Syrian Revolution News Round-up

Day 497: Monday, 23 July 2012

Syria acknowledges possession of, threatens to use chemical weapons


Top Stories:

The Syrian regime acknowledged for the first time that it possessed chemical and biological weapons when it threatened to use them against any attack from abroad.

The international community condemned this threat as “monstrous” and “unacceptable”.

Heavy clashes in the city of Aleppo intensified between the rebels and regime forces, with regime forces killing more than 130 people today.

Summary of Events

The Syrian regime has threatened to use its chemical and biological weapons to combat any foreign attack, in its first-ever acknowledgement that it possesses weapons of mass destruction. The comment elicited international condemnation and further aggravated Syria’s already abysmal foreign relations.

U.S. President Barack Obama warned the Syrian regime that it will be “held accountable” if it uses its stockpile of chemical weapons. British Foreign Secretary William Hague called the threat levied by the regime “unacceptable.” Foreign ministers from the EU’s 27 member states, who voted today to tighten sanctions against the Syrian regime, described this threat as “monstrous” and “unacceptable”.

Heavy clashes in the city of Aleppo intensified between the rebels and regime forces, while civilians took to the streets in large numbers to condemn the regime’s indiscriminate shelling of the neighbourhoods of Masaken Hanano, Sakhour, Haidariya, Ard Hamr and al-Bab Road.

Civil disobedience swept the central prisons of Homs and Aleppo today following the defection of a number of guards. The regime forces opened fire inside the prisons, leaving scores of people dead and many more wounded.

In Damascus, regime forces continued a massive military campaign in the neighbourhoods of Qabun, Mazeh, Maidan and Barzeh while heavy clashes and shelling continued in the neighbourhoods of Qadam, Kafersouseh and Naher Aisha.

Regime forces killed more than 160 people today. Fifty-two were killed in the province of Damascus as more massacres were discovered in the neighbourhoods of Barzeh and Mazeh and the suburbs of Moadamiya and Daraya. Twenty more were killed in the province of Daraa as the military offensive continued in the towns of Naima, Herak and the neighbourhood of Mahatta. Twenty-five died in the province of Aleppo, including 15 people murdered in the suburb of al-Bab. Fifteen were killed in the province of Idlib as a result of a military campaign that targeted the towns of Ma’arrat Naman, Balyoun, Kansafra, Khan Sheikhoun and Saramada. Ten died as a result of heavy shelling that targeted several neighbourhoods in the city of Deir Azzour. Seven more died as heavy shelling continued in the towns of Rastan and Ghanto in the province of Homs. Seven died in Hama. Three were killed in the district of Akrad Mountain in the province of Latakia. One person died in Raqqa city. In addition, 16 army soldiers were killed during heavy clashes with the rebels in the provinces of Aleppo, Homs, Daraa, Qunaitara and in Damascus suburbs.

Regime forces continued attacks on civilian areas in the Damascus suburbs of Hajira, Saida Zainab, Thiyabiya, Haran Awamid, Zabdin and Zabadani, and in the Aleppo suburbs of Ezaz and Daret Ezza.



Revolution Statistics
Syrians killed: 21,149
Children killed: 1,624
Females killed: 1,573
Soldiers killed: 1,690
Protestors killed under torture: 770
Missing: +65,000
Protestors currently incarcerated: +216,000
Syrian refugees since March: +114,894
Refugees in Turkey: +42,682
Refugees in Lebanon: +29,986
Refugees in Jordan: +34,736
Refugees in Iraq: +7,490