Syria Update, January 14-15 2014. (Institute of Middle Eastern, Islamic and Strategic Studies. By Sherifa Zuhur)
Tuesday’s death toll: 183 killed including 40 civilians, and of those 7 were children.
UN aid teams abandoned delivery of aid to Yarmouk after the Syrian government insisted that it use a dangerous route to the southern entrance of Yarmouk. http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Jan-15/244117-un-abandons-aid-delivery-after-syria-insists-on-dangerous-route.ashx#axzz2qUVMvXzW
At least 10 and perhaps as many as 26 people were killed Wednesday morning in a car bomb in Jarablous in Aleppo province attributed to ISIS http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/15/irans-fm-discusses-peace-talks-with-syrias-assad/
Starvation as a weapon of war in Yarmouk (and elsewhere) https://www.oximity.com/article/About-the-death-of-Palestine-at-the-ca-1
SANA reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad today (Wednesday) in Damascus Syria. The two have been speaking about the United Nations conference scheduled for next week in Montreux, Switzerland. In the meeting Assad slammed Wahhabism and Saudi Arabia. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syrias-assad-slams-saudi-ideology-as-threat-to-world.aspx?pageID=517&nID=61082&NewsCatID=352
John Kerry’s message to the Friends of Syria – http://m.state.gov/md219697.htm
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/13/us-syria-crisis-raqqa-idUSBREA0B0MX20140113
Refugees and Relief:
UK gives amnesty to 1500 Syrian refugees. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10555821/UK-accepts-1500-asylum-seekers-from-Syria.html
Bulgarian neo-Nazis attack and threaten immigrants in Bulgaria including Syria’s estimated 10,000 refugees. http://muftah.org/bulgarias-neo-nazis-wage-war-syrian-refugees/
Oxfam says donor funds must go to Syria and the impacted neighboring countries. http://beta.syriadeeply.org/op-eds/oxfam-kuwait-donors-funds-syrians-neighbors/#.UtbKMGDGtGk
At least 10 and perhaps as many as 26 people were killed Wednesday morning in a car bomb in Jarablous attributed to ISIS http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/15/irans-fm-discusses-peace-talks-with-syrias-assad/
On Wednesday morning, violent clashes took place between ISIS and Islamic battalion fighters and rebels near the town of Ratian, Jarablous, areas near the city of A’azaz, and the eastern countryside of Aleppo province . 3 mortars fell on Hrietan.
Tuesday, Islamist and rebel (other FSA) battalions took over Kafar Kalbin and Kafra, after clashes with ISIS. The regime’s security services tortured to death one man from Darat Izza A rebel attack killed 2 regime soldiers stationed at a checkpoint in the Salaheddin neighborhood, of Aleppo. Regime forces bombarded areas of Bustan al-Qasr and a mortar fell on the Meridian area.
So far, 49 civilians reported to have died from malnutrition or lack of medical supplies in the besieged Yarmouk camp; which has been choked by the regime for several months. Several mortars fell on Halab street, the Qusoor neighbourhood and the Adawi area causing injuries.
Also on Yarmouk (English and Greek subtitles): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcDQ4alZbu4
There was an airstrike in Dael (by the regime) here is a video of the aftermath: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ443XO6GdI There was fierce artillery shelling of Jiza, and rebels destroyed a Doshka at the Nawa road frontline.
Regime shelling wounded a fighter at Inkhel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tanUb5wgDns
Deir az-Zur province:
Regime forces bombed the city of Deir az-Zur after midnight yesterday.
Regime forces are launching a raid and arrest campaign in the village of Zor Assors and shelling the village of al-Jwayz. Violent clashes took place today (Wednesday) between the FSA and Assad’s forces at Muwak on the outskirts of Hamah and there was artillery shelling in the area.
Hassake province
39 fighters of the YPG were mourned today in Qamishli. They were killed in clashes against ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra and Islamist rebel fighters near Tal-Brak and Tal-Hamis in the countryside near Qamishli from the end of December to the 7th of January 2014. The YPG has retreated from the area now controlled by ISIS and other allied groups.
On Tuesday, mortars hit the Alawite village of Fella, injuring at least 3 civilians. Regime bombardment on the Houla area,killed 2 men and others were injured. Clashes between rebels and regime forces supported by the NDF took place near the town of al-Usiya. Gunfire was heard on the Homs – Tartous road near the town of al-Mazra’a, followed by regime gunfire. Regime forces hit the town of al-Ghento with heavy machine-guns.
