Syrian Revolution News Round-up

Syrian Revolution News Round-up
Day 493: Thursday, 19 July 2012 

Regime begins to lose control of northern Syria



Top Stories:

Rebels took control of two of the biggest towns in the suburb of Aleppo as well as two major crossings on the Turkish border and one on the Iraq border.

Regime forces killed more than 250 people throughout the country today.

More than 400 soldiers and military officers defected to the opposition today.

Summary of Events

The Syrian regime started losing control of northern parts of the country after rebels took control of two major crossings of Bab al-Hawa and Bab al-Salam on the border with Turkey and the main Abu Kamal post on the border with Iraq, as well as a large areas around the border crossing. Rebels also seized power in the Aleppo suburbs of Menbej and Ezaz after heavy clashes with the regime forces, which sustained heavy losses.

For the fifth consecutive day, regime forces continued using heavy artillery, military tanks and helicopters in its battle against rebels in Damascus, taking positions in the neighbourhoods of Qabun, Maidan, Saida Zainab, Mazeh and the farms of Hejeira and Yalda. Heavy skirmishes also occurred as regime forces raided the neighbourhoods of Hajar Aswad, Kafersouseh, Naher Aisha, Qadam, Tadamon, Bustan Dawr and Yarmouk refugee camp.

Regime forces killed more than 250 people today. Fifteen died in Damascus. Forty-four were killed in the suburbs of Damascus, due to heavy shelling that targeted the towns of Al-Tal, Erbin, Qudsaya, Hosh Arab, Yabroud, Douma, Ain Tarma, Zabadani and Madaya. Nine more were killed in the city of Daraa and its provincial towns of Taffas and Dael. Nineteen died in Homs as the heavy shelling continued in the towns of Rastan and Talbiseh and the neighborhoods of Khaldiya, Qarabis, Deir Baalba and Qosur in Homs. Five were killed during clashes in the Aleppo suburbs of Al-Bab, Ezaz, Daret Ezza and Sheyoukh. Two were shot dead by security forces in Karba village in the province of Suwaida. Thirty-five were killed in the province of Idlib as regime forces continued its military offensive against the towns of Saraqib, Talmans, Salqin, Dowaila and the villages located in the Jabal Zawiya district. Twenty-two died because of heavy shelling that targeted the city of Deir Azzour and its provincial towns of Mohasan, Mayadin and Abu Kamal, while 12 more were killed in the Hama suburbs of Latamana, Kafterzeita, Karnaz, Hayalin and Sahl al-Ghab.

Regime forces continued attacks on civilian areas in the Damascus suburbs of Zamalka, Erbin, Damir, Zabadani and Madaya, in the Aleppo suburbs of Atareb and Bayanoun, in the villages located on Akrad Mountain in the province of Latakia, in the city of Daraa and its provincial towns of Giza, Maarbeh, Sheikh Maskin, Ghabaghib, Bosra, Othman and Dael. The village of Jubata Khashab in the province of Qunaitara on the borders with Israel was shelled for the first time.

More than 400 soldiers defected today, including three generals in the town of Tal Shihab in the province of Daraa, in the Aleppo suburbs of Menbej and Ezaz, in the Damascus towns of Kafarbatna, Heran Awamid, Zabadani and Hajar Aswad and in the province of Homs.

The British government has frozen about 100 million pounds ($157 million) of assets owned by members of the Syrian regime. The government’s asset freeze was reported earlier by the BBC. The official declined to be identified because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly.


Revolution Statistics
Syrians killed: 20,477
Children killed: 1,584
Females killed: 1,554
Soldiers killed: 1,554
Protestors killed under torture: 757
Missing: +65,000
Protestors currently incarcerated: +216,000
Syrian refugees since March: +108,385
Refugees in Turkey: +37,353
Refugees in Lebanon: +29,986
Refugees in Jordan: +34,449
Refugees in Iraq: +6,547