Syrian Revolution Daily News Round-up Day 632: Wed. 05-Dec-12

Rebels make further gains in Damascus and Aleppo

Rebel fighters pose on a tank they captured in the Homs suburb of Qusayr

• Airport fighting continued as the rebel fighters edge closer toward taking the infantry academy in Aleppo.
• Regime forces committed the second massacre in the neighborhood of Bustan Qaser in Aleppo city in less than a week.
• Syria was ranked 144 out of 176 countries in the 2012 Corruption Perceptions index.

• Aleppo Suburb: Leaked video footage shows Assad forces beating and torturing a number of soldiers who attempted to flee
• Kastan Fouqan, Idlib Suburb: Regime shelling leaves many children dead and wounded
• Douma, Damascus Suburb: Regime armored vehicle deliberately destroyes civilians’ cars

Today’s Statistics

• Death Toll: 93 including 10 women, 8 children and 31 rebel fighters (Damascus and Suburbs: 39, Idlib: 22, Aleppo: 18, Daraa: 4, Raqa: 3, Latakia: 3, Deir Azzour: 2, Homs: 1)
• Number of areas shelled: +188
• Regime Soldiers Death Toll: +24
• Number of People Wounded: +55
• Number of People Detained: +40
• FSA Key Operations:
  • Seized control of a military checkpoint in the Damascus suburb of Zabadani.
  • Shelled the infantry academy and Menneg airbase in the suburbs of Aleppo.
  • Shot down a helicopter gunship as they besieged the 111th regiment in rural Aleppo.

Summary of Events

The rebels continued advancing toward Damascus airport as the battle rages for the seventh day in a raw. Today, they fired mortar shells on two military checkpoints stationed at both ends of the 20-km road to the airport in the suburbs of Damascus. They also repelled the regime’s attempt to take over the nearby towns of Haran Awamid and Bait Sahem, bombing a number of military tanks and leaving scores of army soldiers dead and wounded.

Fighting also raged around the town of Aqraba, one day after the nearby airbase fell to the rebels. Clashes continued throughout the suburbs of Damascus with the rebels gaining victory in the provincial town of Zabadani after storming a strategic military checkpoint and destroying two military tanks.

In the north, the rebels unleashed a barrage of mortar and locally-made rocket shells into the infantry school and the Menneg airbase while other rebel units stormed a military checkpoint near the Deir Azzour airbase in the east.

Regime forces continued their military offensive on the opposition-held areas throughout the country. They shelled as many as 188 different areas, 52 of which were shelled by mortar shells while 44 others were pounded by heavy artillery. Some 92 areas came under rocket heavy artillery shelling and 44 others were bombarded by rocket launchers. Fighter jets bombarded 13 areas, four of which were shelled by cluster bombs as helicopter gunships dropped barrel bombs on seven other areas thus causing extensive damage to residential buildings and leaving scores of people dead and injured.

Today’s death toll reached 93, including ten women, eight children and 38 rebel fighters.

At least 39 people were killed in Damascus and its suburbs, most of which died due to the indiscriminate shelling in the provincial towns of Bait Sahem, Douma and Daraya. Some 22 people, including seven children and two children died due to the indiscriminate shelling in the town of Talmans and the village of Kastan Fouqani. Meanwhile, 18 people died in Aleppo, 11 of whom died in the neighbourhood of Bustan Qaser when regime heavy artillery bombarded a mosque and surrounding buildings marking the second massacre in the neighbourhood in less than a week.

Syria was ranked 144 out of 176 countries with a score of 24 out of 100 in the Transparency International’s (TI) 2012 Corruption Perceptions index which ranks countries from 0 to 100 based on perceived levels of public sector corruption.

Videos

Armed Resistance
Deir Baalba, Homs: Rebel fighters repel the regimes ground assault
Aleppo Suburb: The rebels detain a number of soldiers near the infantry academy
Deir Azzour: The rebels besiege the airbase, P2

Damascus                      
Qabun: Buildings extensively damage after been hit by mortar shells
Salhiya: Demonstrators protest the regime’s crimes against humanity

Damascus Suburbs
Nabek: Mass funeral procession of the fallen heroes
Bait Sahem: Many people die and more get injured due to the heavy shelling, P2
Douma: Many people die and more get injured due to the heavy shelling, P2
Erbin: A child critically injured due to the indiscriminate airstrikes, P2
Zabadani: Regime warplanes bombard the town

Aleppo
Masaken Hanano: MiG fighter jet bombards the neighborhood
Bustan Pasha: Clouds of smoke rise from the neighborhood due to the indiscriminate shelling
Intharat: Regime warplane bombards the neighborhood

Aleppo Suburbs
Al-Bab: Humanitarian conditions worsen due to the suffocating siege
Handarat: A man shot at by security forces as the shelling continues, P2

Homs
Bab Dreib: A funeral procession turns into a mass protest calling for the overthrow of the regime
Baba Amr: Funeral procession of defected soldier Ali Saqa
Houleh: Humanitarian conditions worsen due to the suffocating siege

Daraa
Shamal al-Khat: Security forces open fire on pedestrians
Mahatta: Regime forces open fire on unarmed civilians
Bosra: Regime heavy artillery bombards the town
Tayba: Regime heavy artillery bombards the town

Hama
Aqarab: Mass exodus continues as the shelling intensifies
Aleppo Road: Demonstration demands the overthrow of the regime
Madiq Fortress: Humanitarian conditions worsen due to power outage

Idlib
Talmans: Regime shelling leaves many people dead
Barrah: The devastating aftermath of the fierce shelling
Sarjeh: The devastating aftermath of the fierce shelling
Ma’arrat Horma: Regime shelling causes extensive damage and leaves many people wounded, P2

Deir Azzour
Ashara: Mass protest demands the overthrow of the regime
Boukamal: A short tour inside the liberated town

Raqa
Tal Abyad: Regime warplanes bombard the town

Hasaka
Ras al-Ain: The devastating aftermath of the fierce shelling

Demonstrations and Activities Abroad
Germany: “I’m desperate, I am left alone, I am Syria” protest

Source