[guide.chat] middle east syria's crisis
- From: vanessa <qwerty1234567a@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "GUIDE CHAT" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2012 20:56:32 +0100
Syria crisis: Assad vows to 'annihilate terrorists' - live updates
? Dozens killed in new alleged massacre in Douma
? Russia proposes changes to Annan's transition plan
? Crowds gather in Tahrir Square ahead of speech by Morse
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said he would "annihilate terrorists" during
an interview on Iranian state TV. Photograph: AP
4.25pm: Egypt: President-elect Mohamed Morsi is due to give his speech in
Tahrir Square in about 35 minutes. Sherine Tadros of al-Jazeera has posted a
photo of the enormous crowds:
4.02pm: Syria: Ameer, a Barzeh activist who we spoke to earlier (see 3.11pm)
has highlighted more YouTube footage of a helicopter gunship firing over
Damascus.
3.32pm: Syria: Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov (pictured) said he
regretted that Iran has been excluded from Kofi Annan's crisis talks on Syria
this weekend.
In a statement on the foreign ministry's website, Lavrov said Iran was excluded
because of "insurmountable objections" from the US. Saudi Arabia has also been
excluded from the talks, in a move that was thought to be aimed at placating
Russian objections. But Lavrov said he also regretted that Saudis would not be
taking part.
It described the convening of the meeting as a positive move and hoped
mechanisms would be agreed on a ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops and
rebel forces from cities which could create a "favourable atmosphere" for a
political transition.
3.23pm: Bahrain: The interior minister, Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin
Abdulla Al Khalifa, has been visiting Britain and ? as always ? British
officials have been full of praise for the tiny Gulf kingdom. At least, they
have if you believe the Bahraini government's account of the minister's visit.
Lord Howell, minister of state at the foreign office, allegedly described
Bahrain as "a model country" and "the first country to pursue democracy in the
region". For good measure, he allegedly made clear that the situation in
Bahrain should not be linked to "the so-called Arab Spring".
Nigel Evans MP, a deputy speaker of the Commons, and Baroness Scotland, the
attorney-general, also allegedly enthused about the "reforms" introduced by
King Hamad.
These, and other overwhelmingly favourable comments, appear in a report of the
minister's visit posted in Arabic on the Bahraini police website.
Bahrain's government has achieved some notoriety for making up or distorting
quotes to give an impression of international approval for its policies.
Previous victims have included Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, Navi
Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, William Hague, the British
foreign secretary, and Amnesty International.
3.11pm: Ameer, a resident in the northern Damascus suburb of Barzeh, describes
witnessing a helicopter gunship firing close to the capital for the first time.
Speaking to the Guardian via Skype he said:
I saw a military helicopter over the farm areas of Barzeh and nearly over
Harasta. It was on a high altitude. Once it reached that position it fired
missiles. Three missiles each time. One time it fire five missiles. It was on
Harasta and the farm areas of Barzeh.
He said videos of the incident tallied with what he saw at the time.
Ameer added: "There were couple of videos uploaded from Harasta and Douma. That
is exactly what I saw."
There are no reports [of casualties]. This is the first time I've seen a
helicopter firing in this area. Here in Barzeh we hear lots of explosions from
the eastern suburbs of Harasta, Douma, Arbeen. But this is the first time I've
seen by my eyes a helicopter launching missiles.
I was with my father and mother. Mum was very frightened. These sounds were
very loud. She suggested we go down to the shelter in my building. [But] it
wasn't firing at us.
It was nearly three or four kilometres from me.
I feel that what I am doing is not enough and my activity on the internet is
not enough. We should do something more than that. Like fighting back.
Asked how he could fight back he said: "That's the problem that's why I feel
useless."
We are planning to published audio of the interview, disguising Ameer's voice,
later today.
Earlier this week a UN report [pdf] said the use of helicopter gunships was
increasing the militarisation of the conflict.
It said: "Helicopter gunships and artillery have been used in the shelling of
entire neighbourhoods believed to be anti-Government, even during the presence
of observers".
