Day 498: Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Syrian envoy to Cyprus defects to the opposition
Top Stories:
The chargé d’affaires of the Syrian embassy in Cyprus confirmed to the Strategic Research & Communication Centre (SRCC) her defection from the Syrian regime.
The Syrian regime for the first time bombarded civilian areas with MIG-23 fighter jets, dropping ordnance on parts of Aleppo and Homs.
The Syrian National Council confirmed that it is forming a transitional government.
Summary of Events
The SRCC spoke today to Lamia al-Hariri, charge d’affairs of the Syrian embassy in Cyprus, confirming her defection. Ms. Hariri said she was departing immediately to Qatar because she could not “carry on [her] job as an envoy of a regime that is slaughtering its people.”
Activists confirmed that Syrian MIG-23 fighter jets bombarded parts of Aleppo and Homs, levelling dozens of homes. The assault is the first time the regime has utilised such an air assault on civilian areas.
The regime appointed new officers to replace the four top security officials assassinated last Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Syrian National Council confirmed that it is forming a transitional government, denying the acceptance of a unity government led by the regime.
Pro-Assad militias killed more than 30 people and wounded many others when they opened random fire on civilians in the village of Sharea in the province of Hama, while 10 family members were killed as a result of the heavy shelling in the Daraa suburb of Herak.
Heavy clashes between the rebels and the regime spread further throughout the city of Aleppo to include more neighbourhoods, prompting a mass exodus from the city, while heavy clashes also occurred in the suburbs of Lattakia, Deir ez-Zor city and the Idlib suburb of Kansafra.
Regime forces continued military operations in the neighbourhoods of Qadam, Esaly, Barzeh, Tadamon and Naher Aisha in the capital. They raided several houses and commercial establishments, looted their contents and burned them down. Rebels refused to withdraw, while helicopter gunships bombarded the suburbs of Hosh Arab, Damir, Rankous and Moadamiya.
Regime forces killed more than 150 people today. Twenty-seven were killed during heavy clashes and bombardment in several neighbourhoods in Aleppo city and its provincial towns of Ezaz and al-Bab and the villages of Jina and Abzemo. Forty-six more died in the towns of Latamana, Uqraibat and the village of Sharea in the province of Hama. Twenty-two were killed in the province of Homs. Ten died in the towns of Ma’arrat Naman, Ariha, Kafarsanja, Barrah and Marean in the province of Idlib. Six were killed during heavy clashes in the city of Deir ez-Zor. Twelve more died in the province of Damascus and twenty more were killed in the province of Daraa. Six were killed because of the heavy shelling that targeted the Lattakia suburb of Salma and surrounding villages. Three were killed in the province of Hasaka an one in the province of Qunaitera. At least 28 army soldiers were killed during clashes with the rebels throughout the country.
Regime forces continued its military attacks in the neighbourhoods of Khalidiya, Jouret Sheyah and Qarabis in Homs, in the city of Daraa and Lajat district in the province of Daraa, in several towns and villages in the suburb of Hama, in the villages located at Jabal al-Zawiya district and in the towns of Kafarzeita and Urm al-Jouz in the province of Idlib.
Revolution Statistics
Syrians killed: 21,299
Children killed: 1,654
Females killed: 1,585
Soldiers killed: 1,712
Protestors killed under torture: 778
Missing: +65,000
Protestors currently incarcerated: +216,000
Syrian refugees since March: +118,204
Refugees in Turkey: +43,387
Refugees in Lebanon: +31,004
Refugees in Jordan: +36,323
Refugees in Iraq: +7,490
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