Syrian Revolution Daily News Round-up Day 663: Saturday 05-Jan-13

Defections and weather conditions help Syrians against air strikes

The Syrian fighter jet that defected to Jordan on 21 June 2012

• Lower number of casualties reported due to the reduction in air raids carried by regime forces.
• Syrian Air Force pilot fled to Turkey with his MiG fighter jet.
• Regime forces executed dozens of civilians including women and children in Damascus and Idlib.

• Aleppo Suburb: Rebel fighters bombard the Menneg airbase using heavy artillery and rocket launchers, P2
• Kaymanas, Idlib Suburb: Regime forces kill six family members while working in an olive farm
• Suweida: Security forces open fire on angry protesters during a funeral procession in the mainly Druze city, P2

Today’s Statistics

• Total Death Toll: 108
• Opposition Death Toll: 88 including 16 women, 7 children and 20 rebel fighters (Damascus and Suburbs: 35, Daraa: 18, Idlib: 10, Hama; 5, Homs: 5, Aleppo: 4, Deir Azzour: 4)
• Regime Soldiers  & Militiamen Death Toll: +20
• Number of areas shelled: +165
• Number of People Wounded: +40
• Number of People Detained: +15
• FSA Key Operations:
  • Stormed the premises of the military technical services in Deir Azzour city.
  • Resumed attacks on several military airbases in the east and north of the country.
  • Destroyed a number of military tanks and armoured vehicles.

Summary of Events

Bad weather conditions helped save the lives of civilians in Syria in day which saw the lowest number of airstrikes in months, and therefore a lower number of casualties.

Another rare event that also made this day less violent was the defection of a Syrian Air Force pilot with his MiG 23 jet to Turkey. Turkish media confirmed that the defected pilot who had been ordered to attack the northern town of Azaz in the suburb of Aleppo, communicated with the Turkish Air Defence controllers upon entering Turkey’s airspace and asked for a political asylum. It was then intercepted by two Turkish F-4 Phantom fighter jets that escorted the Syrian MiG to a safe landing at Adana airbase in a process that took about 35 minutes.

Regime forces shelled as many as 165 different locations across the country using all sort of heavy weaponry, including cluster, phosphorous, thermobaric and explosive bombs. Some 79 locations were shelled by mortar shells and 79 others were pounded by heavy artillery. More than 19 locations came under rocket shelling as fighter jets struck five others.

Violence left at least 108 people dead today. Some 88 were killed by regime forces including 16 women, seven children and 20 rebel fighters whereas more than 20 regime soldiers and militiamen were killed by the rebel forces.

Regime forces killed 35 people in Damascus and its suburbs, six of whom were executed in the neighbourhood of Qabun in addition to four more that were also executed near the provincial town of Daraya. Meanwhile, dozens were killed and injured due to indiscriminate shelling in the Damascus suburbs of Daraya, Douma, Moadamiyat al-Sham and Thiyabiya.

More than 18 people were killed in Daraa alone, most of which died due to the indiscriminate shelling in the towns of Tafas, Bosra and Ataman. Residents of the village of Kaymanas in the suburb of Idlib discovered seven more bodies, a man, six women and a baby boy, who were kidnapped and executed while working in an olive farm near a factory which regime forces used as a military barrack before been stormed by the rebels. Dozens more civilians and rebel fighters were killed due to the violent clashes and shelling that took place in Hama, Homs, Aleppo and Deir Azzour.

The rebels resumed their attacks on the military bases of Quwayres, Menneg and Jarah in the suburbs of Aleppo, Taftanaz in idlib as well as the Deir Azzour airbase in the eastern province of Deir Azzour.

Heavy fighting renewed in the vicinity of the State Security Branch in the neighbourhood of Jubaila in Deir Azzour city. The also stormed the premises of the Military Technical Services in the neighbourhood of Howayqa in Deir Azzour as well. Heavy fighting continued on various fronts in Damascus and its suburbs, Daraa, Homs and Hama where the rebels managed to destroy many military tansk and BMB armored vehicles in addition to killing at least 20 regime soldiers and militiamen.

Videos

Armed Resistance
Damascus Suburb: Rebel fighters fire mortar shells into military posts near Damascus airport
Aleppo: Military police personnel defect to the rebels side
Deir Azzuor: Military tank and fighters destroy a military tank and an armored vehicle as they stormed a military checkpoint

Damascus
Rokn al-Din: Car bomb explosion rocks the neighborhood
Jobar: Residents discover two bodies near a security checkpoint, P2
Mazzeh: Regime military convoy sets off from Mazeh airbase
Qabun: Residents discover five incinerated bodies

Damascus suburb
Zamalka: Buildings set ablaze due to the indiscriminate shelling
Mleiha: The town comes under heavy rocket shelling for the fifth consecutive day
Huseniya: A baby girl dies due to the indiscriminate shelling
Irbin: The devastating aftermath of the indiscriminate shelling

Aleppo
Fardos:  A child tries to make his living by selling candies
Tareeq al-Bab: Activists distribute winter clothes to the neighborhood

Aleppo suburb
Injara: Residents show the remnants of a rocket that landed in their town

Homs
Old city: Smoke rises from the city due to the heavy shelling
Houla: Families face deteriorating humanitarian conditions
Qosour: The devastating aftermath of the violent shelling
Rastan: Regime shelling kills and injures many civilians

Daraa
Baser Harir: Regime shells target civilians’ houses
Tafas: Many people die due to the indiscriminate shelling
Ataman: Dozens killed and injured due to the indiscriminate shelling
Naimeh: A number of rebel fighters die during clashes with regime forces

Hama
Karnaz: Many people die and more get injured due to the indiscriminate shelling, P2
Latamna: Regime forces use cluster bombs against civilians
Kafarzeita: Mass destruction caused by the indiscriminate rocket shelling
Taybat al-Imam: Residents try to pull trapped victims from the rubble

Idlib
Teftanaz: Regime warplanes bombard the town

Deir Azzour
Central City: Activists explain the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the city
Jubaila: Clouds of smoke billow from the neighborhood due to the heavy shelling and clashes
West Suburb: Schools packed with displaced civilians
Hwayqa: Heavy shelling and clashes continue

Latakia
Turkman Mountain: The aftermath of the violent shelling

Raqa
Central City: Senior Member of al-Baath party and ex-Parliamentarian Aziz Fazaa announces his defection from the regime

Demonstrations and Activities Abroad
Turkey: Humanitarian aid convoy for Syria

Source