2.06pm: Syria: US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has backing
from an usual quarter - Kafranbel in Syria's north-west Idlib province.
The latest message from the banner makers in the town calls for an early
election in the US, and claims the Obama is not doing well.
This is not the first time placards in the town have expressed support for the
Republicans. Last year a Kafranbel banner read "we miss Bush's audacity".
Romney has criticised Obama for failing to stand up to Russian backing for
Assad.
Last week he told Fox News: "This president has not communicated strength and
resolve around the world. We need to make it very clear to Moscow that their
interference in Syria poses a grave threat to the national interests of
America, and to free people around the world."
1.42pm: Here's a roundup of developments so far today:
Syria
? Activists say dozens have been killed in attacks on opposition strongholds
near Damascus. Most of the casualties are said to have been in the town of
Douma, where video posted on the internet purports to show the shrouded bodies
of up 20 members of the same family said to have been stabbed by government
militia.
? Russia has proposed changes to Kofi Annan's plan for a unity government in
Syria, according to Reuters. Annan's action group on Syria is holding
preliminary discussions in Geneva today, ahead of the main meeting tomorrow.
? Video has emerged showing two senior officers captured by the Free Syrian
Army. One of the men was reported to have been abducted by an armed gang,
according to state media. Another video claimed to show a brigadier general
announcing his defection to the opposition.
? President Assad, in an interview with Iranian TV, said his country has a duty
to "annihilate terrorists" and that Syria won't accept outside interference
even from its allies.
? Efforts to evacuate civilians and wounded from Homs failed again when a
rescue team could not enter affected areas, the International Committee of the
Red Cross said in its latest update.
Egypt
? Large crowds have gathered in Tahrir Square where president-elect Mohamed
Morsi is due to make a speech in a few hours. After much confusion about
Morsi's swearing-in ceremony, the official news agency says it will take place
tomorrow morning, before the supreme constitutional court.
? Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of the ruling military council, will keep
his post as defence minister in a new cabinet to be formed by president-elect
Mohamed Morsi, a member of the military council has said.
12.56pm: Egypt: Large crowds have gathered once again in Tahrir Square to await
a speech by president-elect Mohamed Morsi. The video below gives a aerial view
of the square during today's midday prayers.
Morsi's speech is still several hours away, though. In remarks quoted by AP,
his spokesman, Yasser Ali, said the president-elect wants to stand with the
thousands who have been in the square for over a week to express concern about
the power grabs.
"He wants to confirm that people are the source of his power," Ali said. "He
wants to show unity with his people over issues of the transition, which is now
ending."
12.47pm: Syria: Ameer, a resident in the northern Damascus suburb of Barzeh,
reported seeing a helicopter gunship attacking an area north of the capital.
He tweeted:
There's a military helicopter flying and I can see it shelling al-Qaboun or
Harasta. Up to this moment it shelled six missiles. #Damascus
Earlier activists posted footage of the wreckage of an attack helicopter that
had been bought down in the north-western province of Idlib.
It was purported to have been filmed in the countryside around Aleppo.
12.26pm: Syria: Reuters has more on the latest alleged massacre in Douma. It
says the members of two entire families (not one as mentioned earlier) were
killed.
Video published on YouTube showed rows of shrouded bodies lining what activists
said was a street in Douma. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 41
people had died in the city, while other activists placed the toll at 59 or
higher.
"Douma, the morning of June 29, 2012. This is the massacre committed against
the people of Douma. God is our saviour. Two whole families are here (among the
dead) ... God help us," said the man filming the scene.
One man held up the limp body of a girl, her pink blouse drenched in blood.
"This is another massacre of the massacres by Assad and his secret police," he
said. "This is another massacre of the massacres by the international
community, of all the great nations that have conspired against our people."
Douma has been under siege for weeks by security forces loyal to President
Bashar al-Assad.
Activists say rockets have been raining down on the city for days amid heavy
fighting between rebels and government forces. Video showed homes whose roofs
had caved in and clouds of dust rising from crumbling buildings.
