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NIGHT OF THE GENERALS : Paul Conroy describes "pure, systematic slaughter of civilians"
03-Mar-2012
The bombardment of Homs will be judged by history as a massacre comparable to Rwanda or Srebrenica, says a British photographer injured in the attacks. (Also read : 'The enforcer' who heads Syria’s dreaded army division (France 24))
Paul Conroy:describes 'slaughterhouse' in Homs will be the next Srebrenica or Rwanda:
Paul Conroy::Homs is comparable to Srebrenica or Rwanda:
Paul Conroy on CNN with Anderson Cooper:
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CORROBORATED EVIDENCE OF MAN SLAUGHTER
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Marie Colvin last report:
Journalist Marie Colvin in one of her last reports from Syria. She was a great journalist and an amazing person. Killed while covering the plight of the people of Homs Syria.
A Syrian activist says the fighting will not stop until either Assad is gone or the activists are all dead.
Paul Conroy: Homs comparable to Srebrenica and Rwanda (bbc)
The bombardment of Homs will be judged by history as a massacre comparable to Rwanda or Srebrenica, says a British photographer injured in the attacks.Paul Conroy, 47, told BBC's Newsnight he had witnessed "a systematic slaughter of the civilian population".
In all his experience of war zones, he had never seen anything on this level, he said, and in 10 years, the world would be "wringing its hands" in shame.
Journalist Marie Colvin, killed in the shelling, was "the best of the best".
"I don't know anyone who had her tenacity and bravery," he said of his Sunday Times colleague.
Mr Conroy, who was smuggled to Lebanon by Syrian rebels, paid tribute to the "heroes" who helped him escape, but he feared for their safety and for all the Syrian people.
"We left behind what I fear is going to be the next Rwanda, the next Srebrenica."
The bombing of Baba Amr - the rebel district of Homs which has received the brunt of the Syrian authorities' attacks - is indiscriminate, he said.
"There are no military targets, it's pure and systematic slaughter of a civilian population. The only reason those shells are going in are to eliminate the people and buildings of Baba Amr."
Conroy spent days stranded in Baba Amr with shrapnel wounds picked up in a rocket attack that killed Colvin and French journalist Remi Ochlik.
Speaking from his hospital bed in London, Conroy described conditions in Homs as catastrophic, with people living in "bombed-out wrecks" and "waiting to die".
The next phase in the conflict will not be televised but it will happen, he said.
Urging the international community to act, he said that when Baba Amr fell, the regime would turn to other areas.
"When Baba Amr is finished, and I think it's almost there now, we've watched it happen, they're going to move on, they're going to move into the countryside, the towns and there will be no witnesses," he said.
"Women, children, old men, young people will just cease to exist, they will cease to exist and in 10 years we will have an investigation and people will say 'how did this happen?'"
Conroy, originally from Liverpool but now living in Devon, said the moment his building was hit was "was traumatic, instant chaos".
"A few shells had hit the house and the final shell that killed Marie and Remi, my friend, everything went black, I felt a huge pressure in my leg... I realised it was bad, stuck a tourniquet on and essentially tried to crawl out the house where I found Marie."
He said they were taken to a field hospital which was "a living room and a kitchen table essentially," where doctors had limited supplies.
The building was taking direct hits in intense shelling which lasted 14 hours a day, he said.
"It was intense to start with but as the week went on we were living minute-by-minute in that room, literally you could hear the shells coming in.
"We also had the medics coming in saying 'We've just lost another 10 men, another five children,' so while we were in this situation we were getting daily, hourly, minute-by-minute reports of the slaughter outside, which was quite un-nerving."
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it had received the bodies of Colvin and Ochlik, and taken them to Damascus.
The Red Cross said on Saturday it will try again to be allowed access to the devastated Baba Amr district of the Syrian city of Homs, after being blocked on Friday.
It said it was "unacceptable" that its seven-lorry convoy had been stopped.
There have been reports of revenge killings and summary executions by Syrian forces since rebel fighters pulled out of Baba Amr on Thursday.How many have died?
