the terrorists in the line of its fire in Kels Shahroura Sarraf and Hajjar east of the town of Rabia in Latakia northern countryside. The Syrian army managed on Thursday to put the terrorists in the line of its fire in Kels Shahroura Sarraf and Hajjar east of the town of Rabia in Latakia northern countryside. The Syrian army and allies also clashed with the terrorists in Jabal al-Turkman killing 16 of them. The Syrian army also struck an ISIL terrorist group mostly foreigners who attacked a military post at the triangle of al- Rassafe in the western countryside of Raqqa province according to SANA. Syrian army in cooperation with popular defense groups backed by Syrian and Russian air forces began on 2 June a wide military operation on Athriya-Khanaser- al-Tabqa axis that resulted so far to establish control over Zakia-Deir Haffer crossroads Abu al-Zain mountains al-Masbah area Abu al-Alaaj village power and oil pumping plants two oil fields Harbiyat and Anbaj villages and al-Safeeh triangle at Habari field. The Syrian army units targeted monitoring and reconnaissance position for al-Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) terrorist organization east of al-Khuder Hill 7 km east of Daraa city a military source told SANA. ,manar,6/16/2016,lattakia,0,,,,
1965511183,Syria Terrorist Attacks in Aleppo Claim 20 Martyrs,09-06-2016 Syria Terrorist Attacks in Aleppo Claim 20 Martyrs. The death toll from the shelling attacks launched by al-Nusra terrorists on neighborhoods in areas in Aleppo province in the past 24 hours has reached 20 people in addition to tens of others injured SANA reported. The death toll from the shelling attacks launched by al-Nusra terrorists on neighborhoods in areas in Aleppo province in the past 24 hours has reached 20 people in addition to tens of others injured SANA reported. The Russian Center for coordinating and monitoring the cessation of hostilities agreement in Syria said in a statement on Thursday that terrorists of al-Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) targeted al-Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in the city and Handarat town in the northern countryside of Aleppo with various types of shells claiming the lives of 15 people injuring tens of others and causing massive material damage to the citizens properties. The Russian Coordination Center said earlier today that five people were killed and 50 others were injured when al-Nusra terrorists fired shells on al-Midan neighborhood in the city. The center based in Hmeimim added that al-Nusra terrorists shelled during the past 24 hours al-Foaa town in Idleb the villages of Ard al-Wata and Rasha in Lattakia military checkpoints in Hama Marj al-Sultan town in Damascus Countryside and neighborhoods and houses in al-Menshiyeh area in Daraa city. In the same context a source at Aleppo Police Command said six more civilians were injured when terrorist groups launched gunfire and rocket attacks on al-Forqan al-Akramiyeh al-Aazamiyeh and Saif al-Dawleh neighborhoods in Aleppo city. The attacks also caused material damage. Later on the day SANA reporter said 11 people were injured by shrapnel of explosive bullets fired by terrorist groups on the neighborhoods of al-Serian al-Qadima Iskandaron and Baghdad Station and near Saadallah al-Jabiri Square. The source added that terrorist snipers targeted civilians in al-Ramouseh neighborhood in Aleppo wounding one person. ,manar,6/9/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511184,3 Civilians Killed 38 Injured in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Deir Ezzor Aleppo,06-06-2016 3 Civilians Killed 38 Injured in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Deir Ezzor Aleppo. Two civilians were killed and three others were injured in terrorist rocket attacks on neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor city. Two civilians were killed and three others were injured in terrorist rocket attacks on neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor city. A source at Deir Ezzor Governorate told SANA reporter on Wednesday that ISIL terrorists fired at dawn several rocket shells on al-Qusour and al-Joura neighborhoods in the city. The terrorist attacks according to the source claimed the lives of two persons and injured three others and caused material damage to the public and private properties where the shells fell. Aleppo In the same context a woman was killed and 35 others were injured in terrorist attacks with rocket shells on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city in a new breach to the cessation of hostilities. A source at Aleppo police command said in a statement to SANA reporter that terrorist groups targeted on Wednesday morning al-Shrafiyeh neighborhood with rocket shells killing a woman and injuring four other civilians. 17 other civilians were injured in Mogambo neighborhood while another one was injured in attacks on al-Hamadaniyeh neighborhood. The injured persons were taken to hospitals for treatment. The terrorist attacks according to the source caused material damage to the infrastructure and the locals houses and properties. The terrorist groups targeted the charitable clinic of al-Ihsan association in al- Mogambo with rocket shells injuring three persons from the medical staff in addition to five patients including a woman who aborted due to injuries. Other rocket shells fired by terrorists on al-Ramouseh neighborhood injured two civilians. Local sources told SANA reporter that rocket shells fell on al-Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood injuring three civilians. Eight persons wounded in Foaa and Kefraya in Idleb Meanwhile civil sources told SANA that 8 persons among them two children were wounded in terrorist rocket shells on al-Foaa and Kefraya in Idleb countryside. On Tuesday seven civilians including a child and a woman were killed and 13 others were injured in terrorist attacks with rocket shells and sniper shots on Bab al-Faraj al-Neel street and al-Assad suburb in al-Hamadaniyeh al-Ramouseh and new Aleppo. The Russian center for monitoring and coordination of the cessation of hostilities registered 604 breaches by terrorist groups since it came into effect on February 27. ,manar,6/6/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1965511185,40 Civilians Killed 100 Injured in New Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Aleppo,04-06-2016 40 Civilians Killed 100 Injured in New Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Aleppo. Terrorist groups fired several rocket shells on al-Midan al-Faid and al-Hamadaniyeh neighborhoods in Aleppo city on Saturday leaving 12 civilians dead a source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA. Syria state-run TV channel announced that the number of civilians who have been martyred by the terrorist rocketry shelling Aleppo on Saturday has become around 40 in addition to over 100 injured. Terrorist groups fired several rocket shells on al-Midan al-Faid and al-Hamadaniyeh neighborhoods in Aleppo city on Saturday leaving 12 civilians dead a source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA. The source clarified that five of the dead were killed in attacks in al-Midan neighborhood which also left 25 others injured. The death toll in al-Faid neighborhood reached 3 in addition to 8 injured people. Another rocket shell that fell in al-Hamadaniyeh neighborhood left 5 civilians dead and 47 others injured. Terrorist shelling attacks in Aleppo city on Friday killed two children and injured 27 other people as they targeted the neighborhoods of al-Hamadaniyeh Saif al-Dawleh and al-Midan. ,manar,6/4/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511186,Terrorist Bombing Claims 5 in Syrias Latakia,02-06-2016 Terrorist Bombing Claims 5 in Syrias Latakia. A terrorist motorcycle bomb attack took place near al-Khulafaa al-Rashideen Mosque in al-Daatour neighborhood in Latakia city leaving 5 martyrs. A terrorist motorcycle bomb attack took place near al-Khulafaa al-Rashideen Mosque in al-Daatour neighborhood in Latakia city leaving 5 martyrs. Two civilians were killed and three others were injured in terrorist rocket attacks on neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor city. A source at Deir Ezzor Governorate told SANA reporter on Wednesday that ISIL terrorists fired at dawn several rocket shells on al-Qusour and al-Joura neighborhoods in the city. The terrorist attacks according to the source claimed the lives of two persons and injured three others and caused material damage to the public and private properties where the shells fell. Aleppo In the same context a woman was killed and 35 others were injured in terrorist attacks with rocket shells on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city in a new breach to the cessation of hostilities. A source at Aleppo police command said in a statement to SANA reporter that terrorist groups targeted on Wednesday morning al-Shrafiyeh neighborhood with rocket shells killing a woman and injuring four other civilians. 