More than 223 killed today, UN says 60000-plus killed so far
The aftermath of a petrol station airstrike in the Damascus suburb of Mleiha
- Deadly airstrikes killed and injured dozens of people in the suburbs of Damascus.
- Navi Pillay said more than 60,000 people have been killed in Syria since March 2011.
- The rebels seized control of an airbase in Idlib, attacked five more airbases across the country.
- Damascus Suburb: Dozens killed and injured in regime air raids on opposition-controlled towns, P2, P3
- Leaked video footage shows security forces torturing a detainee
- Idlib: The rebels bombard the airbase of Taftanaz using military tanks before seizing control of it, P2
Today’s Statistics
- Total Death Toll: 223
- Opposition Death Toll: 184 including 19 children, 14 women and 35 rebel fighters (Damascus and Suburbs: 118, Aleppo: 18, Idlib: 15, Daraa: 15, Hama: 9, Homs: 5, Deir Azzour: 4)
- Regime Soldiers & Militiamen Death Toll: + 3 9
- Number of areas shelled: +257
- Number of People Wounded: +90
- Number of People Detained: +50
- FSA Key Operations:
- Seized control of Taftanaz airbase and shut down two helicopter gunships in Idlib.
- Stormed al-Thola airbase in the suburb of Suweida.
Summary of Events
More than 116 people died in Damascus and its suburbs today in one of the bloodiest days of the 22-month uprising. The majority died in multiple deadly airstrikes launched by regime fighter jets on the opposition-controlled towns of Mleiha, Moadamiyat al-Sham and Deir Asafri.
The first massacre occurred in the town of Mleiha when regime fighter jet struck a petrol station where dozens of cars were queuing up. The attack where thermobaric bombs were used left at least 30 people dead and dozens more wounded, the majority were mutilated beyond recognition. The second massacre took place in the town of Moadamiyat al-Sham that witnessed unprecedented rocket and aerial bombardments that targeted civilians’ houses and two bakeries and left at least 32 people dead and dozens more wounded, while the third similar massacre claimed the lives of at least eight people in the town of Deir Asafir.
Meanwhile, scores of people were killed in summary executions and indiscriminate shelling carried out by regime forces in the southern outskirts of Damascus as well as in its provincial towns of Irbin, Deir Atiya, Sbeneh, Thiyabiya, Daraya and many other towns.
Dozens of people including rebel fighters were killed due to the heavy shelling and clashes that took place in Idlib, Daraa, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Raqa, Suwaida and Deir Azzour.
More than 60,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising against Bashar al-Assad’s regime erupted in March 2011, a top UN official said. Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that an exhaustive analysis carried out by data specialists showed that 59,648 people had died through the end of November.
Regime forces shelled as many as 257 different locations across the country using all sort of heavy weaponry, including cluster, phosphorous, thermobaric and explosive bombs. Some 72 locations were shelled by mortar shells and 117 others were pounded by heavy artillery. More than 68 locations came under rocket shelling, fighter jets struck 14 other locations and helicopter gunships dropped barrel bombs on five others.
Violence left more than 223 people dead today. Some 184 were killed by regime forces including 19 children, 14 women and 35 rebel fighters whereas 39 regime soldiers and militiamen were killed by the rebels.
Fighting continued between regime forces and the rebels across the country. Rebel sources said they gained new ground in the Damascus suburb of Sayeda Zeinab and launched rockets and mortar shells on the central security and peacekeeping compounds as well as the military hospital in the town of Harasta. They also thwarted regime’s attacks on the Damascus suburbs of Daraya, Moadamiyat al-Sham, Shabaa, Aqraba and Irbin, destroying a number of military tanks and killing many regime soldiers.
The rebels seized control of Taftanaz airbase in the north-eastern province of Idlib after winning a heavy battle with regime forces. They shot down a helicopter gunship and caused extensive damage to the airbase and destroyed a number military tanks and armoured vehicles.
