Syrian Revolution Daily News Round-up Day 674: Wednesday 16-Jan-13

Massacres in Homs, fighting renewed in Hasaka

The aftermath of the heavy shelling and fighting in the neighborhood of Jouret Sheyah in Homs city

• Total Death Toll: 246
• Opposition Death Toll: 208 including 18 children, 9 women and 27 rebel fighters (Damascus and its Suburbs: 55, Homs: 50, Aleppo: 26, Idlib: 24, Daraa: 16, Hama: 15, Raqa: 9,  Hasaka: 8 , Latakia: 5)
• Regime Soldiers  & Militiamen Death Toll: +38
• Number of areas shelled: +331 
• Number of People Wounded: + 60
• Number of People Detained: + 10
• FSA Key Operations:
  • Shot down three warplanes in the suburbs of Homs and Damascus.
  • Stormed a police station in the Aleppo suburb of Quwayres.
  • Destroyed seven military tanks in various areas across the country.
  • Destroyed three military and security checkpoints in the city of Idlib.

Summary of Events

At least 246 people died today throughout the country, with regime forces and militias killing at least 208 people, mainly in the suburbs of Damascus, Aleppo and Homs, including 18 children and nine women. Fighting also erupted in various areas across the country between the rebels and regime forces as well as Kurdish armed militias, leaving at least 27 rebels and 38 regime soldiers and militiamen dead.

In Damascus and its suburbs, more than 55 people died, three of whom were killed due to the indiscriminate shelling in the Palestinian Yarmouk Camp, while dozens more were killed due to the unprecedented aerial, artillery and tanks bombardments on the provincial towns of Daraya, Moadamiyat al-Sham, Irbin, Douma and Bait Sahem. Meanwhile, activists said that six humanitarian aid workers were kidnapped and executed by regime forces in the neighbourhood of Fahama in Damascus.

In Homs at least 50 people died, including 16 children and 12 women. Activists said that 12 families have perished during yesterday’s onslaught on the village of Haswiya in the suburb of Homs. Regime forces backed with loyalist militiamen carried out executions and arsons in the village, levelling dozens of homes to the ground. Meanwhile, an entire neighbourhood was destroyed as a result of the heavy artillery and aerial shelling where cluster bombs have been used in the Homs suburb of Rastan, therefore, leaving at least six people dead and dozens more wounded.

Another airstrike that targeted a busy marketplace in the Aleppo suburb of Menbej left at least ten people dead and dozens more wounded. Meanwhile, seven more people were killed due to the indiscriminate shelling in the district of Ma’dan in Raqa province after been taken over by the rebels yesterday. In Idlib, 17 people have been killed in multiple blasts that rocked different parts of the city. The car bomb attacks were allegedly carried out by rebel fighters, targeting three military and security checkpoints.

A group of pro-regime Christian militiamen from the mainly Christian town of Saidnaya in the suburb of Damascus was accused of kidnapping a group of workers while on their way back home in the nearby town of Badda. This act stirred anger among the families of the abductees who took to the streets in masses demanding their immediate release.

Regime forces shelled as many as 331 different locations across the country. Some 86 locations were shelled by mortar shells and 135 others were pounded by artillery. More than 77 locations came under rocket shelling while fighter jets and helicopter gunships struck 20 more, six of which were bombed by cluster bombs, two more were shelled by themobaric bombs while five more were bombarded with TNT bombs.

The rebels announced an all-out offensive to take over the mainly Kurdish province of Hasaka in the north eastern part of the country. The rebels advanced to seize control of the area surrounding the National Hospital in the town of Ras al-Ain, thus triggering clashes with a group of Kurdish militiamen or what’s so called “Units for Protecting the Kurdish People”. The clashes left at least eight Kurdish militiamen and four rebel fighters dead.

Rebel fighters said they shot down three fighter jets today, two of which were shot down in the Homs suburbs of Rastan and Talbisa while the third one was shot down in the Damascus suburb of Dumair.

In Aleppo, the rebels stormed a police station as well as a traffic police station in the Aleppo suburb of Quwayres while continuing their attacks on the nearby airbase of Quwayres as well as the airbase of Menneg.

The rebels also destroyed at least seven military tanks in addition to a number of armoured vehicles during clashes that broke out in the towns of Baser Harir and Yadoua in Daraa, Daraya in the suburb of Damascus, Salaheddin in Aleppo city as well as in the village of Josiya in the Homs suburb of Qusair.

Syria and Iran have agreed a $1 billion credit facility between Commercial Bank of Syria and Export Development Bank of Iran. The agreement was signed during a visit to Tehran by the Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi. The two countries had reached agreements on energy transmission and electricity equipment as well.

Videos

Armed Resistance
Aleppo Suburb: Rebel fighters bombard the airbase of Quwayres, P2
Deir Azzour: Rebel fighters fire rockets into the Deir Azzour airbase
Ma’dan, Raqa: Rebel fighters detain a number of regime forces, P2
Ras al-Ain, Hasaka: Heavy fighting erupts between the rebels and Kurdish militiamen

Damascus
Jobar: A girl mourns her slain brother
Mazeh: Rocket launchers stationed at the Mazeh airbase bombards the town of Daraya

Damascus suburb
Irbin: Clouds of smoke billow form town due to the heavy aerial shelling
Bait Sahem: A child killed as a result of the indiscriminate shelling
Mdeira: The devastating aftermath of the heavy shelling
Hamouriya: Buildings set ablaze as a result of the indiscriminate shelling

Aleppo
Old city: Regime shelling causes extensive damage
Masaken Hanano: A baby girl torn into pieces after been hit by a bomb
Haydariya: Protesters chant their support for the rebel fighters
Karm Jabal: Mosques and homes destroyed due to the indiscriminate shelling

Aleppo suburb
Menbej: Regime shelling leaves dozens of people dead and wounded, P2
Al-Bab: Residents pull out the trapped bodies from the rubble, P2

Homs
Bab Houd: Regime forces bombard the neighborhood
Qusair: Dozens of civilians and rebel fighters injured due to regime shelling
Dar Kabira: Regime shelling leaves many people injured
Bowayda Sharqiya: A man killed due to the indiscriminate shelling

Daraa
Sanamen: A funeral turns into a protest that demanded the overthrow of the regime
Bas Harir: Shelling continues
Refugee Camp: Two Palestinian men shot dead by a sniper, P2
Ghariya Gharbiya: Regime shelling causes extensive material damage

Hama
Shahshabo: Protesters chant their support for the areas under attack
Latamna: Clouds of smoke billow from the residential buildings after a heavy shelling
Kafrzeita: A mother mourns her slain son

Idlib
Kafer Takhareem: Funeral procession of the fallen heroes who died as a result of the indiscriminate shelling
Sermeen: Homes destroyed due to the indiscriminate shelling by regime forces
Qaymanas: Regime forces bombard the town
Najiya: Funeral procession of a baby girl who was killed due to the indiscriminate shelling

Deir Azzour
Masaken Shuhadaa: Regime shelling causes extensive damage to civilians’ homes
Masaken Hezb: MiG fighter jet bombards the neighborhood
Deir Azzour Airbase: Regime rockets launchers bombard the surrounding villages

Raqa
Tabaqa: Regime shelling stir panic among civilians
Tal Abyad: Demonstration in condemnation of the attack on Aleppo University

Latakia
Salma: Clouds of smoke billow from the area due to renewed shelling

Demonstrations and Activities Abroad
Egypt: Demonstration in solidarity with the Syrian revolution

Source