17 other civilians were injured in Mogambo neighborhood while another one was injured in attacks on al-Hamadaniyeh neighborhood. The injured persons were taken to hospitals for treatment. The terrorist attacks according to the source caused material damage to the infrastructure and the locals houses and properties. The terrorist groups targeted the charitable clinic of al-Ihsan association in al- Mogambo with rocket shells injuring three persons from the medical staff in addition to five patients including a woman who aborted due to injuries. Other rocket shells fired by terrorists on al-Ramouseh neighborhood injured two civilians. Local sources told SANA reporter that rocket shells fell on al-Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood injuring three civilians. Eight persons wounded in Foua and Kafyra in Idleb Meanwhile civil sources told SANA that 8 persons among them two children were wounded in terrorist rocket shells on al-Foaa and Kafrya in Idleb countryside. On Tuesday seven civilians including a child and a woman were killed and 13 others were injured in terrorist attacks with rocket shells and sniper shots on Bab al-Faraj al-Neel street and al-Assad suburb in al-Hamadaniyeh al-Ramouseh and new Aleppo. The Russian center for monitoring and coordination of the cessation of hostilities registered 604 breaches by terrorist groups since it came into effect on February 27. ,manar,6/2/2016,lattakia,1,,,,
1965511187,3 Civilians Killed 38 Injured in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Deir Ezzor Aleppo,01-06-2016 3 Civilians Killed 38 Injured in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Deir Ezzor Aleppo. Two civilians were killed and three others were injured in terrorist rocket attacks on neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor city. Two civilians were killed and three others were injured in terrorist rocket attacks on neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor city. A source at Deir Ezzor Governorate told SANA reporter on Wednesday that ISIL terrorists fired at dawn several rocket shells on al-Qusour and al-Joura neighborhoods in the city. The terrorist attacks according to the source claimed the lives of two persons and injured three others and caused material damage to the public and private properties where the shells fell. Aleppo In the same context a woman was killed and 35 others were injured in terrorist attacks with rocket shells on residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city in a new breach to the cessation of hostilities. A source at Aleppo police command said in a statement to SANA reporter that terrorist groups targeted on Wednesday morning al-Shrafiyeh neighborhood with rocket shells killing a woman and injuring four other civilians. 17 other civilians were injured in Mogambo neighborhood while another one was injured in attacks on al-Hamadaniyeh neighborhood. The injured persons were taken to hospitals for treatment. The terrorist attacks according to the source caused material damage to the infrastructure and the locals houses and properties. The terrorist groups targeted the charitable clinic of al-Ihsan association in al- Mogambo with rocket shells injuring three persons from the medical staff in addition to five patients including a woman who aborted due to injuries. Other rocket shells fired by terrorists on al-Ramouseh neighborhood injured two civilians. Local sources told SANA reporter that rocket shells fell on al-Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood injuring three civilians. Four persons wounded in Foua and Kafyra in Idleb Meanwhile civil sources told SANA that 4 persons among them two children were wounded in terrorist shells on al-Foaa and Kefraya in Idleb countryside. On Tuesday seven civilians including a child and a woman were killed and 13 others were injured in terrorist attacks with rocket shells and sniper shots on Bab al-Faraj al-Neel street and al-Assad suburb in al-Hamadaniyeh al-Ramouseh and new Aleppo. The Russian center for monitoring and coordination of the cessation of hostilities registered 604 breaches by terrorist groups since it came into effect on February 27. ,manar,2/1/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511188,Over 20 Nusra Terrorists Killed in Hama,01-06-2016 Over 20 Nusra Terrorists Killed in Hama. Terrorist organizations are receiving more strikes by the armys air force while the army units continue targeting the organizations sites and movements Terrorist organizations are receiving more strikes by the armys air force while the army units continue targeting the organizations sites and movements with the operations leaving many terrorists dead and their weapons and equipment destroyed. Hama Syrian Army units clashed with terrorist groups affiliated to al-Nusra (Qaeda branch in the Levant) and the so called Ahrar al-Sham Islamic Movement attacked military posts on the axes of al-Zakat Haseria and al-Latamina in the northern countryside of Hama province. A military source said the clashes ended with foiling the attack and killing at least 20 terrorists in addition to destroying their weapons and ammunition. Homs In the neighboring Homs province the armys air force launched a series of airstrikes on hideouts and fortifications of ISIL terrorists in Homs eastern countryside. Three pick-up vehicles equipped with machineguns were destroyed in Jbab Hamad village and a truck transporting terrorists and weapons was hit in Dabet al-Mella village 50 km east of Homs city. The armys air force hit positions and movements of ISIL terrorists in Abed Hill and east of Jebb al-Jarrah. Damascus Countryside An army unit in cooperation with popular defense groups operating in Harfa village foiled an attack attempt by al-Nusra terrorists on a military post in the southwestern countryside of Damascus. The military source explained to SANA reporter that the army unit clashed with the terrorists killing and injuring a number of them and destroying their weapons. The source noted that the fleeing terrorists opened machine gun fire on houses in Harfa village causing material damage to some of them. Deir Ezzor The Syrian armys air force hit gatherings and vehicles equipped with machineguns belonging to ISIL terrorists to the southeast of the Panorama area located on the southwestern outskirts of Deir Ezzor city. ,manar,2/2/2016,hama,0,,,,
