Panetta says Syria's Assad hastening own demise
By ROBERT BURNS | Associated Press – 5 hrs ago
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad's use of helicopter gunships to counter a civil uprising will prove to be "a nail in Assad's coffin," U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Sunday at the outset of a five-day Mideast tour.
While giving no indication that the Obama administration is contemplating military intervention, Panetta said it is increasingly clear that the Syrian crisis is deepening and that Assad is hastening his own demise.
"If they continue this kind of tragic attack on their own people ... I think it ultimately will be a nail in Assad's coffin," Panetta told reporters traveling with him from Washington. "His regime is coming to an end."
Panetta said he would use his meetings in Tunisia, Egypt, Israel and Jordan to reinforce an international consensus that Assad must step down and allow a peaceful transition to a democratic form of government.
He said he also will continue consultations on efforts to ensure that Syria's stockpiles of chemical weapons do not fall into the wrong hands.
Panetta will be in Israel just days after U.S. Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, who has cast the Obama administration as too soft on Iran and insufficiently supportive of the Jewish state.
In a speech in Jerusalem Sunday, Romney said the United States has "a solemn duty and a moral imperative" to block Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability. He steered clear of overt criticism of President Barack Obama, even though he said the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran "has only become worse" in the past five years.
Panetta declined to respond. "I'm just not going to get into that game of commenting on what candidates do," he said.
Panetta said he believes Israeli leaders still support an international campaign of economic, political and diplomatic pressure on Iran to prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
"My view is that they have not made any decisions with regards to" attacking Iran, he said.
While in Israel, Panetta planned to visit an air defense battery that uses technology developed in part with U.S. support to shoot down short-range rockets. Israel has suffered thousands of rocket attacks from Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip in recent years.
The air defense system, called Iron Dome, has been an important success and serves to deter attacks from Iranian proxies, Panetta said.
He called Iron Dome an example of expanded U.S.-Israeli cooperation.
"We have achieved a level of defense cooperation that is unprecedented in our history," Panetta said. "And my goal is to deepen that relationship even further."
This is Panetta's first visit to Tunis as defense secretary. The country was the launching pad for the wave of revolt that swept through the Arab world in 2011. It had been one of the most repressive governments in the region, while maintaining friendly relations with Washington.
Tunisia's uprising began in December 2010 when a fruit vendor, Mohammed Bouazizi, set himself on fire in the town of Sidi Bouzid to protest his lack of economic opportunity and the disrespect of the police.
Tunisia's new government is led by the moderate Islamist Ennahda Party, which had been banned under the previous government.
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Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
30072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
Sunday, July 29, 2012
WORLD_ Russia has doubts about Syria president's ability to hold on
Russia has doubts about Syria president's ability to hold on
A Russian official suggests Moscow could offer asylum to Syrian President Bashar Assad, if he requests it.
By Sergei L. Loiko, Los Angeles Times
July 28, 2012, 4:30 p.m.
Protesters chant slogans against the Syrian regime and Russia's support of President Bashar Assad as they burn a banner depicting Assad, top right, his brother, Maher Assad, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, bottom, in Sidon, Lebanon, last month. (Mohammed Zaatari, Associated Press / June 17, 2012)
Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-russia-syria-20120729,0,2680215.story
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
30072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
A Russian official suggests Moscow could offer asylum to Syrian President Bashar Assad, if he requests it.
By Sergei L. Loiko, Los Angeles Times
July 28, 2012, 4:30 p.m.
Protesters chant slogans against the Syrian regime and Russia's support of President Bashar Assad as they burn a banner depicting Assad, top right, his brother, Maher Assad, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, bottom, in Sidon, Lebanon, last month. (Mohammed Zaatari, Associated Press / June 17, 2012)
Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-russia-syria-20120729,0,2680215.story
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
30072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
WORLD_ Syria: Opposition in call to arm rebel fighters
29 July 2012 Last updated at 06:27 GMT
Syria: Opposition in call to arm rebel fighters
BBC
The numbers fleeing across the border to Jordan have increased in recent weeks
The head of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) has called for foreign states to arm rebel fighters.
Abdulbaset Sayda was speaking as Syrian forces continued their assault on rebel-held areas of the city of Aleppo.
Mr Sayda also said that President Bashar al-Assad should be tried for "massacres" rather than be offered asylum.
Western nations have warned of a potential bloodbath in Aleppo, Syria's most populous city.
"We want weapons that would stop tanks and jet fighters. That is what we want," AFP quoted Mr Sayda as saying at a news conference in Abu Dhabi.
He urged Arab "brothers and friends to support the Free [Syrian] Army".
Rebels have so far not received any overt foreign military support.
In April, Gulf states agreed to pay "the salaries" of Free Syrian Army fighters. Critics said the funds could be used to buy weapons on the black market.
Mr Sayda said that the "Yemeni example" in which President Ali Abdullah Saleh was granted amnesty in return for stepping down "can't be applied in Syria".
"There are massacres being committed. We believe Bashar al-Assad should be tried. He is a criminal and should not be given shelter," he added.
Mr Sayda said the SNC - which is in exile - would discuss plans for transitional government with rebel groups involved in the fighting.
"We are studying the idea (of transitional government) and we will contact all forces on the ground in Syria," he said.
He said the leader of such a government should be an "honest and patriotic person... committed to the objectives of the Syrian revolution since its beginning".
Annan 'concern'
UN-African Union envoy Kofi Annan said on Saturday he was "concerned" about reports of the concentration of troops and heavy weapons around Aleppo "in anticipation of an imminent battle".
"The escalation of the military build-up... is further evidence of the need for the international community to come together to persuade the parties that only a political transition, leading to a political settlement, will resolve this crisis," he said.
Kurdish academic Mr Sayda was named head of the SNC following the resignation of Burhan Ghalioun
Activists said Syrian tanks moved in on south-western districts of Aleppo city early on Saturday.
Rebel-held areas were bombarded throughout the day, with military aircraft flying over at low altitudes, they said.