- Uprising began a year ago with peaceful protests
- UN estimates more than 7,500 people killed
- Syria says at least 1,345 members of the security forces have been killed
- It puts the number of civilians killed at 2,493
More Here :
Syria toll passes 7,500, UN says (bbc)
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THE NIGHT OF THE SYRIAN GENERALS
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Recommended Reading:As head of the Syrian Army’s elite Fourth Division, Maher al-Assad (left) has a reputation for ruthlessness. He's also President Bashar al-Assad's (right) younger brother - and in Syria, presidential younger brothers often play the heavy.
'The enforcer' who heads Syria’s dreaded army division (France 24)The Night of the Generals:
Homs’ Long Night of the Generals Has Indeed Only Just Begun …
Related Blog:
WANTED: Did Nazi Criminal Alois Brunner train Syria’s Security Forces ?
Other Related Blogs on Syria :
Syrian Protestors Burn IRI Flag
NIAC Ambassador Majid Rafizadeh: Appeasement with Iran But Sanctions & intervention on Syria?
IN DENIAL: Barbara Walters' Interview with Syria's President Bashar al-Assad
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How Assad Has Come Between Kurds of Turkey and Syria - TIME
by Darius Kadivar on Sun Apr 08, 2012 04:56 AM PDTHow Assad Has Come Between Kurds of Turkey and Syria - TIME
The proximity is striking. Nusaybin, a Turkish town of about 80,000, sits on one side of the border. Qamishli, one of the biggest cities in northeast Syria, is on the other. A thin strip of land — fields, watchtowers and rows of barbed wire — is all that lies in between. "We're like one town separated by a fence," Nusaybin's Mayor Ayse Gokkan says, her third-story office overlooking the border area.Nusaybin, like most cities in southeast Turkey, is predominantly Kurdish, as is Qamishli. Cross-border marriages are common, and most people on one side have at least a few relatives on the other. The towns' economies are intertwined — or used to be, until the Syrian government decided to close the border crossing three months ago.
Hundreds of Syrians flee into Turkey within 24 hours
by Darius Kadivar on Sun Apr 08, 2012 01:59 AM PDTHundreds of Syrians flee into Turkey within 24 hours (France 24)
Almost 700 refugees fleeing the violence in Syria have crossed the border into Turkey in the past 24 hours, Turkish officials said on Saturday. More than 24,000 Syrians have sought refuge in Turkey since unrest began in Syria over a year.They are LOADED!
by anglophile on Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:13 AM PDTFierce fighting among Syrian villagers, opposition says
by Darius Kadivar on Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:06 AM PDTFierce fighting among Syrian villagers, opposition says (cnn)
The Syrian government continued attacks in various parts of the country Friday despite having agreed to withdraw its troops from towns and cities by Tuesday, opposition groups reported.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Family slams Bashar al-Assad regime
by Darius Kadivar on Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:01 AM PDTFamily slams Bashar al-Assad regime (cnn, Video)
The exiled uncle of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad tells his views on the uprising. CNN's Atika Shubert reports.Syria conflict: Ceasefire pressure grows over peace plan
by Darius Kadivar on Fri Apr 06, 2012 09:56 AM PDTVideo of 'troop movements' (bbc, VIDEO)
The UN Security Council has urged Syria to implement "urgently and visibly" a peace plan requiring a 10 April deadline for ending a military offensive against the opposition.
Envoy Kofi Annan's plan calls for Damascus to pull back troops and heavy weaponry by that date, and for a full ceasefire by 48 hours later.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the conflict was getting worse and urged both sides to seize the moment and end the violence.
Jim Muir reports.
Entire towns driven out of Syria, say refugees
by Darius Kadivar on Fri Apr 06, 2012 09:51 AM PDT'Entire towns driven out' (bbc, VIDEO)
Turkish officials say thousands of Syrian refugees have been fleeing into Turkey, as UN chief Ban Ki-moon warns the crisis is escalating.
More than 2,300 fled on Wednesday, by far the highest number in one day.
