Persian Realm

Syrian rebels blame executions on 'extremists'

Syrian rebels blame executions on 'extremists' (cnn)

CNN) -- A Syrian rebel brigade blamed "extremists" for a grisly massacre now gone viral on the Internet, and it vowed to punish the perpetrators.

Hossam al Sarmani, a spokesman for the Free Syrian Army's Daoud Brigade in northern Syria, said rogue revolutionaries carried out the killings in Idlib province.

"This execution did take place, and this is the heinous truth," al Sarmani told CNN on Friday. "We will find them, capture them and hold them in a prison until they can by tried by international law or the new Syrian law, God willing."

The gruesome video surfaced Thursday on the Internet. 

Jordan's jihadists drawn to Syria conflict

Jordan's jihadists (bbc)

How Syria conflict is drawing in militant Islamists from Jordan

In less than a month, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan, Baqaa, has witnessed two funerals for jihadists killed in Syria.

They were among dozens who flocked into Syria to fight against Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Since the Syrian armed uprising began - after months of peaceful protest - jihadists aiming to establish an Islamic state by violent means started to show their presence in the country.

The jihadists are largely travelling to Syria from neighbouring countries, including Jordan.

Jordan 'uncovers al-Qaeda plot'

The authorities in Jordan say they have arrested 11 militants alleged to have planned attacks on Western diplomats and shopping centres

U.S. sends troops to Jordan to monitor Syrian weapons sites

U.S. sends troops to Jordan to monitor Syrian weapons sites (cnn)

CNN reported in June that U.S. Special Operations Forces were training and advising Jordanian troops on a range of specific military tasks they might need to undertake if unrest in Syria spills into Jordan or poses a threat to that country. That information came from Defense Department officials who did not want to be named.

Panetta now has publicly acknowledged the troop deployment.

"We have a group of our forces there, working to help them build a headquarters and to ensure that we make the relationship between the United States and Jordan a strong one so we can deal with all of the possible consequences," he said.

"We've also been working with them to try to develop their own military and operational capabilities in the event of any contingency there."

A senior Jordanian military official denied Panetta's claims, according to the state-run PETRA news agency.

The American troops are in the country for an annual training exercise, the official from the Jordanian armed forces general command told the news agency.

There has been growing international concern about the fate of the weapons should the civil war escalate or if the weapons fall into the hands of rebels. 

Syria 'moving chemical weapons to safety' - Panetta

Syria 'moving chemical weapons' (bbc)

The US says it has intelligence that Syria has moved some of its chemical weapons to safety, as the government continues to battle rebel forces.

Could US remove Syria's chemical weapons?

Could US remove chemical weapons? (bbc)

President Barack Obama's warning about Syria's unconventional weapons arsenal is one of those "sit up and take notice" moments. He warned, "we cannot have a situation where chemical or biological weapons are falling into the hands of the wrong people".

The US president added, "we have put together a range of contingency plans".

These are thought to range from air strikes on key depots to special operations to seizing key stockpiles.

Is the idea of American Hercules transports landing in the middle of Syria, while special forces bring trucks full of nerve gas shells to load on board credible? Certainly, the White House want us to believe it is.

For many years the Syrian regime regarded the possession of a powerful arsenal of ballistic missiles armed with chemical warheads (including nerve agents) as its strategic counter-weight to the Israeli nuclear bomb.

The king of Jordan suggests a separate state for Syria's Alawis

Jordan's King Abdullah, in an interview with CBS News, raised the specter of partition, with the creation of a state for the Alawi minority, the offshoot of Shiites who dominate the government, because the government is losing its grip. Around three-quarters of the people in the religiously and ethnically diverse country are Sunnis.

Syria PM Riad Hijab 'defects' to Jordan

Syria's prime minister 'defects' (bbc)

Syrian Prime Minister Riad Hijab has defected from President Bashar al-Assad's government, reports say, two months after he was appointed.

Jordan struggles to cope with influx of Syrian refugees

By Lyse Doucet
Chief International Correspondent, BBC News, northern Jordan

Limited resources (bbc)

Jordan struggles to cope with influx of Syrian refugees

There is not much life in the Bashabsheh transit centre.

Half a dozen metal containers are strewn with piles of foam mattresses, blankets, and chunks of stale bread. A child's purple see-saw and a lonely swing sway in the wind.

This facility, close to the Syrian border, was erected months ago to give temporary shelter to dozens of Syrians crossing daily.

But it has just been shut as Jordan moves a growing influx of displaced Syrians into a new tented city in the desert, the first official refugee camp.

Syrians taking refuge in Bashabsheh held a protest, in vain.

Jordan action over Syria refugees

Jordan action over Syria refugeesWatch (bbc,video)

As the fighting in Syria intensifies, thousands are fleeing to neighbouring countries, creating a growing humanitarian crisis.

Nearly 40,000 Syrians have crossed into Jordan, prompting the country to rethink its response to the flood of refugees and the threat of violence spilling over the border.

Lyse Doucet reports from northern Jordan. 

Syrian refugees flood into Jordan

Syrian refugees flood into Jordan (bbc, video)

Jordan has opened its first official refugee camp for people trying to escape the fighting across the border in Syria.

Civilians are leaving Syria's largest city, Aleppo, after anti-government rebels there came under sustained attack from President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Foreign Minister Nasir Judah told the BBC's Lyse Doucet that Jordan welcomed the big numbers of Syrian refugees, but the country's limited resources were feeling the strain. 

Jordan takes action to cope with wave of Syrian refugees

Desert refugee (bbc)

By Lyse Doucet

BBC News, Zaatari refugee camp, Jordan

Jordan takes action to cope with wave of Syrian refugees

Jordan opens Syria refugee camp

Jordan opens Syria refugee camp (bbc, Video)

Jordan opens its first official refugee camp for people trying to escape the fighting across the border in Syria.

Civilians are leaving Syria's largest city, Aleppo, after anti-government rebels there came under sustained attack from President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Andy Moore reports. 

Syria Analysis: Regional fears

Analysis: Regional fears (bbc)

By Magdi Abdelhadi

Middle East analyst 

It was never only opposition by the Russians and the Chinese that stood in the way of effective international intervention in the Syrian conflict.

Fear of what might happen when and if the regime of President Bashar al-Assad is toppled has always played a crucial role in making the prospect of wading into the unfolding conflict unpalatable and even frightening.

The worst-case scenario is that the regime, feeling cornered, might be forced to press the "Samson" button - to collapse the temple on its enemies as it goes down with them.

Syria 'will not use' chemical weapons on its own people

Syria pledge on chemical weapons (bbc)

Syria says it will not use chemical weapons against its own people, as rebels tell the BBC they are encouraged by last week's assassinations.

Arab League calls on Assad to go

Arab League ministers call on Syria's President Assad to step down, as rebels tell the BBC they are encouraged by last week's assassinations