Violent clashes were reported around the Salah al-Din and Hamdanieh quarters near the centre.
However, by the end of the day it appeared that the rebels had largely held their ground.
They are believed to control between a third and a half of all neighbourhoods in the city of three million people, especially a cluster in the north-east around Sakhour and other areas in the south-west.
The BBC's Ian Pannell, who has been in Aleppo, has seen fierce battles, with a number of rebel fighters killed.
He says the rebels are upbeat but vastly outgunned and outmanned and that civilians have packed on to lorries as they try to flee the city.
'Terrorist den'
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 29 people were killed in Aleppo on Saturday - among 168 to die across the country throughout the day. The figures cannot be verified.
The total number of people killed since the Syrian anti-government uprising began in March 2011 now stands at more than 20,000, the Observatory says.
Syrian state television said that rebels, having failed to hold areas of the capital Damascus, were now trying to turn Aleppo into "a den for their terrorism".
The state-controlled al-Watan newspaper proclaimed the fight for Aleppo as "the mother of all battles." On Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said a tragedy was brewing in Aleppo, but it was unrealistic to expect the Syrian government to accept the presence of an armed opposition. He added that Russia - an ally of Syria - was not considering giving refuge to President Assad.
Fierce fighting is also being reported in other Syrian cities, including Homs
The latest fighting comes after two weeks in which rebels have made significant gains.
An attack at Syrian security headquarters in Damascus on 18 July killed four senior officials, including the defence minister and President Assad's brother-in-law.
Then the Free Syrian Army (FSA) took control of several parts of Damascus before being driven out by a government counter-offensive.
The rebels also seized several border crossings with Turkey and Iraq.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Jordan is opening its first official refugee camp for Syrians fleeing the violence.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says the new camp at Za'atari will initially house 10,000 people but could eventually give refuge to more than 100,000.
The UN says 150,00 Syrians have already entered Jordan.
The BBC's Lyse Doucet in Jordan says the new camp will ease pressure on existing transit camps where overcrowding has been causing tension between refugees and with local communities.
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
29072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
Syria: Opposition in call to arm rebel fighters
BBC
The numbers fleeing across the border to Jordan have increased in recent weeks
The head of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) has called for foreign states to arm rebel fighters.
Abdulbaset Sayda was speaking as Syrian forces continued their assault on rebel-held areas of the city of Aleppo.
Mr Sayda also said that President Bashar al-Assad should be tried for "massacres" rather than be offered asylum.
Western nations have warned of a potential bloodbath in Aleppo, Syria's most populous city.
"We want weapons that would stop tanks and jet fighters. That is what we want," AFP quoted Mr Sayda as saying at a news conference in Abu Dhabi.
He urged Arab "brothers and friends to support the Free [Syrian] Army".
Rebels have so far not received any overt foreign military support.
In April, Gulf states agreed to pay "the salaries" of Free Syrian Army fighters. Critics said the funds could be used to buy weapons on the black market.
Mr Sayda said that the "Yemeni example" in which President Ali Abdullah Saleh was granted amnesty in return for stepping down "can't be applied in Syria".
"There are massacres being committed. We believe Bashar al-Assad should be tried. He is a criminal and should not be given shelter," he added.
Mr Sayda said the SNC - which is in exile - would discuss plans for transitional government with rebel groups involved in the fighting.
"We are studying the idea (of transitional government) and we will contact all forces on the ground in Syria," he said.
He said the leader of such a government should be an "honest and patriotic person... committed to the objectives of the Syrian revolution since its beginning".
Annan 'concern'
UN-African Union envoy Kofi Annan said on Saturday he was "concerned" about reports of the concentration of troops and heavy weapons around Aleppo "in anticipation of an imminent battle".
"The escalation of the military build-up... is further evidence of the need for the international community to come together to persuade the parties that only a political transition, leading to a political settlement, will resolve this crisis," he said.
Kurdish academic Mr Sayda was named head of the SNC following the resignation of Burhan Ghalioun
Activists said Syrian tanks moved in on south-western districts of Aleppo city early on Saturday.
Rebel-held areas were bombarded throughout the day, with military aircraft flying over at low altitudes, they said.
Violent clashes were reported around the Salah al-Din and Hamdanieh quarters near the centre.
However, by the end of the day it appeared that the rebels had largely held their ground.
They are believed to control between a third and a half of all neighbourhoods in the city of three million people, especially a cluster in the north-east around Sakhour and other areas in the south-west.
The BBC's Ian Pannell, who has been in Aleppo, has seen fierce battles, with a number of rebel fighters killed.
He says the rebels are upbeat but vastly outgunned and outmanned and that civilians have packed on to lorries as they try to flee the city.
'Terrorist den'
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 29 people were killed in Aleppo on Saturday - among 168 to die across the country throughout the day. The figures cannot be verified.
The total number of people killed since the Syrian anti-government uprising began in March 2011 now stands at more than 20,000, the Observatory says.
Syrian state television said that rebels, having failed to hold areas of the capital Damascus, were now trying to turn Aleppo into "a den for their terrorism".
The state-controlled al-Watan newspaper proclaimed the fight for Aleppo as "the mother of all battles." On Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said a tragedy was brewing in Aleppo, but it was unrealistic to expect the Syrian government to accept the presence of an armed opposition. He added that Russia - an ally of Syria - was not considering giving refuge to President Assad.
Fierce fighting is also being reported in other Syrian cities, including Homs
The latest fighting comes after two weeks in which rebels have made significant gains.
An attack at Syrian security headquarters in Damascus on 18 July killed four senior officials, including the defence minister and President Assad's brother-in-law.
Then the Free Syrian Army (FSA) took control of several parts of Damascus before being driven out by a government counter-offensive.
The rebels also seized several border crossings with Turkey and Iraq.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Jordan is opening its first official refugee camp for Syrians fleeing the violence.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says the new camp at Za'atari will initially house 10,000 people but could eventually give refuge to more than 100,000.
The UN says 150,00 Syrians have already entered Jordan.
