Regime begins
to lose control of northern Syria
kl:13,09 20|07|2012 Sawtalkurd
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.
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- Bab Al-Hawa, Idlib: Rebels seize control of the border crossing, P2, P3, P4
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- Daraa: Rebels attack regime forces, P2
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.