1965511189,One Killed Others Injured in Terrorist Attacks in Damascus Homs & Aleppo,28-05-2016 One Killed Others Injured in Terrorist Attacks in Damascus Homs & Aleppo. A woman was killed and a number of people got injured when al-Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) terrorists fired two mortar shells on Ain al-Dananeer village in al-Meshrfeh area in the countryside of Homs central province A woman was killed and a number of people got injured when al-Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) terrorists fired two mortar shells on Ain al-Dananeer village in al-Meshrfeh area in the countryside of Homs central province. A source at Homs Governorate told SANA reporter that the terrorist groups affiliated to al-Nusra who fortify in Ez-Eddin village fired two mortar shells on houses in Ain al-Dananeer village in al-Meshrfeh area in the northeastern countryside of Homs. It added that a woman was killed and several people got injured due to the terrorist attack. In Aleppo the Takfiri terrorist groups breached the cessation of hostilities agreement again through targeting al-Midan neighborhood in Aleppo city with a rocket shell. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA that the terrorist groups on Saturday morning fired a rocket shell on al-Midan residential neighborhood injuring a civilian and causing material damage to 7 cars and to a number of houses. On Friday the terrorist groups fired more than 10 rocket shells on al-Midan neighborhood leaving an elderly woman killed and 9 other people injured and causing huge damage. A number of civilians were injure in terrorists rocketry attacks on western Gouta in Damascus countryside. On the other hand the so-called Democratic Syria Troops managed on Saturday to control Sheikh Issa town in Aleppo northern countryside after clashes with ISIL terrorist group that presses the other takfiri groups in area. ,manar,5/28/2016,homs,0,,,,
1965511190,Syrian Army Kills over 125 Terrorists in Hama Breaks Siege on Zara Power Plant,21-05-2016 Syrian Army Kills over 125 Terrorists in Hama Breaks Siege on Zara Power Plant. The Syrian army foiled on Saturday an attack by terrorist organizations on many military posts in Hama countryside killing large number of them The Syrian army foiled on Saturday an attack by terrorist organizations on many military posts in Hama countryside killing large number of them. 125 terrorists at least were killed from the terrorist organizations of Al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham and a number of their machinegun-equipped vehicles were destroyed in the southern and northern countryside of Hama central province. A military source told SANA that units of the army and the armed forces broke the siege imposed on al-Zara power plant in a special operation forcing the terrorist groups which are affiliated to Al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham Islamic Movement to withdraw to Harbanafseh town in the southern countryside. The source added that units of the army established control over all the important positions to the north and the east of the town after killing about 100 terrorists and destroying 10 of their machinegun-equipped vehicles. In the northern countryside units of the army backed by the Syrian armys air force and artillery foiled an attack launched by terrorist groups affiliated to Al-Nusra front and Ahrar al-Sham on military posts on Maan-Tal Bazam axis. 25 terrorists were killed and scores were injured and 6 vehicles equipped with Dushka machineguns were destroyed. Among the killed terrorists was a field commander at al-Nusra terrorist Samir al-Asmar. Meanwhile the Syrian Air Force destroyed ISIL terrorists positions in al-Shaer field in Homs to the east of Jazal field and Um al-Tababeer area in the eastern countryside of Homs. Heavy losses were inflicted upon terrorists in personnel and equipment according to SANA. In the southern Daraa province an army unit destroyed in an operation in al-Arbaeen neighborhood in Daraa al-Balad area a command center of al-Nusra terrorist organization. A number of terrorists at the center were killed in the operation. ,manar,5/21/2016,hama,1,,,,
1965511191,52 Dead as Rival Terrorist Groups Clash in Eastern Gouta Monitor,17-05-2016 52 Dead as Rival Terrorist Groups Clash in Eastern Gouta Monitor. At least 50 fighters and two civilians were killed Tuesday in clashes between rival anti-regime groups east of Syrias capital the UK-based opposing Syrian Observatory said. At least 50 fighters and two civilians were killed Tuesday in clashes between rival anti-regime groups east of Syrias capital the UK-based opposing Syrian Observatory said. Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) group has been involved in nearly three weeks of clashes with rival factions led by Al-Qaedas local affiliate in the opposition stronghold of Eastern Gouta. ,manar,5/2/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1965511192,Syria Five Civilians Killed in Terrorist Car Bomb Attack in Qamishli City,14-05-2016 Syria Five Civilians Killed in Terrorist Car Bomb Attack in Qamishli City. Five civilians were killed and a number of others were injured in a terrorist car bomb attack in Qamishli city in the northeastern Hasaka province. Five civilians were killed and a number of others were injured in a terrorist car bomb attack in Qamishli city in the northeastern Hasaka province. A source at Hasaka Police Command told SANA reporter that a suicide terrorist driving a car packed with large quantities of explosives blew himself up at al-Hilaliyeh roundabout in central Qamishli city. Reports confirmed that five civilians were killed and many others were injured said the source noting that the death toll is likely to rise as some of the injured are in critical condition. The bombing caused huge material damage to some shops houses and cars in the area. ,manar,5/14/2016,hasakeh,1,,,,
1965511194,5 Civilians Killed in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Aleppo and Idleb,09-05-2016 5 Civilians Killed in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Aleppo and Idleb. Four civilians were killed when terrorist groups fired rocket and mortar shells on a number of residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city and Aleppo countryside. Four civilians were killed when terrorist groups fired rocket and mortar shells on a number of residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city and Aleppo countryside. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA that a little boy a little girl and two women were killed and 10 others were injured due to rocket shells fired by terrorists on al-Midan neighborhood. The source added that the shells also caused the collapse of a house and damaged a number of houses and cars in the neighborhood. Earlier the source said terrorist groups fired a rocket shell on al-Jamilia neighborhood in Aleppo city injuring four citizens and causing material damage to private and public properties. Terrorist groups had also targeted the residential neighborhoods in Jamyiat al-Zahraa al-Ramousa al-Assad Suburb and Karam al-Jabal in Aleppo city causing massive material damage to private and public properties. The source added that the terrorist groups also fired rocket shells on the residential neighborhoods in Nubbul and al-Zahraa towns in the northern countryside of Aleppo causing material damage to citizens possessions. ,manar,5/9/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511195,Several Syrians Killed Injured in Homs Suicide Blasts- Al Manar TV Website Archive,05-05-2016 Several Syrians Killed Injured in Homs Suicide Blasts. Several people were killed and injured in twin terrorist attacks that hit Homs eastern countryside. Several people were killed and injured in twin terrorist attacks that hit Homs eastern countryside. SANA news agency reported the attack quoting Homs Governor Talal al-Barazi as puting the death toll at six and the number of injured at 28. The terrorists blew up a car and a motorcycle in al-Mukhraam al-Fouqani town in the eastern countryside of Homs province the agency said according to Barazi. ,manar,5/5/2016,homs,0,,,,