The BBC's Lyse Doucet in Jordan says the new camp will ease pressure on existing transit camps where overcrowding has been causing tension between refugees and with local communities.
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
29072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
Friday, July 27, 2012
WORLD_ Syria: Britain warns of 'devastating loss of life'
Syria: Britain warns of 'devastating loss of life'
Britain has warned that the escalating Aleppo crisis in Syria could lead to a "devastating loss of civilian life and a humanitarian disaster".
Syrian people leave the city of Aleppo after shelling by Syrian government forces Photo: BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images
1:48PM BST 27 Jul 2012
The Telegraph
William Hague's comments were echoed by France who said Bashar al-Assad, Syria's president, is prepared to carry out a "slaughter" of his own people in Aleppo, France has warned.
Mr Hague, the foreign secretary, said: “This utterly unacceptable escalation of the conflict could lead to a devastating loss of civilian life and a humanitarian disaster. It will add to the misery being endured by the Syrian people, and plunge the country further into catastrophic civil war.
“The Assad regime must call off this assault. I call on all countries around the world, including the Permanent Members of the Security Council, to join us in condemning these latest actions and to insist on a political process to end the violence in Syria. All those with influence on the Syrian regime should bring it to bear now. No nation should stand silent while people in Aleppo are threatened with a potential massacre."
Bernard Valero, a French foreign ministry spokesman, said: "With the build-up of heavy weapons around Aleppo, Assad is preparing to carry out a fresh slaughter of his own people." The US State Department on Thursday warned that Assad may be preparing to carry out a massacre following "credible reports" that columns of tanks, helicopter gunships and warplanes were being readied for an assault on the city.
Related Articles
_ Syria: Aleppo rebels plead for help as army threatens onslaught - 27 Jul 2012
_ Syria: Six-year-old Syrian boy shot dead fleeing to Jordan - 27 Jul 2012
_ Syria dispatch: Rebels forced to share guns as Assad's tanks roll in to Aleppo - 26 Jul 2012
_ Syria: US warns of potential massacre in Aleppo - 26 Jul 2012
_ Syria's show of force on State TV - 26 Jul 2012
Valero said France shared US concerns over the rapidly deteriorating situation in Aleppo and called on Assad to end the violence and step down.
"Our message is that Assad must go," he said.
Aleppo, Syria's most populous city and also the country's commercial hub, has been the theatre of fierce fighting between the opposition and Assad's forces for the last week.
On Thursday Syrian troops reportedly strafed several neighbourhoods of Aleppo from helicopter gunships, after an MP defected to Turkey.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the army was using helicopter gunships in the southwest of the city, in the Salaheddin, Bustan al-Qasr, Sukari, Al-Mashhad and Al-Azamiya neighbourhoods.
Troops also clashed with rebels in the central Jamiliya district, adjacent to Aleppo's historic old quarter, as well as in Mahatat Baghdad and in Saadallah al-Jabiri Square.
Earlier, MP Ikhlas al-Badawi, said she had cross to Turkey "and defected from this tyrannical regime ... because of the repression and savage torture against a nation demanding the minimum of rights."
Opposition sources Syrian troops and armour are amassing around the northern city of Aleppo, Syrian's main commercial and industrial hub, to crush armed resistance to Assad that has been gathering momentum following a military crackdown on street demonstrations against his rule.
The authorities chose Badawi, a Sunni Muslim, to run for parliament on behalf of the "labourers and peasants" sector, a term for state backed labour and farmers unions who are guaranteed half the seats in the 250 seat assembly.
Badawi, a mother of six, was also a member of the Ba’ath party, which took power in 1963 military coup that destroyed the country's democratic institutions in favour of a Soviet style political system dominated by Assad's minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam.
Intensified ground and aerial bombardment on Syrian cities by Assad's forces in recent weeks has prompted diehard Baathists and Assad's loyalists to defect.
They have been mostly Sunni Muslim, from the majority sect at the forefront of the 16-month uprising against Assad.
Nawaf al-Fares, Syria's ambassador to Iraq and a former Ba’ath party chief in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor, fled to Qatar through Jordan two weeks ago.
Fares, according to opposition sources, is a friend of Manaf Tlas, a brigadier general in the Republican Guards and a member of Assad's inner circle, who fled Syria earlier this month.
Source: agencies
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
28072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
Britain has warned that the escalating Aleppo crisis in Syria could lead to a "devastating loss of civilian life and a humanitarian disaster".
Syrian people leave the city of Aleppo after shelling by Syrian government forces Photo: BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images
1:48PM BST 27 Jul 2012
The Telegraph
William Hague's comments were echoed by France who said Bashar al-Assad, Syria's president, is prepared to carry out a "slaughter" of his own people in Aleppo, France has warned.
Mr Hague, the foreign secretary, said: “This utterly unacceptable escalation of the conflict could lead to a devastating loss of civilian life and a humanitarian disaster. It will add to the misery being endured by the Syrian people, and plunge the country further into catastrophic civil war.
“The Assad regime must call off this assault. I call on all countries around the world, including the Permanent Members of the Security Council, to join us in condemning these latest actions and to insist on a political process to end the violence in Syria. All those with influence on the Syrian regime should bring it to bear now. No nation should stand silent while people in Aleppo are threatened with a potential massacre."
Bernard Valero, a French foreign ministry spokesman, said: "With the build-up of heavy weapons around Aleppo, Assad is preparing to carry out a fresh slaughter of his own people." The US State Department on Thursday warned that Assad may be preparing to carry out a massacre following "credible reports" that columns of tanks, helicopter gunships and warplanes were being readied for an assault on the city.
Related Articles
_ Syria: Aleppo rebels plead for help as army threatens onslaught - 27 Jul 2012
_ Syria: Six-year-old Syrian boy shot dead fleeing to Jordan - 27 Jul 2012
_ Syria dispatch: Rebels forced to share guns as Assad's tanks roll in to Aleppo - 26 Jul 2012
_ Syria: US warns of potential massacre in Aleppo - 26 Jul 2012
_ Syria's show of force on State TV - 26 Jul 2012
Valero said France shared US concerns over the rapidly deteriorating situation in Aleppo and called on Assad to end the violence and step down.
