Persian Realm

Libya expels Syrian diplomatic mission

Libya expels Syrian diplomatic mission (cnn)

ibya is expelling Syria's diplomats because of the escalation of the government's crackdown on its people, Libya's Foreign Ministry announced Thursday.

The Syrian charge d'affaires was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Tripoli on Wednesday and told to leave with his staff within 72 hours, ministry spokesman Saad Elshlmani said.

"The reason for this is the position of the Syrian regime towards the Syrian people," he explained.

"After this escalation and the Arab League meetings in Cairo and the draft resolution ... Libya found it's the time to take a much stronger position against the Syrian regime."

The Syrian state news agency SANA reported the Syrian consul in Libya, Mohammed al-Ghazawi, and his staff were attacked by gangs on their way to the Foreign Ministry, where they were told to leave.

The gangs attacked the Syrians' cars with clubs, knives, and cleavers, SANA reported. The Syrian Embassy was also attacked and looted, the news agency said.

A number of other nations have expelled Syria's ambassadors over the violence. They include Tunisia and the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council -- the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait.

Other countries, including the United States, have either closed their own embassies in Syria or temporarily recalled their ambassadors from Damascus. 

At least 137 reported killed as Syrian attacks escalate

(CNN) -- A Syrian opposition group reported at least 137 deaths at the hands of government forces Thursday as President Bashar al-Assad escalated a brutal assault against an opposition that wants an end to his regime.

Thursday marked the fifth consecutive day of attacks on opposition activists and civilians in the besieged city of Homs -- Syria's third-largest city -- which has become a flashpoint in the uprising.

The Local Coordination Committees, a network of opposition activists that organizes and documents protests, said that 110 of the deaths were in Homs; 10 were children.

"Danny" chronicles daily hell in Syria

Britain will use diplomacy with Syria, says Hague

Syria: UK will use diplomacy, not war (BBC, Video)

The British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, says Britain will use diplomacy with Syria, not weapons.

However, he said it was vital to support those organisations getting food and medical supplies into the country.

More than a hundred are said to have died in new violence in the city of Homs on Thursday.

Bridget Kendall reports.

This report contains images of a graphic nature which some may find distressing. 

New Blasts rock Syria's second city

A number of explosions have rocked Syria's second city of Aleppo.

State TV reported a number of casualties - including soldiers - after two blasts in the northern city. It said "armed terrorist gangs" were responsible.

Meanwhile, Syrian opposition activists quoted local residents as saying there were three explosions.

US: 'Still time' for Syria diplomacy

US: 'Still time' for Syria diplomacy (bbc, AUDIO)

There is still time for diplomatic and economic pressure "to bear fruit" in Syria, Mark Toner of the US State Department has said, but the military option is not "off the table".

Speaking to Today presenter Evan Davis, Mr Toner said that the US believes President's Assad's days are numbered.

The UN Security Council veto of action by Russia and China "went against the rights and aspirations of the Syrian people", he said. 

Germany expels four Syrian envoys

Germany expels four Syrian envoys (cnn)

(CNN) -- Germany is expelling four members of the Syrian Embassy, citing the arrest this week of two men suspected of spying on Syrian opposition groups in Germany, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in a statement released Thursday.

"After the arrest of two persons suspected of spying for Syria, I have ordered the expulsion of four members of the Syrian Embassy in Berlin," Westerwelle said.

The Syrian ambassador was called to the Foreign Office on Monday where the "German government made clear its position to not accept actions against Syrian members of the opposition in Germany," according to the statement.

Sixth day of bombing in Homs

Sixth day of bombing in Homs (BBC, VIDEO)

The Syrian regime is continuing its assault on the city of Homs for a sixth day with at least 30 people killed so far, according to reports.

The shelling is centred on the neighbourhood of Babr Amr, where it is claimed three families have been buried under the rubble of their homes.

Jim Muir reports from Beirut. 

Ki-moon Ban condemns Syrian 'brutality'

Ban condemns Syrian 'brutality' (cnn, VIDEO)

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the Syrian assault on the city of Homs is "a grim harbinger of worse to come." 