1965511196,Suicide Bomber Kills Five Kurdish Police in Syria,30-04-2016 Suicide Bomber Kills Five Kurdish Police in Syria. A suicide bomber killed five Kurdish policemen at a checkpoint in Syrias divided northeastern city of Qamishli on Saturday police said. A suicide bomber killed five Kurdish policemen at a checkpoint in Syrias divided northeastern city of Qamishli on Saturday police said. Four others were wounded in the attack on the citys demarcation line according to Jowan Ibrahim the commander of the Kurdish police known as the Asayish. It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack but the Takfiri group ISIL has claimed previous bombings in the mainly Kurdish city. Control of Qamishli is split between Kurdish fighters and pro-government fighters who agreed a truce last week after several days of rare clashes. The army and the Kurds have coordinated on security against ISIL in surrounding Hasakeh province but tensions have built up between the sometimes-rival authorities. The army and its ally the National Defense Forces control Qamishli airport and parts of the city as well as areas of the provincial capital Hasakeh to the south. Nearly all of the rest of the province is controlled by the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) who have declared an autonomous region across the mainly Kurdish northern areas they control. ,manar,4/2/2016,raqqa,1,,,,
1965511197,Syria 20 Civilians Killed Scores Injured in Terrorist Attacks in Aleppo,28-04-2016 Syria 20 Civilians Killed Scores Injured in Terrorist Attacks in Aleppo. 20 civilians were killed and scores were injured in terrorist rocket attacks and sniper shooting in Aleppo on Thursday. 20 civilians were killed and scores were injured in terrorist rocket attacks and sniper shooting in Aleppo on Thursday. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA that the terrorists positioned in Bustan al-Qaser neighborhood fired rocket shells on al-Meridian neighborhood in Aleppo city claiming the lives of a man and his wife as their house was destroyed while they were inside and injuring four other civilians. The source added that a sniper from al-Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) terrorist organization positioned in Bustan al-Qaser neighborhood shot on the locals of al-Masharqa neighborhood leaving two civilians dead. Also five people including two children were killed and 40 others were injured in terrorist rocket attacks on al-Midan and al-Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods and in the vicinity of Saadallah al-Jabiri Square and al-Qaser al-Baladi (Municipal Palace) according to the source. ,manar,4/28/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511198,4 Killed over 43 Injured in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Aleppo Daraa,5-04-2016 4 Killed over 43 Injured in Terrorist Rocket Attacks in Aleppo Daraa. In a new breach of the cessation of hostilities agreement al-Nusra (Qaeda branch in the Levant) and other armed groups affiliated to it targeted with rocket shells several residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city on Monday. In a new breach of the cessation of hostilities agreement al-Nusra (Qaeda branch in the Levant) and other armed groups affiliated to it targeted with rocket shells several residential neighborhoods in Aleppo city on Monday. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA reporter that three of the shells fell in al-Sulaimaniyeh neighborhood claiming the lives of 3 children and injuring 17 people some of them are in critical situation. 19 more civilians were injured by a number of shells that hit al-Izaa (radio) neighborhood according to the source. Two other shells hit Bab al-Faraj neighborhood and Qurtuba roundabout in al-Zahraa neighborhood injuring 2 civilians. Earlier the source said three rocket shells fired by terrorists positioned in Bani Zaid neighborhood landed in the neighborhoods of al-Jamiliyeh Mogambo and al-Ashrafiyeh leaving a woman dead and five people injured. The shelling attacks caused material damage to houses and public and private properties. Similar terrorist attacks that took place in Aleppo city in the past 48 hours killed 10 people and injured dozens of others most of them are children and women. Daraa In the same context one civilian was injured due to a terrorist rocket attack that hit Daraa city. A source at Daraa Governorate told SANA reporter that terrorists fired 5 rocket shells that landed at the junction near the Finance Directorate in Daraa city injuring one person and causing material damage to the residents properties. ,manar,4/25/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511199,Eight Martyred in Car Bomb near Sayyeda Zeinab Shrine,"25-04-2016 Eight Martyred in Car Bomb near Sayyeda Zeinab Shrine. A car bomb killed eight people near the holy shrine of Sayyeda Zeinab (as) south of the Syrian capital Damascus on Monday. A car bomb killed eight people near the holy shrine of Sayyeda Zeinab (as) south of the Syrian capital Damascus on Monday. The bomb struck Al-Diyabiyah a town that serves as one of the gateways for the many pilgrims from around the world who visit the Shiite holy site. Another 20 people were wounded state news agency SANA reported. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the attack and the same death toll. The shrine contains the grave of Sayyeda Zeinab (as) the sister of Imam Hussein (as). The bomb struck a checkpoint near a construction site and left a small crater in the pavement an AFP correspondent reported. One of the guards manning the checkpoint told AFP his bomb detector began beeping when a suspicious pickup truck pulled up. ""We stopped the car at the checkpoint... When we began doing a manual search they detonated the car. My colleagues were killed"" he said. The windows of a small hotel across from the checkpoint had been shattered by the force of the blast. ",manar,4/3/2016,damascus,1,,,,
1965511200,Child killed 9 Civilians Injured in Terrorist Attacks in Damascus & Aleppo,23-04-2016 Child killed 9 Civilians Injured in Terrorist Attacks in Damascus & Aleppo. A mortar shell fired by terrorists on al-Wafideen Camp neighborhood in the countryside of Damascus on Saturday left a child dead and a woman injured according to a Police Command source. A mortar shell fired by terrorists on al-Wafideen Camp neighborhood in the countryside of Damascus on Saturday left a child dead and a woman injured according to a Police Command source. The attack also caused material damage in the site the source told SANA reporter. Several residential areas in Damascus city were also shelled by terrorist organizations. One of the shells landed on the roof of one of the houses in al-Salehiyeh neighborhood while three others fell in al-Adawi neighborhood. The terrorist groups also fired DShK shells that hit buildings in George Khouri Square and near al-Tijara Park. The attacks caused material damage only without any human casualties the source confirmed. Aleppo Eight civilians were injured Saturday when terrorists from al-Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) and several armed groups operating under its command targeted neighborhoods in Aleppo city. The terrorists fired rocket shells on the neighborhoods of al-Neel Street and the Mogambo leaving eight people injured a source at Aleppo Police Command said in a statement to SANA reporter. The attacks caused material damage to the public and private properties the source added. Terrorist groups have recently intensified their attacks in several provinces continually breaching the cessation of hostilities agreement since it first came into effect on February 27. ,manar,4/23/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1965511201,Syrian Army Kills 28 ISIL Terrorists in Hama,22-04-2016 Syrian Army Kills 28 ISIL Terrorists in Hama. Syrian Army units with a cover from the Syrian Air Force targeted hideouts and gatherings of terrorists from ISIL al-Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) and other terrorist organizations across the country Syrian Army units with a cover from the Syrian Air Force targeted hideouts and gatherings of terrorists from ISIL al-Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) and other terrorist organizations across