"Our message is that Assad must go," he said.
Aleppo, Syria's most populous city and also the country's commercial hub, has been the theatre of fierce fighting between the opposition and Assad's forces for the last week.
On Thursday Syrian troops reportedly strafed several neighbourhoods of Aleppo from helicopter gunships, after an MP defected to Turkey.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the army was using helicopter gunships in the southwest of the city, in the Salaheddin, Bustan al-Qasr, Sukari, Al-Mashhad and Al-Azamiya neighbourhoods.
Troops also clashed with rebels in the central Jamiliya district, adjacent to Aleppo's historic old quarter, as well as in Mahatat Baghdad and in Saadallah al-Jabiri Square.
Earlier, MP Ikhlas al-Badawi, said she had cross to Turkey "and defected from this tyrannical regime ... because of the repression and savage torture against a nation demanding the minimum of rights."
Opposition sources Syrian troops and armour are amassing around the northern city of Aleppo, Syrian's main commercial and industrial hub, to crush armed resistance to Assad that has been gathering momentum following a military crackdown on street demonstrations against his rule.
The authorities chose Badawi, a Sunni Muslim, to run for parliament on behalf of the "labourers and peasants" sector, a term for state backed labour and farmers unions who are guaranteed half the seats in the 250 seat assembly.
Badawi, a mother of six, was also a member of the Ba’ath party, which took power in 1963 military coup that destroyed the country's democratic institutions in favour of a Soviet style political system dominated by Assad's minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam.
Intensified ground and aerial bombardment on Syrian cities by Assad's forces in recent weeks has prompted diehard Baathists and Assad's loyalists to defect.
They have been mostly Sunni Muslim, from the majority sect at the forefront of the 16-month uprising against Assad.
Nawaf al-Fares, Syria's ambassador to Iraq and a former Ba’ath party chief in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor, fled to Qatar through Jordan two weeks ago.
Fares, according to opposition sources, is a friend of Manaf Tlas, a brigadier general in the Republican Guards and a member of Assad's inner circle, who fled Syria earlier this month.
Source: agencies
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
28072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
WORLD_ Syrian rebels start "liberate Damascus" operation
Syrian rebels start "liberate Damascus" operation
By Mariam Karouny
BEIRUT | Tue Jul 17, 2012 2:30pm EDT
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Rebels will intensify attacks inside the Syrian capital and target sensitive security installations in what they call an operation to "liberate Damascus", a rebel commander said on Tuesday, after three days of fierce fighting in the city.
Colonel Qassem Saadeddine, spokesman of the joint command of the Free Syrian Army inside Syria, told Reuters via Skype that many fighters arrived in Damascus from several provinces 10 days ago to take part in the operation and more would be sent soon.
"There is no going back. The Damascus battle has priority for us. We have started the operation to liberate Damascus," Saadeddine said, adding the rebels had called their operation "Damascus volcano and Syrian earthquake".
For three days rebels and government troops have clashed in the streets of Damascus in the fiercest fighting in the capital since the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad erupted last year, but neither side seems to able to deliver a decisive blow.
"This has been planned for some time now. We sent many groups and fighters to Damascus and its suburbs 10 days ago. We have sent at least 50 groups, each with around 50 fighters," Saadeddine said.
"We will hit security buildings. There is major coordination between all military councils regarding this. We will not stop, there is no return."
A Free Army officer taking part in the fighting in Midan district, the scene of some of the heaviest clashes in the past three days, said the situation was "really excellent".
The officer, who declined to be named, said the fighters were in control of Midan and succeeded in repelling army attempts to break into the neighborhood.
A video uploaded by opposition activists, aired on al-Jazeera television on Monday, showed men in jeans hiding in sandbagged alleyways, firing rocket-propelled grenades and machineguns.
The rebels said they were bracing for a conflict that could last a month. Although they lacked ammunition, they said they had enough weapons to hold their ground and were seizing more arms from Assad's forces across the country.
Activists' videos showed rebels seizing tanks and armored vehicles in the city of Talbiseh, north of Homs, on Tuesday.
"Our fighters are already deployed in sensitive areas in Damascus. They went there knowing they will not leave alive. This is the battle, this is our battle," the FSA officer said.
"We are in the heart of Damascus, we have our plans, we even have our withdrawal lines and the lines to evacuate the wounded," he said.
A third officer said: "I cannot give details but all in all the situation is good, the regime started this battle and we will finish it."
(Editing by Tim Pearce)
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
28072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
By Mariam Karouny
BEIRUT | Tue Jul 17, 2012 2:30pm EDT
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Rebels will intensify attacks inside the Syrian capital and target sensitive security installations in what they call an operation to "liberate Damascus", a rebel commander said on Tuesday, after three days of fierce fighting in the city.
Colonel Qassem Saadeddine, spokesman of the joint command of the Free Syrian Army inside Syria, told Reuters via Skype that many fighters arrived in Damascus from several provinces 10 days ago to take part in the operation and more would be sent soon.
"There is no going back. The Damascus battle has priority for us. We have started the operation to liberate Damascus," Saadeddine said, adding the rebels had called their operation "Damascus volcano and Syrian earthquake".
For three days rebels and government troops have clashed in the streets of Damascus in the fiercest fighting in the capital since the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad erupted last year, but neither side seems to able to deliver a decisive blow.
"This has been planned for some time now. We sent many groups and fighters to Damascus and its suburbs 10 days ago. We have sent at least 50 groups, each with around 50 fighters," Saadeddine said.
"We will hit security buildings. There is major coordination between all military councils regarding this. We will not stop, there is no return."
A Free Army officer taking part in the fighting in Midan district, the scene of some of the heaviest clashes in the past three days, said the situation was "really excellent".
The officer, who declined to be named, said the fighters were in control of Midan and succeeded in repelling army attempts to break into the neighborhood.