12.10pm: Syria: Iran's Press TV has published a fuller account of the Assad
interview.
Here are some extracts
What took place in Libya is not the model to settle Syria [crisis] and no plan
or model except a 'national model' will work in Syria.
The West expresses support for the Annan plan on the one hand, while on the
other hand, they seek a plan to overthrow [the government]. This is the same
[approach of] double standards and political hypocrisy.
If al-Qaida attacks a country that the US doesn't like, they are good, but if
they attack the interests of Americans or their allies in a certain region,
then they are bad; this is the American logic.
11.33am: Syria: A local activist group in Douma has another unverified account
of what it claims was massacre in the town.
The Syrian Revolution Coordination Committee of Douma City said a family of 10
was killed after "fierce shelling".
After continual shelling that lasted for hours, the regime troops perpetrated a
massacre by killing a family of 10 while looking for a shelter. The total
number of victims is 51 and more than one hundred civilians were injured. Some
peaceful citizens were extra judicially executed by Assad's forces in their
homes.
The regime army stormed the city in the early morning amid intensive gunfire
followed by mortar shelling. The city was in a state of real war in which all
kinds of weaponry were used. Helicopters hovered at low altitude and shelled
the resident's houses randomly. Consequently, dozens of houses got burned and
others were destroyed ... Many families were in a state of horror inside
shelters and had to keep there because of the heavy shelling.
Scores of horrific videos purport to show the victims of the alleged attack.
They are impossible to corroborate.
11.05am: Syria: Activists say dozens of people have been killed in attacks on
opposition strongholds near Damascus. Most of the casualties were in the town
of Douma, where local activists posted video purporting to show the shrouded
bodies of up 20 members of the same family said to have stabbed by government
militia [warning: graphic content].
The Local Coordination Committees and the British-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights and other activists say at least 40 people died in shelling in the
area. At least two more were killed Friday morning.
10.47am: Syria: Earlier we mentioned that video purporting to show the capture
of Brigadier General Mounir Shleibi and Major General Faraj al-Maqt could not
be independently verified (see 9.27am).
A reader has pointed out that state media reported the abduction of Faraj
al-Maqt, after clashes in the suburbs of Damascus. It gives his rank as
lieutenant general.
10.32am: Syria: The opposition blog the Hama echo, has a collection of 15
videos purporting to show the defection of brigadier generals over the last few
months.
Photograph: hayfestival.com/REUTERS
10.27am: Libya: The Carter Centre ? founded by former US president Jimmy Carter
? is sending observer teams to Libya to monitor the elections scheduled for 7
July, the Tripoli Post reports.
At the invitation of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC), they will
observe the electoral process ? though not throughout the entire country.
In light of security considerations, which prevent deployment of observers in
some areas of the country and which restrict their movements in others, the
centre's mission will be limited in nature and will not offer a comprehensive
assessment of the electoral process.
However, there are encouraging signs regarding women's participation in the
poll:
In total, there are 625 women standing in the July 7 elections, 540 of whom
represent political parties; 85 are standing as independent candidates. The
electoral commission states that 80% of eligible voters have registered,
totalling 2.7 million people. Of these, 45% are female.
10.18am: Syria: The Syrian government has deployed around 170 tanks near the
Turkish border, a commander from the Free Syrian Army told Reuters.
"The tanks are now at the infantry school. They're either preparing to move to
the border to counter the Turkish deployment or attack the rebellious (Syrian)
towns and villages in and around the border zone north of Aleppo," Sheikh told
Reuters by telephone from the border.
He said the tanks were mostly from the 17th Mechanised Division.
Meanwhile, a video has emerged purporting to show a brigadier general
responsible for a tank division, announcing his defection, according to
journalist Zaid Benjamin:
Video: Commander of the Strategic Tanks Warehouses Brigadier General Methqal
al-Betesh al-Naimi announces defectionyoutube.com/watch?v=-XCGnC?
? Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) June 28, 2012
10.00am: Egypt: Mohamed Morsi will be sworn in as president of Egypt at the
supreme constitutional court on Saturday morning, the official news agency has
announced.
The swearing-in procedure became a matter of dispute because the court had
earlier dissolved parliament (where an Egyptian president would normally be
sworn in). There were objections that by agreeing to hold the ceremony at the
court, Morsi would be accepting the court's controversial decision to dissolve
parliament.
Morsi is due to deliver his first presidential speech at Cairo university after
the ceremony, Ahram Online reports.
He is also expected to address a rally in Tahrir Square today, after Friday
prayers.
Yesterday, Morsi met leaders of the Egyptian Islamic movement at the
presidential palace.
9.50am: Syria: Russia has proposed changes to Kofi Annan's plan for a unity
government, according to Reuters.
International mediator Kofi Annan said on Friday he was "optimistic" that
ministerial crisis talks on Syria being held on Saturday would produce an
acceptable outcome.
"I think we are going to have a good meeting tomorrow (Saturday). I am
optimistic," Annan told Reuters TV in Geneva after Russia proposed changes to
his plan for a national unity government. The talks would end "with an
acceptable result", he said.
His spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said: "The talks are on course and the preparatory
meeting is going ahead this morning (Friday)."
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Russian foreign minister Sergei
Lavrov are due to meet in St Petersburg today in a bid to iron out deep
differences over the transition plan, according to AP.
US officials are adamant that the plan will not allow President Assad to remain
in power at the top of the transitional government, but Russia insists that
outsiders cannot dictate the ultimate solution or the composition of the
interim administration.
Annan's plan would allow some members of the current regime to stay in place
but would exclude those deemed to be counterproductive or destructive to the
transition process, which would be Syrian-led, according to diplomats familiar
with the proposal. It does not explicitly bar Assad, but the US and other
western powers who will participate in the conference in Geneva say that is
implicit.
The difference in interpretation could prove its unraveling and Clinton hopes
to press Lavrov on the point at their meeting and over dinner following a
gathering of Asia-Pacific foreign ministers that Lavrov is hosting in St
Petersburg.
9.27am: Syria: Our favourite reader, Brown Moses, has been going through a
video purporting to show two senior military commanders captured by the Free
Syrian Army.
Brigadier General Mounir Shleibi of the Palestine Intelligence Branch and Major
General Faraj al-Maqt of Syrian Central Command.
Both men had black eyes. The video can't be independently verified, but as
Brown Moses notes "the makers of the video have gone to great lengths to ensure
both men can be clearly identified, filming close up of their ID documents."
Earlier this week state media claimed that a man had been abducted and
portrayed as a defected colonel by an armed group.
#Syria: Ahmad Said: Armed Group abducted me, photographed me as a defected
colonel
? SANA English (@SANA_English) June 25, 2012
In March Human Rights Watch accused armed opposition groups of committing a
series of human rights abuses including kidnap and torture.
8.59am: Syria: While Robert Fisk reckons Assad could have another two years,
Reem Maghribi, former editorial director of Syria's only English-language
daily, predicts that he will fall within six to 12 months.
She told Bloggingheads TV that the regime will be removed without outside help.
The Syrian opposition want arms from the outside world, but not military
intervention, she pointed out.
She said Nato air strikes would be impractical because potential military
targets are so close to civilian areas. "The opposition can do it on their own
slowly but surely," she said.
8.32am: (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live.
Here's a roundup on the latest developments and analysis:
Syria
? Kofi Annan's action group on Syria is to gather in Geneva today as a leaked
copy of his principles for political transition were published. A copy of the
document, published by UN Report, does not mention Bashar al-Assad but hints at
his removal. It says:
The government of national unity would exercise full executive powers. It could
include members of the present government and the opposition and other groups,
but would exclude from government those whose continued presence and
participation would undermine of the transition and jeopardize stability and
reconciliation.