New Deadly shelling hits Syrian city

The Syrian army has resumed shelling in Homs killing at least 13 people so far on Thursday, activists say.

With several districts controlled by rebel forces, Syria's third-largest city is a major focus of unrest against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.

Scores have been killed since the army started an assault there last week.

Deadly shelling hits Syrian city (bbc)

Gulf Cooperation Council countries to expel Syrian envoys

France recalls ambassador to Syria over 'worsening repression'

France recalls ambassador to Syria over 'worsening repression' (France 24)

Syrian rebel leadership is split

Syrian rebel leadership is split (cnn) By Ivan Watson and Omar al Muqdad

Rival dissident army officers are claiming to lead the increasingly armed rebellion within Syria, exposing rifts within the opposition.

In an interview by telephone with CNN, Maj. Mahar Naimi introduced himself as a spokesman for the "Higher Military Council," a newly formed organization that now claimed to lead armed defectors within Syria.

"This council represents the people fighting in Syria," Naimi said. He added that the council was led by Gen. Mustafa Sheikh, an officer who defected from the Syrian military.

But Naimi's claim was quickly rejected by another defecting officer, Col. Riad al Assad, who spent much of the last year claiming to lead a "Free Syrian Army" of rebel soldiers from a refugee camp on the Turkish border with Syria. 

Married to a Pariah:Assad's Wife unlikely 'support' for husband

Does an autocrat's wife have to stand by her man?

Asma al-Assad has been condemned for supporting her husband, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as the bombardment of her family's home city, Homs, goes on. But do autocrats' wives ever rein in their husbands?

Married to a pariah (bbc)

EtTu, Allah...

Et Tu, Allah? Articles Et Tu, Allah? Iqbal Latif Oct 10, 2004, 19:22

Islam has become a hostage to insane lunatics, out for revenge on their losing battles through the blood of innocent people. In the name of "Allah" all kinds of inhuman atrocities are being carried out. How come "Muslim blood" is being targeted, becoming collateral damage in the jihad against infidels? The present set of attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan are aimed at maiming terrorists own ideological next of kin; Muslims, killed by their own Muslim brothers in name of Jihad! What kind of Jihad is this? The moderate Islamists lament with pain, " Et Tu Allah?."

Carnage continues in Syria, despite 'commitment' to peace

Carnage continues in Syria, despite 'commitment' to peace (CNN, video)

Not long after Russia's foreign minister touted the Syrian president's "commitment" to ending violence, at least 47 people were killed in bloodshed Wednesday, an opposition activist group said.

Government forces stormed three homes in a Homs neighborhood, killing three "unarmed" families -- a total of 20 people, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

But one opposition activist Omar Shakir put the death toll at 54 after visiting and calling field hospitals in three neighborhoods in Homs.

"There is non stop shelling," said Shakir, a Homs resident. 

'Every house a target' say's Syrian Resident in Homs

'Every house a target'Listen (BBC, Video)

A resident in the Baba Amr area of Homs, has been describing the bombardment of the city by Syrian government forces.

Omar told The World Today that the rocket and mortar attack were indiscriminate. 

After Syria is Iran's turn!

Syrian government's atrocities are exactly what IR will do in case of uprisings in Iran. These atrocities are architected and lead by IR. Syrian opposition groups have started working closely with western governments in order to plan a stronger resistance, i.e military trainings and other measurements. British government has formaly announced today that they are going to train syrian resistance groups.

Iranian oppositions should closely observe the syrian Oppositions's next move and learn from it as this may be repeated soon in Iran itself.

Homs suffers 'heaviest' shelling

Syrian opposition groups say the city of Homs has come under the heaviest shelling in days, despite the president's pledge to engage in dialogue.

Homs suffers 'heaviest' shelling (bbc)

Your welcome Anahid Jan

Let's Hope so ...

Darius jan, thanks for updates on Syria

it is getting close to judgement day for bashar or otherwise known as  rat hole day.

Syria's first lady stands by husband

The wife of Syria's president Bashar al-Assad has spoken out to defend her husband.