Regime forces carried out raids and arrests in the Ghouta neighbourhood. Regime bombardment on the al-Wa’er neighborhood killed one man.
40 (here given as 65) died trying to break the siege of Homs.
http://eaworldview.com/2014/01/syria-the-65-men-who-died-trying-to-break-the-siege-of-homs/
Rebel mortar attacks on the 12th of Jan. in Homs. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/syrian-government-shelling-kills-20-21502907
Islamic fighters carried out an ambush on ISIS on the north side of Saraqeb killing a Belgian commander in ISIS, known as the Amir of Saraqeb was killed, and another foreign ISIS fighter. A third foreign fighter was injured and transported to Turkey.
Islamic movement fighters were killed and 10 others seriously injured (late Monday) by a large ISIS suicide car bomb explosion targeting a checkpoint and military motorcade between Ram Hamdan and Zardana Assad’s forces shelled several areas in the northern neighborhood of Ma`arat al-Nu`man.
Latakia province:
Regime forces bombarded villages near the town of Salma on Tuesday. One ISIS fighter was killed in the northern countryside.
On Tuesday, the villages of the southern countryside of Quneitra were bombarded by regime forces, killing at least 4 civilians and injuring 17. Clashes resumed near the town of al-Samadaniya al-Sharqiya, and regime forces continued bombardment there and brought in reinforcements from the National Defense Froces militia. There were reports that regime detained 15 civilians from the village of Shura, near Sa’sa’ town, and that regime forces were stationing themselves in houses there.
On Wednesday, it was learned that ISIS executed 2 civilians from Yabesa, five days ago. The two had been traveling from this Kurdish village to Tal Abyad to buy bread when ISIS took them. Their bodies were found near the village of Talsolah, with their hands tied behind their backs and they had been tortured.
The ISIS has released many Islamic fighters today.
Further ISIS attacks: http://syriahr.com/en/index.php?option=com_news&nid=1330&Itemid=2&task=displaynews#.UtY0BWDGtGl
On Tuesday, regime forces have advanced towards the western barrier of the 17th division, the base was under the control of an islamist movement but it retreated days ago. Members from the division were observed planting landmines by the western barrier. ISIS has granted control over the Tal Abyad border crossing to a local council from the city (Turkey had closed the crossing earlier. Meanwhile ISIS took full control of the city Raqqah city following several days of clashes.
On Sunday, ISIS recaptured much of its territory. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/12/us-syria-crisis-qaeda-idUSBREA0B0JD20140112
International:
14 Syrian rockets hit Arsaal in eastern Lebanon yesterday. http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Jan-14/244020-14-syria-rockets-hit-lebanons-arsal-source.ashx#axzz2qUVMvXzW
Gordon Brown speaks about the education aid needed for Syria’s refugees: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3a0ZR_PbFA
Lebanon’s prime minister, Najib Mikati calls for safe havens inside of Syria and for help with Syria’s refugees inside of Lebanon. http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Jan-15/244125-mikati-pleads-for-help-with-syrian-refugees.ashx#axzz2qUVMvXzW
NGOs pledge 14 million in Syrian relief campaign http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/01/ngos-pledge-400m-syria-relief-campaign-201411522535504457.html
Western countries’ intelligence representatives have reportedly been meeting with representatives of the Syrian government, despite the sanctions on Assad’s government in efforts to stem any backblow of jihadists to the West (or perhaps in the other direction?) http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/16/world/middleeast/syria-western-intelligence-cooperation.html
Human Rights Watch issues a warning that Islamist fighting groups in Syria are eroding the rights of women and girls, enforcing Islamic dress rules, and disallowing free movement of women to work or school. http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/01/13/syria-extremists-restricting-women-s-rights
UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon warned that nearly half of Syrians needed humanitarian aid in his address to a one day donor conference being held in Kuwait City: http://www.afp.com/fr/news/topstories/1242951/
Donors have pledged nearly $1.3 billion at this meeting: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2014/January/middleeast_January168.xml§ion=middleeast
A new academic book on Syria’s television. http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/16019/new-texts-out-now_rebecca-joubin-the-politics-of-l