The Daily Monitoring Report – Thursday – 19-07-2012

July 19^th, 2012

- More than 200 people were martyred yesterday (Wednesday) in Syria, half of them in a massacre committed in Hujaira in Set Zaynab region, Rif Dimashq after helicopters shelled a funeral in the region yesterday evening.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

- A statement, by the general staff of the Assad army, said that many top Syrian regime figures have been killed, namely Defense Minister Gen Daoud Rajiha, Deputy Defense Minister and the president’s brother-in-law Assef Shawkat, interior minister Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar and head of crisis management office Gen Hassan Turkomani. In addition, National Security Bureau chief Hisham Ikhtiar was wounded. This happened due to a blast that targeted the national security headquarters in the capital Damascusduring their meeting with a number of ministers and leaders of the security apparatuses in the national security premises.^{(1)(2)(5)(6)(7)}

Field Mobility

- Revolutionary Command Council in Damascuscalls for “activating the revolutionary action with its all forms and without any remissness, and escalating and completing the strikes and civil disobedience nationwide”. “We congratulate our people on killing the first batch of senior criminals towards the Syrian people.” the council added.⁽²(2)

Political Mobility

- Riad al-Shaqfa, mentor of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) group in Syria, said that more than 75% of the Syrian lands have become under the control of the rebels, adding that the regime would be overthrown shortly.⁽²⁾

- Syria’s rebel commander Riad al-Asaad said “God willing, this is the beginning of the end of the regime,” al-Asaad told the Associated Press in a telephone interview from his base in neighboring Turkey. “Hopefully Bashar will be next,” he added.⁽⁵⁾

- Chairman of the Syrian National Council (SNC) Abdul Basit Sida said that the yesterday blast that claimed the lives of four senior presidential aides would accelerate the overthrow of the Assad regime. He also added that the “attack is a turning point in Syria’s history and would increase pressure on the regime and would also achieve very soon end within few weeks or months’ time. He also called on all Syrian army’s officers to immediately bias in favor of the people and defect form those who kill the Syrians.^(1)(2)(3)(6)

- George Sabra, a spokesman for the Syrian National Council (SNC), said on Wednesday the bomb attack in Damascuswas the beginning of the end for the ruling regime. He also added that it was not important to know precisely who carried out the attacks but that they heralded a new phase in the crisis and would encourage uprisings in other areas.^(1)(2)(3)

Political Stances

Syria

- President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday issued Decree No. 275 for 2012 appointing Gen. Fahd Jassem al-Freij as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Armed Forces. In addition, The President also issued Decree No. 275 for 2012 appointing Gen. al-Freij as Minister of Defense to succeed Rajiha.^{(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)}

- The Assad regime pledged to crush those responsible for the explosion of the crisis management office’ meeting, amid fears of an increasing shelling against regions witnessing uprising.⁽⁶⁾

-  Ribal al-Assad, cousin of the Syrian president, expected that Al-Assad would not abdicate power, adding that the bombing is “a disaster, I don’t know if it’s the beginning of the end but I think it’s a disaster”.⁽⁶⁾

Arab

- Jordan’s King Abdullah II, one of the first Arab leaders to call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, said that the attack on Wednesday that killed members of al-Assad’s inner circle is a “tremendous blow to the regime.” But the king cautioned that he did not think the attack meant al-Assad’s regime was about to crumble immediately. He said the danger of civil war is increasing, and it is al-Assad’s last chance to try to stop that from happening.⁽²⁾

- The Tunisian president Moncef Marzouki calls on Al-Assad to step down to avoid facing the same end of the late Libyan president Gaddafi.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

- The secretariat-general of the Arab League announced that the Arab foreign ministers responsible for the Syrian file would hold an urgent meeting in the Qatari capital Dohaon next Sunday with a view to considering the Syrian developments.^(1)(2)(4)

- Egyptian security forces clashed with hundred protesters trying to storm the Syrian Embassy in Cairoand raise the green-striped flag of Syria’s rebels, which caused many injuries among the demonstrators and security forces’ ranks. A security official says that 14 people were detained. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.^(1)(2)(3)(6)