the country killing dozens of them and destroying their vehicles and equipment. Hama An army unit with a cover from the Syrian Air force clashed with al-Nusra and Jund al-Aqsa terrorists in al-Tamanaa Skeik and Atshan who tried to attack residential areas in the direction of Maan 30 km north of Hama city a military source told SANA on Friday. The attack was foiled and 28 terrorists were killed including one of al-Nusra leaders in Atshan who is nicknamed Abu Moussa the source confirmed. Two vehicles equipped with heavy machineguns and 3 cannons were destroyed in the confrontations. Homs The Syrian Air Force carried out airstrikes on concentrations and movements of ISIL terrorists north of Palmyra city and around the warehouses in the area in the eastern countryside of Homs province. A military source told SANA that the airstrikes resulted in killing many members of ISIL and destroying a number of their vehicles some of them equipped with machineguns. Later the source said that Army and Armed Forces units in cooperation with popular defense groups thwarted an infiltration attempt by terrorist groups affiliated with ISIL from the direction of Oum Suhairij village towards the villages of Maksar al-Hussan Tuloul al-Hawa al-Sharqiya and Tuloul al-Hawa al-Gharbiya in Jubb al-Jarrah area 73 km east of Homs city. Army units clashed with the attacking terrorists and targeted them with precision fire which resulted in destroying a number of their vehicles some of them equipped with machineguns and killing a number of terrorists while the remaining terrorists fled towards Oum Suhairij and nearby villages where they are holed up. Deir Ezzor Army units targeted ISIL positions in al-Sinaa and al-Ummal neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor city destroying them along with the weapons and equipment inside. In the meantime the armys air force hit gatherings and fortifications of ISIL terrorists in al-Kassarat area and Baqjaji farm on the southern outskirts of Deir Ezzor city. Sweida An army unit destroyed two vehicles equipped with heavy machineguns belonging to al-Nusra terrorists in al-Sheikh Hussein and Khleif hills in Sweida countryside. Daraa An army unit targeted with concentrated artillery fire 4 vehicles belonging to al-Nusra which were moving in Tal al-Sheikh Hussein and Toloul Khalif in the far northeast countryside of Daraa province. At least 2 vehicles were destroyed many terrorists were killed and others were injured due to the artillery strikes. In Daraa al-Balad army units clashed with terrorist groups affiliated to al-Nusra who were attacking military checkpoints to the east of al-Karak Tank and al-Abassia neighborhood. Numbers of terrorists were killed and their vehicles and mortar launchers were destroyed in the clashes. ,manar,4/22/2016,hama,0,,,,
1965511202,Many Civilians Martyred as Terrorists Shell Aleppo,05-04-2016 Many Civilians Martyred as Terrorists Shell Aleppo. Ten civilians were killed and more than 50 others got injured in terrorist shelling of al-Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in Aleppo city in a new violation of the cessation of hostilities agreement. Ten civilians were killed and more than 50 others got injured in terrorist shelling of al-Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in Aleppo city in a new violation of the cessation of hostilities agreement. SANA news agency quoted local sources as saying that terrorists positioned in nearby neighborhoods fired tens of rocket and mortar shells on al-Sheikh Maqsoud claiming the lives of ten civilians and injuring more than fifty others. The attack caused massive damage to the houses and the locals properties where the shells landed. ,manar,4/5/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511203,Two Killed Three Injured in Terrorist Attack in Aleppo City,04-04-2016 Two Killed Three Injured in Terrorist Attack in Aleppo City. Two civilians were killed on Monday as terrorists breached the cessation of hostilities agreement by targeting New Aleppo area in Aleppo city with a number of rocket shells. Two civilians were killed on Monday as terrorists breached the cessation of hostilities agreement by targeting New Aleppo area in Aleppo city with a number of rocket shells. A source at Aleppo province told SANAs correspondent that terrorists fired a number of shells from areas west of the city with the shells landing in Manyan market in New Aleppo area claiming two lives and injuring three people. The source added that the attack also caused considerable material damage to a number of shops and two parked cars. ,manar,4/4/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511204,Al-Nusra Spokesman Son 20 Terrorists Killed in Idleb Strikes,"04-04-2016 Al-Nusra Spokesman Son 20 Terrorists Killed in Idleb Strikes. The spokesman for Al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front takfiri group his son and 20 other terrorists were killed in air strikes Sunday in the northeast of the country The spokesman for Al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front takfiri group his son and 20 other terrorists were killed in air strikes Sunday in the northeast of the country a monitor group said. ""Abu Firas al-Suri his son and at least 20 jihadists of Al-Nusra and Jund al-Aqsa and jihadists from Uzbekistan were killed in strikes on positions in Idleb province"" UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights chief Rami Abdel Rahman said in a statement. The monitor said it was not immediately clear if the raids were carried out by Syrian regime warplanes or their Russian allies. Abdel Rahman indicated that Suri was meeting with other leading terrorists in Kafar Jales when the raids took place. Two other Al-Nusra and Jund al-Aqsa targets were also hit and many were seriously injured he added. Syrian Suri real name Radwan Nammous fought against the Soviet forces in Afghanistan where he met Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and Abdullah Azzam a bin Laden mentor before returning to Syria in 2011 the AFP reported citing his supporters on Twitter. On Wednesday a drone strike near Syrian Al-Raqqa province killed a terrorist commander according to the Observatory the latest in a series of blows to the terrorists in recent weeks. ",manar,4/4/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1965511206,Syrian Army Retakes Qaryatain City in Homs Kills over 50 Terrorists in Hama,03-04-2016 Syrian Army Retakes Qaryatain City in Homs Kills over 50 Terrorists in Hama. Syrian army units and the supporting forces fully retook the al-Qaryatain city in Homs after the remaining gatherings of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant were eliminated. Syrian army units and the supporting forces fully retook the al-Qaryatain city in Homs after the remaining gatherings of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) takfiri group were eliminated a source on the ground announced on Sunday. Seizing control over the city which is located in southeastern Homs came after the army units in cooperation with allied forces earlier advanced further inside it from various directions removing all mines on their way and had established control over the northern neighborhood. The army units have hunted down fleeing ISIL terrorists inside the city and dismantled scores of explosive devices and mines left behind. Earlier today army units took control of al-Mazare and al-Kharroubi al-Kabir areas to the northwest of al-Qaraytain which are now completely secured after tens of explosive devices and mines were removed. In the morning the armys air force conducted airstrikes against positions and dens of ISIL terrorists in the southern and eastern sides of al-Qarayatin and in Marmalet al-Qaryatain leaving many terrorists dead and destroying their weapons and vehicles some of them equipped with heavy machineguns. In the eastern countryside of Homs province the air force conducted launched strikes against gatherings movements and