The Daily Monitoring Report – Tuesday – 31-07-2012

  July 31^st, 2012

- Some 130 people were martyred at the hands of Al-Assad battalions, mostly inAleppo,Damascus, Rif Dimashq and Dir Al-Zour. Fierce confrontations between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Al-Assad troops continue inAleppoand its countryside. The FSA announced it controls 60% ofAleppo. For the first time, the FSA attackedMengMilitaryAirportin the governorate ofAleppoby the tanks they seized from Al-Assad forces. (2)

- The FSA had hold over an important military barrier in theAlepporural town ofAndanafter ten-hour fighting during which it seized eight tanks, munitions and artillery shells. The strategic crossing betweenAleppoand the Turkish borders became under the control of the FSA. .(4) (2) (1)

- The pace of defection from Al-Assad regime is becoming faster with two diplomats and 12 officers announcing their defection to catch up with a number of civilians and military people, who have recently announced joining the revolution aiming at toppling Al-Assad regime. (2)

Political Mobility:

- The British Foreign Office said Khaled Al-Ayoubi, the Syrian chargé d’affaires inLondon, has announced his resignation. (1) (2) (3) (4)

- Khaled Al-Saleh, deputy chief of the Syrian mission inNigeria, announced his defection from the Assad regime. (2)

- The Free Syrian Army (FSA) at home offers a “national salvation draft” proposal for the transition period inSyria. The draft proposes the establishment of a higher defense council charged with creating a presidential council that brings together six military and civilian figures to lead the post-Assad transition period. (1) (4)

Internal Situation:

- A Turkish official said the deputy police chief ofSyria’s western Latakia city defected and fled toTurkeyovernight with 12 other Syrian officers. The Turkish official did not name the deputy police commander but said he came fromSyria’s Sunni Muslim majority, adding that around 600 Syrians also crossed over intoTurkeyin the last 24 hours. (2) (3)

- Lt. General Babacar Gaye, head of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria, said that he personally saw heavy bombardment and damages in Homs and Al-Rastan cities, adding, “During my visit to Homs, I was personally able to witness heavy shelling from artillery and mortars,” pointing out that “The shelling was ongoing in the neighborhoods of the city of Homs.”  (2) (4)

- The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that the convoy of Lieutenant General Babacar Gaye, head of the UN observer mission in Syria, was attacked, but injures were not reported. (3)

Political Stances

Syria

- Al-Watan newspaper that is close to Bashar Al-Assad’s regime reported thatIransent a warning toTurkeyagainst launching military operations insideSyria. The paper said that Iran direct a stern warning to Turkey over the last few hours, pointing out that the Syrian-Iranian joint defense agreement will be activated in case of any interference. (2)

Arab

-Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government deploys hundreds of its military forces (Peshmerga) in the disputed area of Zumar. The Kurdistan forces continue preventing the Iraqi government forces from reaching the Vichabour crossing border betweenSyriaandIraq. (2)

International

- Turkish sources uncovered that the Turkish Army asked for meteorological reports inSyria”to be used by artillery commanders.” (1)

- The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls on “all parties” inSyriato end armed violence. He urged the Assad government to renounce the possibility of using chemical weapons under any circumstances. (2) (3)

- Lynton Crosby, a candidate for a post in the British Cabinet office, who has been described as the ‘master of the dark political arts’, has been helping the Syrian National Council (SNC) to swing the Western media behind its cause. (2)

- In the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth, Eitan Haber, former spokesman for the late prime minister Yitzhak Rabin writes, “As long as the situation inSyriais still within Assad’s control,Israelhas no reason to worry.” (3)

Sources

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