A video uploaded by opposition activists, aired on al-Jazeera television on Monday, showed men in jeans hiding in sandbagged alleyways, firing rocket-propelled grenades and machineguns.
The rebels said they were bracing for a conflict that could last a month. Although they lacked ammunition, they said they had enough weapons to hold their ground and were seizing more arms from Assad's forces across the country.
Activists' videos showed rebels seizing tanks and armored vehicles in the city of Talbiseh, north of Homs, on Tuesday.
"Our fighters are already deployed in sensitive areas in Damascus. They went there knowing they will not leave alive. This is the battle, this is our battle," the FSA officer said.
"We are in the heart of Damascus, we have our plans, we even have our withdrawal lines and the lines to evacuate the wounded," he said.
A third officer said: "I cannot give details but all in all the situation is good, the regime started this battle and we will finish it."
(Editing by Tim Pearce)
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
28072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
WORLD_ Syria conflict: Assad's fall 'matter of time' - ex-UN observer
Syria conflict: Assad's fall 'matter of time' - ex-UN observer
BBC
Rebels in Aleppo are calling for the regime to go
The former head of the UN observer mission in Syria says it is "only a matter of time" until President Bashar al-Assad's government falls.
But Norwegian Maj Gen Robert Mood, who left Syria last week, said Mr Assad's fall would not necessarily mean an end to the 16-month-old conflict.
Syrian forces renewed their assault on the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's most populous city, on Friday.
The US state department says it fears a massacre by Syrian government forces.
The pro-government al-Watan newspaper warned that the "mother of all battles" was about to start.
'Reports of atrocities' "
In my opinion it is only a matter of time before a regime that is using such heavy military power and disproportional violence against the civilian population is going to fall," Maj Gen Mood told the Reuters news agency.
Separately, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay appealed to both sides to spare civilians, citing concerns of "the likelihood of an imminent major confrontation".
Ms Pillay said she had received "as yet unconfirmed reports of atrocities, including extra-judicial killings and shooting of civilians by snipers" in Damascus.
Saying she had also received more reports of opposition fighters torturing or executing prisoners, Ms Pillay stated her belief that "crimes against humanity and war crimes have been, and continue to be, committed in Syria".
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said the people of Aleppo were threatened with a potential massacre.
"This utterly unacceptable escalation of the conflict could lead to a devastating loss of civilian life and a humanitarian disaster," he said.
He urged all permanent members of the UN Security Council - including Russia and China, who have vetoed three resolutions - to condemn the actions.
The BBC's Wyre Davies, on the Syria-Turkey border, says conditions in Aleppo are reported to be dire.
Thousands of government troops have been drafted in from other areas and are encircling the city, he says.
'Hopeless situation'
An activist based in Fardos in the city told the BBC at least 15 people had died on Friday morning during the military's bombardment of a building.
"We have medical supplies but no doctors or equipment to treat the injured. The situation feels hopeless," said the activist, identified only as Ramy.
"The people of Aleppo are not coping with this crisis. They are dying. It is a massacre. People can leave their homes and move around the city but who would really want to take the risk of being shot or bombed?"
He insisted that activists would continue to resist the government forces.
"Activists are prepared to engage in a guerrilla war, from street to street if necessary," he said.
The BBC has been unable to independently verify Ramy's comments.
The Red Crescent has suspended some of its operations in Aleppo because of the heavy fighting.
Rebels have been stockpiling ammunition and medical supplies in preparation for the expected assault.
Syrian troops fired from helicopter gunships on south-western neighbourhoods on Friday morning, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told the AFP news agency.
A convoy of tanks from Idlib province, near the border with Turkey, arrived in Aleppo overnight and was attacked by rebels, the Observatory said.
Residents flee
The US State Department said the deployment of tanks, helicopter gunships and fixed-winged aircraft around Aleppo suggested an attack was imminent.
But the US would not intervene, said spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, except by continuing to channel non-lethal assistance (such as communications equipment and medical supplies) to the rebels.
A Syrian MP from Aleppo has fled to Turkey, Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency says.
Ikhlas Badawi, a mother of six, said she was defecting in protest at the "violence against the people".
Meanwhile, another defector, Gen Manaf Tlas, has put himself forward as a possible figure to unite the fractious opposition.
In an interview with a Saudi newspaper, Asharq al-Awsat, he said: "I am discussing with... people outside Syria to reach a consensus with those inside."
However, some in the opposition regard Gen Tlas - who fled earlier this month - as a compromised figure too close to the government of President Assad.
For its part, Turkey has said it will not tolerate the creation of a Kurdish-run region in northern Syria.
This follows reports that Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq had formed an alliance with a Kurdish party across the border in Syria.
Turkey would strike against "terrorists" in northern Syria, warned Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the same way it has attacked bases in northern Iraq used by militants linked to the Kurdistan People's Party (PKK).
Turkey is concerned that the creation of a Kurdish authority in the north of Syria could provide a sanctuary to Kurdish rebels fighting for self-rule in Turkey's southeast.
***
Mood's mission
_ 14 April: UN Security Council votes to send monitors to oversee implementation of ceasefire as part of envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan
_ 20 April: Maj Gen Mood, former chief of staff of Norwegian army, appointed as mission head
_ 28 May: UN observer team visits Houla area of Homs, counting at least 32 children among more than 90 bodies
_ 16 June: Mood grounds observers after violence obstructs their work
_ 20 June: Mood tells UN observers were deliberately targeted by hostile crowds and gunfire at least 10 times
_ 20 July: UN votes to extend mission for final 30 days but Mood resigns
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
28072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
BBC
Rebels in Aleppo are calling for the regime to go
The former head of the UN observer mission in Syria says it is "only a matter of time" until President Bashar al-Assad's government falls.
But Norwegian Maj Gen Robert Mood, who left Syria last week, said Mr Assad's fall would not necessarily mean an end to the 16-month-old conflict.
Syrian forces renewed their assault on the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's most populous city, on Friday.