supply routes of ISIL to the east and north of Palmyra city and to the north of al-Buseiri village inflicting losses upon the terrorists there. More hideouts and vehicles for ISIS terrorists were hit and destroyed in army airstrikes in the villages of al-Shindakhiyeh al-Shamaliyeh Mannoukh and Housis. In Hama army units in cooperation with the popular defense groups foiled an attack launched by al-Nusra Front terrorists against a number of military posts in the vicinity of al-Huweijeh village in the far northwest of Hama countryside and Qassr Abu Samra in the northeastern countryside. A military source reported that heavy clashes broke out between the defenders of the military posts and the attacking terrorist groups which resulted in the death of at least 50 terrorists. Three vehicles equipped with machine guns a tank and a rocket launcher were destroyed during the confrontation with the army units seizing the terrorists weapons and ammunition including a DShK machine gun a rocket shell launcher and amounts of RPG shells. In Sweida an army unit targeted a gathering of ISIS terrorists in Asheihib al-Janoubi Hill in the northeastern countryside of the southern Sweida province. A military source said the targets were directly hit with many terrorists getting killed or injured while their vehicles were destroyed or damaged. In Deir Ezzor the armys air force targeted assembly points of ISIL terrorists and their hideouts in al-Jafra village in the eastern countryside of the eastern Deir Ezzor province. A number of terrorists were killed and their vehicles and equipment were destroyed. In the meantime local sources said the popular resistance in the eastern area killed several ISIL terrorists during the past two days including Tunisians. Three Tunisian terrorists were said to be killed in al-Hizam al-Akhdar area in al-Bukmal city east of Deir Ezzor. Three other terrorists one identified as Abu Obaida of Tunisia were killed in an ambush in al-Ghabra village 130 km southeast of Deir Ezzor city. ,manar,4/3/2016,hama,0,,,,
1965511207,Syrian Army Kills 30 ISIL Terrorists in Aleppo Northern Countryside,21-03-2016 Syrian Army Kills 30 ISIL Terrorists in Aleppo Northern Countryside. The Syrian army units continued on Monday their military operations against ISIL al-Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) and other terrorist organizations across the country destroying their weaponry The Syrian army units continued on Monday their military operations against ISIL al-Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) and other terrorist organizations across the country destroying their weaponry and killing many of their members. Aleppo The Syrian Army repelled a fierce attack on its posts in Kfar Saghir village in Aleppo northern countryside killing more than 30 terrorists according to Al-Manar reporter. Sweida The Syrian army in cooperation with the popular defense groups targeted a gathering of ISIL terrorists in Tal Asheihib in the northeastern countryside of Suwaida province destroying their vehicles and weaponry. Homs The Syrian armys air force destroyed ISIL terrorists dens and vehicles some of which equipped with machineguns and carrying ammunition in the vicinity of Palmyra and al-Qaryatain in the countryside of the central Homs province. Units of the army continued successful combat tasks into the direction of Mahin-al-Qaryateen and regained control over point 875 near al-Tloul al-Sud and points 9088 901 8936 on the direction of al-Rmeili mountain and points 856 and 866. ,manar,3/21/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511208,Syrian Army Advances in Aleppo Kills 140 Terrorists in Hama & Homs,10-03-2016 Syrian Army Advances in Aleppo Kills 140 Terrorists in Hama & Homs . The Syrian army managed to control a number of villages in east of Khanasser in Aleppo southern countryside according to Al-Manar reporter. The Syrian army managed to control a number of villages in east of Khanasser in Aleppo southern countryside according to Al-Manar reporter. Among the villages which cover an area of 130 square kilometers are Sardaj and Zabad. In Hama the Syrian army killed more than 70 Nusra Front terrorists and destroyed their vehicles SANA mentioned. The Syrian army clashed at dawn with Nusra Front (Qaeda branch in the Levant) terrorists who infiltrated to the villages of Maan Tayyebet al-Esm al-Shaata Karah and in the surrounding of al-Rai mountain in Souran area to the north of Hama city. The Syrian army also advanced in Homs southeastern countryside and regained Trax hill inflicting heavy losses upon the terrorist groups. The Syrian warplanes raided ISIL sites in Palmyra killing around 70 terrorists ,manar,3/10/2016,hama,0,,,,
1965511209,2 Syrians killed 5 Injured in Terrorist Rocket Attack in Deir Ezzor City,04-03-2016 2 Syrians killed 5 Injured in Terrorist Rocket Attack in Deir Ezzor City. Two Syrians were killed and 5 others were injured due to a terrorist rocket attack on al-Qosour and al-Jora residential neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor city. Two Syrians were killed and 5 others were injured due to a terrorist rocket attack on al-Qosour and al-Jora residential neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor city. A source in the province told SANA reporter that ISILs terrorists fired 6 rocket shells on al-Qosour and al-Joura neighborhoods in Deir Ezzor city claiming the lives of a man and a woman injuring 5 others and causing material damage to public and private properties. ,manar,3/4/2016,deir ezzor,0,,,,
1965511211,Syria Terrorist Bombings Kill Injure Civilians in Hama Countryside,27-02-2016 Syria Terrorist Bombings Kill Injure Civilians in Hama Countryside. Six civilians were killed on Saturday and several others were injured in three terrorist explosions in Salamyieh area in the eastern countryside of Hama. Six civilians were killed on Saturday and several others were injured in three terrorist explosions in Salamyieh area in the eastern countryside of Hama. A Source at Hama Governorate told SANA news agency that a suicide bomber blew himself up with a car bomb on Saturday at about 0600 a.m. 1 km away from the eastern entrance of Salamyieh City in Hama countryside. The source added that two civilians were killed and 4 others sustained serious injuries. The terrorist attack also caused a material damage to the place and the hole at the site of the explosion proves that the car was a lorry and it was carrying about a ton of the explosive materials. Later the source said that a suicide bomber blew himself up with a motorcycle bomb at the entrance of al-Tayba village in the eastern countryside of Salamyieh killing 4 civilians and injuring others. The source added that a civilian was injured too in a terrorist bombing with an explosive device on the road of Salamyieh-Khneifes. ,manar,2/2/2016,hama,0,,,,
1965511212,Three Terrorist Attacks Target Sayyeda Zeinab Area in Rural Damascus Kill 50,21-02-2016 Three Terrorist Attacks Target Sayyeda Zeinab Area in Rural Damascus Kill 50. Three blasts including one caused by a car bomb hit the Syrian capital of Damascus near the holy shrine of Sayyeda Zeinab (as) south of Syrias capital Damascus on Sunday. Three blasts including one caused by a car bomb hit the Syrian capital of Damascus near the holy shrine of Sayyeda Zeinab (as) south of Syrias capital Damascus on Sunday Al-Manar TV correspondent to the city reported. The attack rocked the Al-Teen street leaving 50 martyrs and more than 200 others wounded. Sayyeda Zeinab (as) area contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site. ,manar,2/21/2016,damascus,0,,,,