Mrs Asma Assad took the unusual step of writing to the Times newspaper to explain why she thought her husband was still the right person to lead Syria, causing a furious backlash among Syrians living in the UK.

Persian Gulf Arab states expel Syrian ambassadors

Gulf Arab states say they are expelling Syrian ambassadors in their countries and recalling their envoys from Syria.

The Gulf Cooperation Council said Syria had rejected Arab attempts to solve the crisis and end 11 months of bloodshed.

The US closed its embassy in Syria on Monday, and several European countries have recalled their ambassadors.

The moves came as Syrian government forces continued their fierce assault on the restive city of Homs, and Russian officials visited Damascus.

Gulf states fuel Syria isolation (bbc)

'Syria spies' arrested in Berlin

A Syrian and a German-Lebanese man have been arrested in Berlin on suspicion of spying on opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government.

The pair, identified as 34-year-old Syrian Akram O. and dual national Mahmoud El A., 47, are to appear before a federal judge on Wednesday.

Their homes were searched by 70 officers who were also investigating six other suspects.

They are suspected of spying in Germany "for several years," a statement said.

The federal prosecutor's office said the arrests had come after "an extensive investigation", adding that the other six suspects "are also believed to have been involved in spying".

Unconfirmed reports suggested the other suspects were linked to the Syrian embassy in Berlin.

Last Friday, 20 demonstrators entered the Berlin embassy and, according to police, damaged offices there.

Russia 'wants Arab role in Syria'

  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called for a solution to the crisis in Syria based on initiatives put forward by the Arab League. Visiting Syria, Mr Lavrov said Damascus was ready for a larger Arab mission to monitor peace efforts, and would set a date for a constitutional referendum. His visit comes after Russia and China vetoed a UN resolution. Gulf states say they are expelling Syria's ambassadors. Government forces are continuing a fierce assault on rebels in Homs.

Indeed Faramaz Jan

Although I am not sure the Russians will be giving up on Assad anytime soon.

A European Foreign intervention as in Libya is off the table for the time being due to the geo strategic importance of Syria as opposed to Libya but also the Landscape and urban guerrilla characteristic of an eventual prolonged conflict in Syria is a discouraging prospect for most European and American observors.

Libya is essentially a desert where as Syria on the otherhand very much like Lebanon is largely urbanized.

It makes intervention including surgical strikes very difficult.

What some predict as a possible outcome on the long term is a Palace Coup conducted by those close to Assad but who don't want to be sacrificed if the situation becomes uncontrolable and will try to find a way out of the mess by putting the blame on their boss.

Assad probably knows by now that If caught he and even his entire family will be slaughtered in vengeance.

Eitherway in Assad Shoes I would keep a box of cyanide at arms reach ...

For He and his otherwise beautiful and likeable wife may well end up like Hitler and Eva Braun in the Bunker ...

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bHFO19dVbE

The Countdown has already started ...

روسهای بی غیرت

DK Jann, Thanks for your updates.

Lavarov is in Damascus telling Assad that he should finish the job quickly because they cannot support him much longer. And if Yugoslavia is an example, Russians can huff and puff as much as they want, but at the end they will quietly watch as Assad get his butt kicked.

What is going on in Syria should be a lesson for those Iranians who think that the international community should sit on the sideline and watch people getting slaughtered by a brutal regime.

We are "Bani Aadam" after all. 

Russian envoy in crisis-hit Syria

Russia's foreign minister is greeted by pro-government crowds as he arrives in Syria to meet President Assad, amid rising violence in the country 

All eyes on Russia's FM Lavrov visit to Syria

All eyes on Lavrov visit (bbc)

As Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov heads to Syria for talks with President Bashar al-Assad, BBC Moscow correspondent Daniel Sandford assesses what he might hope to achieve from his visit. 

Syria army renews assault on Homs

The Syrian army resumes heavy shelling in the restive city of Homs as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due in Damascus for talks.

Syria army renews assault on Homs (bbc)

U.S. closes embassy in Syria over security concerns

Washington (CNN) -- The United States shuttered its embassy in Syria and pulled out its remaining staff Monday after the government refused to address its security concerns, the State Department said.