- The Lebanese President Michel Sleiman condemned the attack that rocked Damascusand killed Syrian top officials. In a phone call with the Syrian foreign minister, the Lebanese foreign minister expressed “deep” sorrow and also condemned such a horrible crime.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

-  Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday stressed that Syriais a “real military supporter of the Resistance,” extending condolences over the death of three top Syrian officials in a blast that rocked the headquarters of National Security in Damascus. Nasrallah described the three slain officials as “martyr leaders” and “comrades-in-arms,” in a televised speech marking the anniversary of the July 2006 war with Israel. We reiterate our call for preserving Syriaand the only solution is accepting dialogue. As we feel the loss of today’s martyrs, we extend our condolences to their families and to the Syrian leadership,” said Nasrallah. “Daoud Rajha, Assef Shawkat and Hassan Turkmani are the Syriathat supported the Resistance … and those speaking about Syriatoday were with the enemy back then,” he noted. Referring to the Damascusattack on top officials, Hizbullah’s secretary-general said “Israelhas the right to be happy today because pillars of the (Syrian) army were killed and this is Israel’s ambition to deprive Syriaof having a strong army.”^(1)(2)(4)(5)

International

- The American administration imposes new financial sanctions on the Assad regime.⁽⁵⁾

- Ehud Barak, Israeli Defense Minister, convened with the security and intelligence key figures with the aim of considering the situation in Syria.⁽⁵⁾

- British Foreign Secretary William Hague said that the recent security developments show that we are in dire need of a strong move on the part of the United Nations to end the conflict in Syria.^(1)(2)(4)

- Kofi Annan, the UN-Arab League envoy to Syria, said that the explosion necessities taking a “decisive” procedure on the part of the UN Security Council, condemning “terrorism committed by all parties”^{(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)}

- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday condemned the ongoing violence in Syria, in particular a bombing that killed three senior regime security officials and the reported use of heavy weapons by Syrian security forces against civilians in Damascus. The statement said Ban “strongly condemns today’s bomb attack at the National Security Headquarters in Damascuswhich resulted in significant casualties including the death and serious injury of government officials. “He is gravely concerned about reports of the continued use of heavy weapons by Syrian security forces, including in the Damascusarea, against civilians, despite repeated government assurances such weapons would be withdrawn.⁽²⁾⁽³⁾

- The Russian President Vladimir Putin called for having the perpetrators of what he described a terrorist attack in Damascusarrested to be punished!.⁽²⁾

- Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that there are current fierce battles in Syria, speaking to reporters ahead of the U.N. Security Council vote Wednesday, which was later postponed to Thursday due to lack of consensus, said the adoption of a tough, new Western-backed U.N. resolution on Syria would amount to “direct support” for opponents of embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “To adopt the resolution would be…direct support for the revolutionary movement,” Lavrov said. “To pressure just one side means drawing [Syria] into a civil war and interference in the internal affairs of the state.” He added.^{(1)(2)(4)(5)(6)}

- Irancondemned the explosion in Damascuson Wednesday, and said foreign backing for “terrorist acts” would not succeed in destabilizing Syria. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly condemned violence and resorting to destructive measures, and believes that the only way of resolving the current crisis in Syriais through talks… “A foreign ministry statement published by Mehr news agency said. “Sending weapons and ammunition into the country and support from some regional and international players through terrorist actions that target the robust stability and security of Syrian nation will not lead anywhere,” it added. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said what he described Damascus’ assault indicates that terrorism” extends in Syria”.⁽²⁾⁽⁴⁾

- President Chavez reiterated in the statement issued by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry solidarity with President Bashar al-Assad in confronting the conspiracy against Syria. He expressed hope that Syria, leadership and people will be able to confront this violent campaign and the terrorist massacres facing it. “The Venezuelan government expresses deepest condolences to the Syrian people and particularly the families of the victims of this heinous crime,” said the statement.⁽³⁾

Sources

1	Asharq Al-Awsat
2	Aljazeera net
3	Reuters
4	AFP
5	AP
6	Guardian
7	Telegraph