Syrian Revolution Daily News Round-up Day 688: Wednesday 30-Jan-13

Israel strikes Syria, no response by Assad’s army

A map shows the location bombed by Israeli warplanes according to the Syrian military command

• Regime said Israeli warplanes struck a scientific research center near Damascus.
• Regime forces killed 131 people today, mainly in Damascus and its suburbs, Homs and Aleppo.
• Kuwait donor conference pledged $1.5 billion for Syrians affected by the crisis.

• Bustan Qaser, Aleppo: Hundreds of protesters join the funeral procession of the “River Massacre” as search for more bodies still underway, P2
• Leaked videos show Assad’s forces beating up and torturing detainees, P2
• Idlib Suburb: Rebels use military tanks while storming regime military posts, P2

• Total Death Toll: 162
• Opposition Death Toll: 131 including 8 children, 8 women and 41 rebel fighters (Damascus and Suburbs: 42, Homs: 29, Aleppo: 25, Idlib: 14, Hama: 7, Daraa: 6, Deir Azzour: 4, Raqa: 3)
• Regime Soldiers  & Militiamen Death Toll: +31
• Number of areas shelled: +374 
• Number of People Wounded: +50
• Number of People Detained: +22
• FSA Key Operations:
  • Shot down two fighter jets in Hama.
  • Shot a fighter jet near the Kuwayres airbase in Aleppo.
  • Shelled Damascus Airport with rocket launchers.
  • Seized control of the Military Housing Camp in Idlib.

Summary of Events

Israeli warplanes violated the Syrian airspace and struck a scientific research center in the village of Jamraya near Damascus, leaving two people dead and five others injured, Syrian state TV reported today citing the army’s general command. Regional reports said that Israel carried out airstrikes on a Syrian military convoy near the border with Lebanon, Israeli sources suggested the weapons convoy was on its way to Hizollah in Lebanon when it was hit near the Bekaa district east of Lebanon.

Meanwhile, rebel fighters said they fired mortars and rockets into the same military scientific research facility which the regime claimed to have been attacked by Israeli warplanes. The village of Jamraya is located 15km north-west of Damascus and only 7.5km away from the Syrian military headquarters near the Omayyad square.

As the regime army failed to repel the Israeli airstrikes, it continued to bombard residential neighbourhoods in the rebels-held areas inside Syria, shelling as many as 374 locations across the country, 13 of which were pounded with warplanes using cluster, phosphorous, thermboaric and explosive bombs, causing extensive material damage and leaving dozens of people dead and wounded.

Today’s death toll reached more than 162. Regime forces and loyalist militiamen killed at least 131 people, including eight children, eight women and 41 rebel fighters, whereas the rebels killed more than 31 soldiers and militiamen.

More than 24 people were reported dead in Aleppo, seven of whom were pulled out from the river of Queiq to be added to the 101 others pulled out yesterday in the neighborhood of Bustan Qaser. One of the bodies was still bleeding in an indication that it was executed and dumped in the river today. Meanwhile, nine more civilians were killed and many others were injured due to the heavy artillery shelling in the neighborhood of Tariq al-Bab.

Regime forces killed 44 people in Damascus and its suburbs, including 15 rebel fighters which were killed during clashes that erupted in the towns of Daraya and Irbin. Dozens more were killed and injured as a result of the indiscriminate shelling in the neighborhoods of Jobar and Qadam as well as in the towns of Harran Awamid and Nabek.

Pro-regime militia executed five civilians in the village of Tasnin in the Homs suburb of Rastan. Some of the victims were slashed with knives and others were shot from close range. Their bodies were then dumped in the Assi River. Regime shelling killed three people in the village of Deir al-Foul in Homs and three more in the village of Sholein in the suburb of Idlib.

Donors at the International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria held in Kuwait City today pledged more than $1.5 billion in aid for Syrians affected by the 22-month conflict. Some $900 million pledged by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates alone. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon called for urgent financial aid and said more remained to be done. The conference came in response to the exacerbating humanitarian crisis in Syria where more than four million Syrians are internally displaced while more than 750,000 take refuge in the neighboring countries.

The rebels launched a major offensive throughout Damascus and its suburbs in order to support the rebels in the town of Daraya where regime forces reportedly seized big parts of it. The rebels said they fired more than 100 mortar shells into the premises of the Military Vehicles Department in the town of Harasta causing extensive material damage and leaving a number of regime soldiers dead and wounded. They also attacked several military checkpoints along the Mutahaliq al-Janoubi road and pounded Damascus Airport with rocket launchers.

The rebels shot down two fighter jets in the Hama suburbs of Karnaz and Kafrnbouda and hit another while taking off from the Kuwayres airbase in the suburb of Aleppo. In Idlib, the rebels took over the Military Housing Camp in the town of Binnish and stormed a military checkpoint in the town of al-Nerab near the Shabiba Military Camp which they also bombarded with military tanks, heavy artillery and mortar shells.

Videos

Armed Resistance
Janoudiya, Idlib: Rebels take over the village, P2
Safeera, Aleppo Suburb: Rebels destroy a military convoy
Daraa: Rebels detain a senior intelligence officer
Aleppo: Rebel fighters launch a major offensive to take over Kuwayres airbase

Damascus       
Jobar: Regime shelling and snipers kill many civilians, P2, P3
Qadam: Regime shelling leaves at least two people dead, P2
Halbouni: Demonstration demands the overthrow of the regime

Damascus suburb
Mleiha: The town comes under heavy shelling
Moadamiyat al-Sham: Clouds of smoke billow from the town due to the heavy shelling
Bait Sahm: A mosque hit by regime shells

Aleppo
Al-Bab Road: Dozens killed and injured due to the indiscriminate shelling
Bustan Basha: Residents discover unknown bodies, P2
Marjeh: A house destroyed as a result of the indiscriminate shelling
Safa: The aftermath of the indiscriminate shelling

Aleppo suburb
Aazaz: Trucks loaded with humanitarian aids arrive into the tonw, P2
Tal Refaat: A man killed by regime fire
Aziza Village: The devastating aftermath of the indiscriminate shelling

Homs
Old City: The daily shelling continues
Khalediya: Houses leveled to the ground due to the indiscriminate shelling
Tasneen: Residents discover bodies that appear to have been executed
Talbeesa: Regime shelling leaves many people injured including many children

Daraa
Herak: Regime forces bombard the town
Central Daraa: The city comes under heavy rocket shelling
Mahatta: A man shot repeatedly by a sniper stationed at a governmental building

Hama
Kirnaz: The town comes under heavy aerial and rocket bombardments
Sheikh Anbar: Demonstration chants for the fallen heroes
Shahshabo: A man killed due to the indiscriminate shelling

Idlib
Sermeen: Regime forces bombard the town
Binnish: Clouds of smoke billow from the town due to the heavy shelling

Deir Azzour
Howiqa: Clouds of smoke billow from the neighborhood due to the heavy shelling
Central City: Funeral procession of a rebel fighter who died during clashes with regime forces
Jubaila: The aftermath of the heavy shelling
Swedan: Demonstration in solidarity with the rebel fighters

Demonstrations and Activities Abroad
Canada & US: “I stand in solidarity with the students of Aleppo University

Source