The US state department says it fears a massacre by Syrian government forces.
The pro-government al-Watan newspaper warned that the "mother of all battles" was about to start.
'Reports of atrocities' "
In my opinion it is only a matter of time before a regime that is using such heavy military power and disproportional violence against the civilian population is going to fall," Maj Gen Mood told the Reuters news agency.
Separately, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay appealed to both sides to spare civilians, citing concerns of "the likelihood of an imminent major confrontation".
Ms Pillay said she had received "as yet unconfirmed reports of atrocities, including extra-judicial killings and shooting of civilians by snipers" in Damascus.
Saying she had also received more reports of opposition fighters torturing or executing prisoners, Ms Pillay stated her belief that "crimes against humanity and war crimes have been, and continue to be, committed in Syria".
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said the people of Aleppo were threatened with a potential massacre.
"This utterly unacceptable escalation of the conflict could lead to a devastating loss of civilian life and a humanitarian disaster," he said.
He urged all permanent members of the UN Security Council - including Russia and China, who have vetoed three resolutions - to condemn the actions.
The BBC's Wyre Davies, on the Syria-Turkey border, says conditions in Aleppo are reported to be dire.
Thousands of government troops have been drafted in from other areas and are encircling the city, he says.
'Hopeless situation'
An activist based in Fardos in the city told the BBC at least 15 people had died on Friday morning during the military's bombardment of a building.
"We have medical supplies but no doctors or equipment to treat the injured. The situation feels hopeless," said the activist, identified only as Ramy.
"The people of Aleppo are not coping with this crisis. They are dying. It is a massacre. People can leave their homes and move around the city but who would really want to take the risk of being shot or bombed?"
He insisted that activists would continue to resist the government forces.
"Activists are prepared to engage in a guerrilla war, from street to street if necessary," he said.
The BBC has been unable to independently verify Ramy's comments.
The Red Crescent has suspended some of its operations in Aleppo because of the heavy fighting.
Rebels have been stockpiling ammunition and medical supplies in preparation for the expected assault.
Syrian troops fired from helicopter gunships on south-western neighbourhoods on Friday morning, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told the AFP news agency.
A convoy of tanks from Idlib province, near the border with Turkey, arrived in Aleppo overnight and was attacked by rebels, the Observatory said.
Residents flee
The US State Department said the deployment of tanks, helicopter gunships and fixed-winged aircraft around Aleppo suggested an attack was imminent.
But the US would not intervene, said spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, except by continuing to channel non-lethal assistance (such as communications equipment and medical supplies) to the rebels.
A Syrian MP from Aleppo has fled to Turkey, Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency says.
Ikhlas Badawi, a mother of six, said she was defecting in protest at the "violence against the people".
Meanwhile, another defector, Gen Manaf Tlas, has put himself forward as a possible figure to unite the fractious opposition.
In an interview with a Saudi newspaper, Asharq al-Awsat, he said: "I am discussing with... people outside Syria to reach a consensus with those inside."
However, some in the opposition regard Gen Tlas - who fled earlier this month - as a compromised figure too close to the government of President Assad.
For its part, Turkey has said it will not tolerate the creation of a Kurdish-run region in northern Syria.
This follows reports that Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq had formed an alliance with a Kurdish party across the border in Syria.
Turkey would strike against "terrorists" in northern Syria, warned Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the same way it has attacked bases in northern Iraq used by militants linked to the Kurdistan People's Party (PKK).
Turkey is concerned that the creation of a Kurdish authority in the north of Syria could provide a sanctuary to Kurdish rebels fighting for self-rule in Turkey's southeast.
***
Mood's mission
_ 14 April: UN Security Council votes to send monitors to oversee implementation of ceasefire as part of envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan
_ 20 April: Maj Gen Mood, former chief of staff of Norwegian army, appointed as mission head
_ 28 May: UN observer team visits Houla area of Homs, counting at least 32 children among more than 90 bodies
_ 16 June: Mood grounds observers after violence obstructs their work
_ 20 June: Mood tells UN observers were deliberately targeted by hostile crowds and gunfire at least 10 times
_ 20 July: UN votes to extend mission for final 30 days but Mood resigns
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
28072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
Thursday, July 26, 2012
WORLD_ Syrian slaughter: The Assad Ramadan murders
Syrian slaughter: The Assad Ramadan murders
Photo: Associated Press
Tuesday, July 24, 2012 - The Tygrrrr Express by Eric Golub
Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/tygrrrr-express/2012/jul/24/syrian-genocide-assad-ramadan-murders/
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
27072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
Photo: Associated Press
Tuesday, July 24, 2012 - The Tygrrrr Express by Eric Golub
Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/tygrrrr-express/2012/jul/24/syrian-genocide-assad-ramadan-murders/
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
27072012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
WORLD_ Syrian diplomats 'defect' as Aleppo fighting worsens
Syrian diplomats 'defect' as Aleppo fighting worsens
BBC
Activists say government tanks and armoured vehicles have been redeployed from their positions near the Turkish border to Aleppo. Ian Pannell's report contains unverified graphic images of the victims of Syria's conflict
The US has confirmed the defection of two more senior Syrian diplomats, amid mounting pressure on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
Syria's representatives in the United Arab Emirates and Cyprus - who are husband and wife - are reported to have fled to Qatar.
It comes amid intensifying clashes in the key city of Aleppo, where troops are trying to halt a rebel advance.
UN members have traded more accusations of blame amid the diplomatic impasse.
Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the world to "act now to stop the slaughter", but Security Council members remain deadlocked over what action it should take.
The Syrian government has rushed troops and tanks to Aleppo, Syria's second city and commercial centre, parts of which were seized by rebels.
The heightening of the crisis is causing regional concern, say correspondents, amid a growing exodus of refugees and fears the fighting could draw in Syria's neighbours.
'Days numbered'
"We can confirm the defections of Syrian ambassadors to both the UAE and Cyprus," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Mr Carney said the move showed that "senior officials around the Assad inner circle are fleeing the government because of the heinous actions taken by Assad against his own people, and the recognition that Assad's days are numbered".