Fighting raged in several locations in Aleppo city and its suburbs where the rebels continued advancing inside the police academy and the base of the army’s 80th brigade and continued to besiege the airbases of Menneg, Quwayres and Jarah. Clashes also continued in the vicinity of Deir Azzour airbase as part of their efforts to cut into the regime’s airpower.
The rebels scored advances in the south of the country where they stormed al-Thola airbase in the suburbs of Suweida and killed a number of regime soldiers. They also bombarded the bases of the army’s 12th brigade and 175th regiment in the Daraa suburb of Izraa.
Syrians killed: 60,224
Children killed: 3,976
Females killed: 3,895
Soldiers killed: 6,220
Protesters killed under torture: 1,372
Missing: +60,000
Protesters currently incarcerated: +140,000
Syrians injured: +137,000
Syrian refugees since March: +572,193
Refugees in Turkey: +148,441
Refugees in Lebanon: +175,072
Refugees in Jordan: +167,959
Refugees in Iraq: +67,720
Refugees in Egypt: +13,001International Reactions
Israel to launch largest military exercise for fears of Syrian chemical warfare
UN’s Syria death toll jumps dramatically to 60000 plus
UN refugee agency says 84,000 fled Syria last month, bringing total to around half a million
Selected Media Coverage
CNN International: What’s next for Syria in 2013?
CNN: In Syria, school opens to displaced children
Red Cross Blogs: Violence in Syria: A volunteer’s view
Huffington Post: ’We Have Fiddled At The Edges While Syria Burns’
USA TODAY: After Assad, is strict Islamic rule ahead for Syria?
Videos
Armed Resistance
Aleppo suburb: Dozens of armored vehicle and missile-carriers captured from the air defense base of Tal Hasel
Aleppo: The rebels attack the Menneg airbase
Izraa, Daraa: The rebels bombard the base of the army’s 12th brigade
Deir Azzour: The rebels bombard the Deir Azzour airbase
Damascus
Qabun: A man killed by security forces
Tadamon: Smoke rises from the buildings due to the indiscriminate shelling
Jobar: A funeral procession turns into an anti-regime protest
Damascus Suburbs
Irbin: A man burns inside his car after been hit by a regime shell
Moadamiyat al-Sham: Dozens of people die and more get injure due to the indiscriminate shelling, P2
Aqraba: A factory set ablaze due to the indiscriminate shelling
Thiyabiya: A man torn into pieces due to the indiscriminate shelling
Aleppo
Saladin: Demonstration chants for freedom and demands the overthrow of the regime
Myasar: Regime fighter jets fly overhead
Ithaa: An elderly woman shot dead by a sniper
Aleppo Suburbs
Hraytan: Clouds of smoke billow from the town due to the heavy shelling
Homs
Talbisa: Regime shelling leaves many people dead and wounded, P2, P3
Qusour: Mass destruction caused by the indiscriminate shelling
Daraa
Herak: A number of citizen journalists get injured due to regime shelling
Nahta: Regime shelling leaves many people wounded
Namer: Funereal procession of the victims who were killed by regime forces
Naima: The aftermath of the heavy shelling
Central Daraa: Smoke rises from the city due to the indiscriminate shelling
Hama
Sheikh Anbar: Protesters demand the overthrow of the regime
Tariq Halab: Protesters chant for the fallen heroes
Souran: Residents discover two corpses that carry clear torture marks
Idlib
Taftanaz: Regime shelling leaves many people dead and wounded
Bennesh: Residents pull victims from the rubble
Saraqeb: Funeral procession of a baby girl who was killed by regime shells
Deir Azzour
Jubaila: The daily shelling continues
Masaken Shuhadaa: Smoke rises from the neighborhood due to the violent shelling
Howayqa: Smoke rises from the neighborhood due to the violent shelling
Latakia
Salma: Regime forces bombard the area
Suwayda
Shabaa: Demonstrators denounce the atrocities committed by regime forces
Demonstrations and Activities Abroad
Turkey: Humanitarian aid convoy for Syria