? President Assad said his country has a duty to "annihilate terrorists" and
that Syria won't accept outside interference even from its allies. In an
interview recorded with Iranian TV he said: "The responsibility of the Syrian
government is to protect all of our residents. You have a responsibility to
annihilate terrorists in any corner of the country."And in what appeared to be
a reference to Russia he said: "We will not accept any non-Syrian, non-national
model, whether it comes from big countries or friendly countries. No one knows
how to solve Syria's problems as well as we do."
? Hopes of a political solution to the Syrian crisis suffered a fresh blow when
Russia insisted it would not endorse an internationally backed plan for a
political transition that would require President Bashar al-Assad to surrender
power. Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said in Moscow: "We will not
support and cannot support any meddling from outside or any imposition of
recipes. This also concerns the fate of the president of the country, Bashar
al-Assad."
? The US and Russia are putting together a deal to allow Assad to remain leader
for at least two more years, because of anxiety about oil routes via Syria, a
source told the Independent's Robert Fisk. The unnamed source, said to be close
to the negotiations, is quoted as saying:
We are talking about two fundamental oil routes to the West ? one from Qatar
and Saudi Arabia via Jordan and Syria and the Mediterranean to Europe, another
from Iran via Shia southern Iraq and Syria to the Mediterranean and Europe.
This is what matters. This is why they will be prepared to let Assad last
another two years. They would be perfectly content with that. And Russia will
have a place in the new Syria.
? But a deal to oust Assad would suit US and Russian interests, writes Simon
Tisdall.
Obama, facing a tough re-election battle this autumn and with his domestic
record assailed from all sides, could use a big international win...
It would defuse criticism from American interventionists about US inaction. It
would also help secure the stability of Iraq, on which so much American blood
and treasure was spent in the past decade. It would prevent the spooked,
volatile leaders of Turkey, a valued Nato ally, sliding into some kind of
regional conflict.
Russia's interest dictates a settlement in Syria that sustains its influence on
its Arab ally, keeps its Mediterranean port facilities open, and maintains its
business and arms sales links. As Assad loses ground to the opposition, these
interests appear threatened ....
The scene is set for a Clinton-Lavrov meeting that could still ring the death
knell for the Assad regime. Maybe they can pull it off; maybe they cannot.
Whatever the outcome, democrats will note that Obama and Putin have something
else in common: a deep wariness of the politically unquantifiable Syrian
opposition and a pragmatic disinterest in the wishes of the Syrian people.
This backroom deal, if it happens, has little to do with building a democratic
Syria. It has everything to do with fixing a problem that is upsetting the
world order as decreed from Washington and Moscow.
? No one can imagine how a transition would work, argues Syrian watcher Joshua
Landis. Writing on his blog Syria Comment he says:
We are unlikely to see any big breakthroughs anytime soon. Russian authorities
must be getting nervous about Assad's strategy and staying power ? all the same
what can they do but try to create avenues for a Syrian soft landing? Damascus
is unlikely to take their nudging seriously for some time. The high-powered
conference is probably meaningless at this point, as Russia will most likely
continue to insist on "loyal opposition" joining in a transitional government
packed with Assad loyalists ? a non-starter for both Assad and opposition
figures.
? Efforts to evacuate civilians and wounded from Homs failed again when a
rescue team could not enter affected areas, the International Committee of the
Red Cross said in its latest update. Beatrice Megevand-Roggo, head of ICRC
operations for the Near and Middle East, said an agreed pause in the fighting
failed to be met.
Egypt
? Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the ruling military council, will
keep his post as defence minister in a new cabinet to be formed by
president-elect Mohamed Morsi, a member of the military council has said.
Major-General Mohamed Assar said: "What is wrong with that? He is the head of
the supreme council of the armed forces, the defence minister and the commander
of the armed forces."
Bahrain
? Prominent human rights activist, Zainab al-Khawaja, has been injured after
police fired a tear-gas canister at her leg, according to witnesses. She was
fired on at close range, said Yousef al-Muhafedha, a member of the Bahrain
Center for Human Rights.
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