1965511213,Syrian Army Kills over 70 ISIL Terrorists in Aleppo,17-02-2016 Syrian Army Kills over 70 ISIL Terrorists in Aleppo. Dozens of terrorists have been killed as the Syrian army stepped up its intensive operations against their positions and hideouts in various areas. Dozens of terrorists have been killed as the Syrian army stepped up its intensive operations against their positions and hideouts in various areas. Aleppo The armys air force carried out intensive sorties targeting hideouts of ISIL terrorists in al-Bab city and the villages of Jub Ghabsheh Eibed Souran Tal Alam Deir Qaq Sarjeh and al-Zaalaneh 30km north east of Aleppo city a military source told SANA on Wednesday. About 70 terrorists were killed and 70 others were injured in the airstrikes said the source adding that a number of vehicles and key positions for ISIL terrorists were destroyed. In Aleppo city army units targeted terrorist organizations sites in the neighborhoods of al-Rashidin al-Ramouseh and al-Sakhour killing a number of terrorists and injuring others. Damascus Countryside A key position for the terrorists was destroyed in Kafr Batna town in Eastern Gouta in Damascus countryside. The position was hit in army airstrikes that targeted sites of the terrorists of the so-called Liwaa al-Islam and Jaish al-Islam that are active in Eastern Gouta. HamaIdleb The armys air force hit positions for Jaish al-Fateh and other terrorist organizations in Kafr Zita Jeb al-Rayan and Kefr Nabbouda in the northern countryside of Hama province. A number of vehicles and positions for the terrorists were destroyed and 7 terrorists were killed and 5 were injured in the airstrikes. Sites for ISIL terrorists were also targeted in army airstrikes in al-Rahjan village 50 km east of Hama city where vehicles equipped with machineguns and hideouts including arms and ammunition were destroyed. In the countryside of the neighboring Idleb province 10 Jaish al-Fateh terrorists were killed and 19 others were injured in airstrikes on their positions in al-Hamediyeh Abu al-Duhour and Khan Sheikhoun. ,manar,2/17/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511214,Dozens of Insurgents Killed As Syria Kurds Advance in Aleppo Countryside,15-02-2016 Dozens of Insurgents Killed As Syria Kurds Advance in Aleppo Countryside. At least 40 Takfiri insurgents were killed as forces from the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) advance in Tal Rifaat in Alepppo countryside. At least 40 Takfiri insurgents were killed as forces from the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) advance in Tal Rifaat in Alepppo countryside. Sources told al-Manar that the YPG seized control of Ain Daqneh town adding that they were heading towards Kaljibrin and that they have managed to cut off Kaljibrin-Tal Rifaat road. Tal Rifaat is one of the remaining Takfiri bastions north of Aleppo. The sources noted that the Kurdish forces also captured several insurgents including a captain in Liwaa al-Fath (Brigade of Conqeust) Ismail Naddaf. The sources said that the seizure of Kaljibrin makes the Kurdish forces in direct confrontation with the Takfiri group ISIL (so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant) in Aleppo countryside. ,manar,2/15/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511215,Eight Civilians Killed 14 Injured in Terrorist Bombing in Damascus,09-02-2016 Eight Civilians Killed 14 Injured in Terrorist Bombing in Damascus. A terrorist car bomb rocked Masaken Barzeh neighborhood in Damascus city on Tuesday claiming eight and injuring 14 citizens according to Al-Manar reporter. A terrorist car bomb rocked Masaken Barzeh neighborhood in Damascus city on Tuesday claiming eight and injuring 14 citizens according to Al-Manar reporter. SANA news agency mentioned that the attack took place near a fruit and vegetable market in the area and caused material damage to the nearby building of the General Establishment for Mills. ,manar,2/9/2016,damascus,1,,,,
1965511216,Bombs Kill 22 at Army Checkpoint in Syrias Homs,26-01-2016 Bombs Kill 22 at Army Checkpoint in Syrias Homs. At least 22 people were killed in a double suicide bomb attack at an army checkpoint in the central Syrian city of Homs on Tuesday state media said. At least 22 people were killed in a double suicide bomb attack at an army checkpoint in the central Syrian city of Homs on Tuesday state media said. In a breaking news alert state television said 100 people had also been injured in the blasts in the Al-Zahraa neighborhood of the city which has been targeted in bomb attacks multiple times before. The provincial governor of Homs Talal Barazi told AFP the two bombers appeared to have pulled up at the army checkpoint in a car together with one exiting the vehicle before the other detonated his explosives while still inside. In the chaos of the first blasts aftermath and as a crowd gathered the second bomber detonated his explosives Barazi said. The Al-Zahraa district of Homs has been targeted in multiple bomb attacks in the past including in late December when 19 people were killed in several simultaneous blasts. ,manar,1/26/2016,homs,1,,,,
1965511217,Car Bomb in Syrias Aleppo Kills 23 including Militants,25-01-2016 Car Bomb in Syrias Aleppo Kills 23 including Militants. At least 23 people most of them from the Ahrar al-Sham militant group were killed by a truck suicide bomber in Syrias Aleppo city on Monday a monitor said. At least 23 people most of them from the Ahrar al-Sham militant group were killed by a truck suicide bomber in Syrias Aleppo city on Monday a monitor said. The opposing Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 19 fighters from the group and four civilians were killed in the blast in the Sukari district of the city. The attack hit an Ahrar al-Sham checkpoint at the entrance to a security complex belonging to the group. The Observatory said several prisoners being held by Ahrar al-Sham at a facility in the complex were also believed to have been killed but it had no immediate toll. The blast destroyed three buildings and people were still missing under the rubble the monitor added. It was unclear who was responsible for the blast but Ahrar al-Sham has been targeted by assassinations in the past. In September 2014 most of its top leadership was wiped out in a devastating explosion at its headquarters in Idleb province that killed nearly 50 people. ,manar,1/25/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511219,8 Civilians Killed in Terrorist Attacks in Damascus Aleppo,06-01-2016 8 Civilians Killed in Terrorist Attacks in Damascus Aleppo. Eight people were killed Wednesday in terrorist mortar attacks by the Jaish al-Islam terror organization which targeted a number of residential neighborhoods in Damascus city. Eight people were killed Wednesday in terrorist mortar attacks by the Jaish al-Islam terror organization which targeted a number of residential neighborhoods in Damascus city. A source at Damascus Police Command told SANA that terrorists based in Eastern Ghouta fired mortar shells at residential neighborhoods in the city which resulted in killing eight people injuring 25 and causing material damage to properties. Later the source said 4 civilian were injured by a mortar round fired by terrorists positioned in Daraya town in Damascus Countryside which fell in the northern part of al-Moadamiya town. Al Saud-linked terrorists of Jaish al-Islam target residential and safe districts of Damascus with mortar and rocket shells every now and then in a desperate attempt to undermine Syrians steadfastness and support to the Syrian Arab Army in its war against Takfiri Terrorism. In Aleppo city 4 citizens were injured due to a terrorist rocket attack on al-Neel Street. A source at Aleppo Police Command told SANA that terrorists positioned in Bani Zaid neighborhood fired a number of rocket shells on the residential neighborhood injuring 4 civilians and causing material damage to private and public properties. ,manar,1/2/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511221,Turkish Bombardment Kills 20 Civilians in Syria,"28-08-2016 Turkish Bombardment Kills 20 Civilians in Syria. Turkish shelling and air strikes killed at least 20 civilians in Syria on Sunday the fifth day of an incursion allegedly against the Takfiri ISIL group. Turkish