The diplomats in question are Lamia al-Hariri, Syria's charge d'affaires in Cyprus, and her husband Abdelatif al-Dabbagh, ambassador to the UAE.
A military attache at the Syrian embassy in Oman - Mohammed Tahseen al-Faqir - is also reported to have defected.
Earlier this month, Nawaf Fares, Syria's ambassador to Iraq, left for Qatar.
A senior state department official told AFP news agency: "These defections serve as a reminder that the bottom is starting to fall out of the regime. It is crumbling and losing its grip on power."
Meanwhile the BBC's Ian Pannell, who has been in Aleppo, says the city is now the focus of a battle which neither regime nor opposition forces can afford to lose.
He says restive neighbourhoods are being pounded by artillery, mortars and helicopter gunfire, and there are multiple reports of reinforcements heading to the city.
One activist based in the city, Mohammed Saeed, told Associated Press news agency they were expecting a big assault to try to reassert government control.
Adrien Jaulmes, of French newspaper Le Figaro, said that many people had fled Aleppo and others remained off the streets and in their homes.
"All afternoon, helicopters and Syrian jet fighters have been circling above the city, with the Free Syrian Army fighters firing at them with all the weapons they have," he said, adding that the situation remained fluid and difficult to assess.
The fighting has caused renewed regional concern, with Turkey tightening its border controls with Syria, though it says it will allow refugees to get through.
***
At the scene
Ian Pannell BBC News, Syria
-------------------
The battle for Aleppo is now raging and it is one neither side can afford to lose. The historic city is not only the largest in the country but its economic heart. The government derives material support from its merchant class and vital industries that supply the rest of the country.
The stakes could not be higher. For the armed opposition, losing would be a disastrous setback that, at the very least, could neuter their revolution for months. For President Bashar al-Assad, losing Aleppo could be the tipping point that presages the downfall of his government.
Despite their confidence and commitment, the rebels remain vastly outgunned and - with reinforcements from the army - outmanned, and it is hard to see how they can prevail. But many people here are desperate for the rebels to succeed.
Rebels surprise regime in Aleppo
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
26072012
___________
CSVN là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
BBC
Activists say government tanks and armoured vehicles have been redeployed from their positions near the Turkish border to Aleppo. Ian Pannell's report contains unverified graphic images of the victims of Syria's conflict
The US has confirmed the defection of two more senior Syrian diplomats, amid mounting pressure on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
Syria's representatives in the United Arab Emirates and Cyprus - who are husband and wife - are reported to have fled to Qatar.
It comes amid intensifying clashes in the key city of Aleppo, where troops are trying to halt a rebel advance.
UN members have traded more accusations of blame amid the diplomatic impasse.
Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the world to "act now to stop the slaughter", but Security Council members remain deadlocked over what action it should take.
The Syrian government has rushed troops and tanks to Aleppo, Syria's second city and commercial centre, parts of which were seized by rebels.
The heightening of the crisis is causing regional concern, say correspondents, amid a growing exodus of refugees and fears the fighting could draw in Syria's neighbours.
'Days numbered'
"We can confirm the defections of Syrian ambassadors to both the UAE and Cyprus," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Mr Carney said the move showed that "senior officials around the Assad inner circle are fleeing the government because of the heinous actions taken by Assad against his own people, and the recognition that Assad's days are numbered".
The diplomats in question are Lamia al-Hariri, Syria's charge d'affaires in Cyprus, and her husband Abdelatif al-Dabbagh, ambassador to the UAE.
A military attache at the Syrian embassy in Oman - Mohammed Tahseen al-Faqir - is also reported to have defected.
Earlier this month, Nawaf Fares, Syria's ambassador to Iraq, left for Qatar.
A senior state department official told AFP news agency: "These defections serve as a reminder that the bottom is starting to fall out of the regime. It is crumbling and losing its grip on power."
Meanwhile the BBC's Ian Pannell, who has been in Aleppo, says the city is now the focus of a battle which neither regime nor opposition forces can afford to lose.
He says restive neighbourhoods are being pounded by artillery, mortars and helicopter gunfire, and there are multiple reports of reinforcements heading to the city.
One activist based in the city, Mohammed Saeed, told Associated Press news agency they were expecting a big assault to try to reassert government control.
Adrien Jaulmes, of French newspaper Le Figaro, said that many people had fled Aleppo and others remained off the streets and in their homes.
"All afternoon, helicopters and Syrian jet fighters have been circling above the city, with the Free Syrian Army fighters firing at them with all the weapons they have," he said, adding that the situation remained fluid and difficult to assess.
The fighting has caused renewed regional concern, with Turkey tightening its border controls with Syria, though it says it will allow refugees to get through.
***
At the scene
Ian Pannell BBC News, Syria
-------------------
The battle for Aleppo is now raging and it is one neither side can afford to lose. The historic city is not only the largest in the country but its economic heart. The government derives material support from its merchant class and vital industries that supply the rest of the country.
The stakes could not be higher. For the armed opposition, losing would be a disastrous setback that, at the very least, could neuter their revolution for months. For President Bashar al-Assad, losing Aleppo could be the tipping point that presages the downfall of his government.
Despite their confidence and commitment, the rebels remain vastly outgunned and - with reinforcements from the army - outmanned, and it is hard to see how they can prevail. But many people here are desperate for the rebels to succeed.
Rebels surprise regime in Aleppo
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
26072012
___________
CSVN là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
ANALYSIS_ Analysis: why Assad may lose Syria if he does not regain control of Aleppo
Analysis: why Assad may lose Syria if he does not regain control of Aleppo
Hafez al-Assad might not go down in history as one of Syria's most benevolent rulers, but he was certainly one of its most astute.
A portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad burns during clashes between rebels and Syrian troops in the city center of Selehattin, near Aleppo Photo: BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images
By Adrian Blomfield, Middle East Correspondent
11:23PM BST 25 Jul 2012
Knowing he had to break the endless cycle of coups that had plagued Syria before he seized power in the "Corrective Revolution" of 1970, Mr Assad quickly learnt a lesson that had eluded his hapless predecessors: in order to govern Syria, you have to control Aleppo.
One of the Levant's most storied cities, Aleppo was also among its most mutinous. Modern Syria's first two coups were hatched by natives of the city: Col Husni al-Zaim in April 1949 and Col Sami al-Hinnawi four months later. Both men swiftly met violent ends.
Mr Assad understood that in order to survive he would need to win the support of both Aleppo's merchant class - many of them Christian - and the city's Sunni religious authorities. He forged lucrative alliances with the former and suborned the latter, successfully pacifying the city.
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_ Syria army moves forces to Aleppo as battle intensifies - 25 Jul 2012
Although it is formally Syria's second city, Aleppo has overshadowed Damascus for much of its recent history.
Located close to the Turkish border, it lay at the end of the Silk Road from China, making it a hugely important trading centre for centuries and leaving it with its fabulous architectural legacy of caravanserais and souks.
Its importance was internationally recognised: when the English Levant Company was looking for a Middle East headquarters in the late 16th century, it chose Aleppo.
Mr Assad succeeded in transferring a good deal of commerce to Damascus, but Aleppo still remains Syria's most important industrial city today.
Under Mr Assad's son and successor Bashar, Aleppo remained stable and, even when the uprising against his rule erupted last year, the city proved one of the most reluctant to rebel.
Demonstrators in less subservient towns were frequently heard to chant "Aleppo, where are you?" - a recognition of the opposition's frustration at being unable to turn a city that could spell the difference between Mr Assad's survival and downfall.
Although many of Aleppo's inhabitants remain loyal to the president, the rebels have finally managed to establish a foothold in the city. That they have done so is in part due to the fact that Mr Assad was forced to withdraw troops to protect his capital, leaving Aleppo less well defended.
But even if the president can regain control, Aleppo is much more fractured than it was in the past. To the north, where Islamist currents run strong, the key towns of Azaz, Hreitan and Anadan are now opposition strongholds and the rebels were said to be in control of Azaz yesterday.
But in Aleppo itself, much of the Sunni working class has turned against the regime, something that has manifested itself in a series of arson attacks on factories in the city in recent months.
The factory owners are starting to realise that support for the regime is no longer in their interests. Their employees have turned, trade has been paralysed because it is impossible to move goods to the nearby Turkish border, and the uprising has plunged the country into economic crisis.
The mercantile class that Mr Assad's father wooed so successfully may well be lost to the regime and without Aleppo, the city his family has so long feared, the president's chances of survival look grimmer than ever.
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
26072012
___________
CSVN là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
Hafez al-Assad might not go down in history as one of Syria's most benevolent rulers, but he was certainly one of its most astute.
A portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad burns during clashes between rebels and Syrian troops in the city center of Selehattin, near Aleppo Photo: BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images
By Adrian Blomfield, Middle East Correspondent
11:23PM BST 25 Jul 2012
Knowing he had to break the endless cycle of coups that had plagued Syria before he seized power in the "Corrective Revolution" of 1970, Mr Assad quickly learnt a lesson that had eluded his hapless predecessors: in order to govern Syria, you have to control Aleppo.
One of the Levant's most storied cities, Aleppo was also among its most mutinous. Modern Syria's first two coups were hatched by natives of the city: Col Husni al-Zaim in April 1949 and Col Sami al-Hinnawi four months later. Both men swiftly met violent ends.
Mr Assad understood that in order to survive he would need to win the support of both Aleppo's merchant class - many of them Christian - and the city's Sunni religious authorities. He forged lucrative alliances with the former and suborned the latter, successfully pacifying the city.
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Although it is formally Syria's second city, Aleppo has overshadowed Damascus for much of its recent history.
Located close to the Turkish border, it lay at the end of the Silk Road from China, making it a hugely important trading centre for centuries and leaving it with its fabulous architectural legacy of caravanserais and souks.
Its importance was internationally recognised: when the English Levant Company was looking for a Middle East headquarters in the late 16th century, it chose Aleppo.
Mr Assad succeeded in transferring a good deal of commerce to Damascus, but Aleppo still remains Syria's most important industrial city today.
Under Mr Assad's son and successor Bashar, Aleppo remained stable and, even when the uprising against his rule erupted last year, the city proved one of the most reluctant to rebel.
Demonstrators in less subservient towns were frequently heard to chant "Aleppo, where are you?" - a recognition of the opposition's frustration at being unable to turn a city that could spell the difference between Mr Assad's survival and downfall.
Although many of Aleppo's inhabitants remain loyal to the president, the rebels have finally managed to establish a foothold in the city. That they have done so is in part due to the fact that Mr Assad was forced to withdraw troops to protect his capital, leaving Aleppo less well defended.
But even if the president can regain control, Aleppo is much more fractured than it was in the past. To the north, where Islamist currents run strong, the key towns of Azaz, Hreitan and Anadan are now opposition strongholds and the rebels were said to be in control of Azaz yesterday.
But in Aleppo itself, much of the Sunni working class has turned against the regime, something that has manifested itself in a series of arson attacks on factories in the city in recent months.
The factory owners are starting to realise that support for the regime is no longer in their interests. Their employees have turned, trade has been paralysed because it is impossible to move goods to the nearby Turkish border, and the uprising has plunged the country into economic crisis.
The mercantile class that Mr Assad's father wooed so successfully may well be lost to the regime and without Aleppo, the city his family has so long feared, the president's chances of survival look grimmer than ever.
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
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Nguyễn Hoài Trang
26072012
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CSVN là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
WORLD_ Syria rushes troops to Aleppo to fight rebels
Syria rushes troops to Aleppo to fight rebels
Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-07-25/syria-aleppo-turkey/56478412/1
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
26072012
___________
CSVN là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-07-25/syria-aleppo-turkey/56478412/1
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
26072012
___________
CSVN là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
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