shelling and air strikes killed at least 20 civilians in Syria on Sunday the fifth day of an incursion allegedly against the Takfiri ISIL group. ""At least 20 civilians were killed and 50 others wounded by Turkish artillery fire and air strikes on Sunday morning at Jeb el-Kussa"" a village south of Jarabulus said Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It comes after Turkey on Saturday suffered its first fatality since launching operation ""Euphrates Shield"" in Syria blaming Kurdish militia in a fight for control of the border region. The Britain-based Observatory said the bombardment targeted an area south of the former ISIL group stronghold of Jarabulus which Turkish-led forces captured on the first day of the incursion. Jeb el-Kussa is located 14 kilometers (almost nine miles) south of Jarabulus and is controlled by fighters from the area backed by Kurdish forces. Some of the fighters were killed in Sundays shelling and air strikes but the number was not yet clear said the Observatory a Britain-based monitor with a network of sources on the ground. On Saturday clashes erupted for the first time between Turkish forces backed by tanks and pro-Kurdish fighters in the town of Al-Amarneh also south of Jarabulus. ",manar,8/28/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511222,Martyrs as Terrorists Shell Aleppos Salah Eddin,17-08-2016 Martyrs as Terrorists Shell Aleppos Salah Eddin. Seven civilians were martyred on Wednesday as Takfiri terrorists shelled Salah Eddin neighborhood in Aleppo city. Seven civilians were martyred on Wednesday as Takfiri terrorists shelled Salah Eddin neighborhood in Aleppo city. Among the martyrs were a child and two women SANA news agency reported noting that nine others were also injured in the attack. Wednesday shelling comes a day after eight civilians were martyred in similar attack by Takfiri insurgents also on Salah Eddin neighborhood. 12 people were injured on Tuesday shelling. The attacks caused material damage to the locals houses and other properties SANA quoted a source at Aleppo Police Command as saying. ,manar,8/1/2016,aleppo,1,,,,
1965511224,Chemical Attack Kills Five Syrians in Aleppo SANA,03-08-2016 Chemical Attack Kills Five Syrians in Aleppo SANA. At least five Syrians have been killed and a number of others injured in a chemical attack by foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants against a residential neighborhood in northwestern Syria At least five Syrians have been killed and a number of others injured in a chemical attack by foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants against a residential neighborhood in northwestern Syria. Health director for Aleppo Mohammad Hazouri said five people died and eight others experienced breathing difficulties after artillery shells containing toxic gasses slammed into the Old City of Aleppo on Tuesday the official SANA news agency reported. Government sources said Takfiri terrorists had also used chemical munitions against civilians in the city of Saraqib in the Idlib province but militants accused government forces of carrying out the attack. Doctor Ibrahim al-Assad a neurologist in Saraqib said he treated 16 of 29 cases brought to his hospital on Monday night. He added that most of the victims were women and children and were suffering from breathing difficulties red eyes and wheezing. Rescuers and doctors in the city said the symptoms were similar to those caused by chlorine gas. The chemical raids come as the Syrian army is making progress in operations to retake Aleppo from militants who are seeing the noose tightening around them in the areas which they control. ,manar,8/3/2016,aleppo,0,,,,
1965511226,5 Killed as Russian Military Chopper Shot down in Syria,"01-08-2016 5 Killed as Russian Military Chopper Shot down in Syria. All five people on board a Russian military helicopter that was shot down over Syria on Monday are believed to have died the Kremlin said. All five people on board a Russian military helicopter that was shot down over Syria on Monday are believed to have died the Kremlin said. The Russian defense ministry said the Russian military helicopter was shot down over the Syrian province of Idlib. ""A Russian Mi-8 military transport helicopter was shot down from the ground in Idlib province after delivering humanitarian aid to Aleppo"" the ministry said in a statement. ""There were three crew members and two officers from the Russian reconciliation centre in Syria on board"" it said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed condolences over the deaths of the five soldiers. ""As far as we know from the information weve had from the defense ministry those in the helicopter died they died heroically because they were trying to move the aircraft away to minimize victims on the ground"" he told journalists. Photos shared widely on social networks by Syrian opposition on Monday purported to depict the smoking craft in the desert and personal belongings of those inside including Russian drivers licenses passports and insurance cards as well as Orthodox Christian icons. The authenticity of the pictures could not be independently confirmed. The Monday downing brought the toll for Russian soldiers killed in the Syrian conflict to 18. ",manar,8/1/2016,idlib,1,,,,
1965511231,Syrian Army Kills 48 ISIL Terrorists in Deir Ezzor,April 6 2017 Syrian Army Kills 48 ISIL Terrorists in Deir Ezzor. A military source announced that control was established over Telal Hakema ( Hakema hills) in the western direction of Deir Ezzor after destroying the fortifications of ISIL terrorists in it. The source told SANA that army units in cooperation with the backing forces over the past few hours carried out special operations against gatherings of ISISL terrorists in the western direction of Deir Ezzor establishing control over the hills of Hilal al-Dusham (the barricades) and Milad after destroying the last ISIS gatherings in them. The source added that army units carried out intensive bombardments in the surrounding of al-Maqaber cemeteries area al-Masane (the factories) and the water plant on the southern outskirts of Deir Ezzor killing 48 terrorists and destroying a tank and 6 machinegun-equipped vehicles. Lattakia Army units operating in Lattakia countryside thwarted an attack launched by al-Nusra Front terrorists on the axes of KabaniKensabba in the northeastern countryside of Lattakia province. SANA reporter in Lattakia said the army units in cooperation with the supporting forces destroyed 3 vehicles rigged with explosives for terrorist organizations before they could reach the area surrounding a number of military points and safety villages on the axes of KabaniKensabba. The reporter added that army units and terrorist groups engaged in heavy clashes when terrorists tried to advance toward the safety areas after the destruction of the vehicles. A large number of terrorists most of them are members of al-Nusra were killed before others fled away towards areas near the Turkish-Syrian border. Daraa Army units killed a number of al-Nusra terrorists in Daraa al-Balad and al-Lajat areas and foiled their attacks on one of the military posts in the northwestern countryside. A military source told SANA that an army unit foiled an attempt by al-Nusra terrorist groups to infiltrate to one of the military posts in Jadieh village 65 km northwest of Daraa city after killing most of the terrorists while the others fled away. The source added that an army unit killed in special operation all members of the terrorist group which was moving from al-Lajat area toward the northern countryside of Sweida. In Daraa al-Balad the military source said that the army carried out intensive strikes against gatherings and movements of al-Nusra terrorists in al-Karak neighborhood and on the left of al-Jomrok al-Qadeem (Old Custom) road killing 8 terrorists and destroying two cannons and two heavy machineguns. Source SANA,manar,4/4/2017,deir ezzor,1,,,,