Earlier, the UN called for the Syrian government to "urgently" implement an agreed ceasefire.
Jonathan Head reports from Istanbul.
Turkey criticises UN over Syria
by Darius Kadivar on Tue Apr 03, 2012 11:09 AM PDTTurkey criticises UN over Syria (bbc)
Turkey PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses the UN Security Council of indirectly supporting the oppression of the Syrian people by failing to adopt a united stance
Syrian opposition: Tortured bodies found in Homs hospital
by Darius Kadivar on Tue Apr 03, 2012 08:09 AM PDTOpposition: Tortured bodies found (cnn)
STORY HIGHLIGHTSReport: Syrian military firing on civilians
by Darius Kadivar on Tue Apr 03, 2012 08:07 AM PDTReport: Syrian military firing on civilians (cnn)
CNN) -- Clashes and shelling reverberated across Syria on Tuesday despite a promise by President Bashar al-Assad's government to withdraw its forces from population centers by next week.
"It appears that Assad is escalating the violence," said Rafif Jouejati, spokeswoman for the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria.
The military pounded opposition-held northern towns and clashed with defectors, activists said Tuesday.
STORY HIGHLIGHTSBashar al-Assad cannot survive for long, his uncle says
by Darius Kadivar on Tue Apr 03, 2012 03:57 AM PDTAssad 'cannot survive for long' (bbc)
The uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad believes it is unlikely that he can hold onto power much longer.
Rifaat al-Assad told the BBC that the level of violence on the streets was too high for his nephew to survive.
Mr Assad has lived in exile since he unsuccessfully tried to seize power from his brother, Hafez, in the 1980s.
In February 1982, he led a military assault on Hama to suppress an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood, leaving between 10,000 and 25,000 people dead.
Meanwhile, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Jakob Kellenberger, is in Damascus for talks about expanding aid operations and gaining access to all detainees.
Media on Friends of Syria meeting
by Darius Kadivar on Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:42 PM PDTMedia on Friends of Syria meeting (bbc)
Middle Eastern and Turkish media express a variety of views on the outcome of the weekend meeting of countries backing political change in Syria, with some hailing it as a success and others expressing disappointment.
Syria 'agrees' ceasefire deadline
by Darius Kadivar on Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:40 PM PDTSyria accepts a deadline of 10 April to begin implementing a six-point peace plan, UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan tells the UN Security
Syria 'agrees' ceasefire deadline (bbc)
DK jan: This is good
by vildemose on Sun Apr 01, 2012 02:05 PM PDTDK jan: This is good news.
A state of war only serves as an excuse for domestic tyranny.--Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
Gulf States propose to fund Syrian opposition army
by Darius Kadivar on Sun Apr 01, 2012 02:02 PM PDTGulf States propose to fund Syrian opposition army (France 24)
Gulf states are creating a multimillion-dollar fund to pay Syrian opposition soldiers and army defectors, participants at the "Friends of Syria" summit in Istanbul announced on Sunday. Syria has called the meeting an "international conspiracy".Syria rebel fighters 'to be paid'
by Darius Kadivar on Sun Apr 01, 2012 01:58 PM PDTThe opposition Syrian National Council says rebels fighting the government in Syria will receive salaries, reportedly paid for by wealthy Gulf states.
Syria rebel fighters 'to be paid' (bbc)
Syria crisis debated at Istanbul talks
by Darius Kadivar on Sun Apr 01, 2012 12:52 AM PDTSyria crisis talks set for Turkey (bbc)
Foreign ministers from more than 70 Western and Arab countries are due to meet in Istanbul to step up pressure on the Syrian regime.Rebel bid to topple the state 'is over', Syrian govt says
by Darius Kadivar on Sun Apr 01, 2012 12:49 AM PDTRebel bid to topple the state 'is over', Syrian govt says (France 24)
Syria’s foreign ministry said Saturday that a year-long uprising against the regime in Damascus had been defeated, but that army forces would remain in cities to maintain order and prevent certain elements from "sabotaging the path of reform".Syria links withdrawal to 'peace'
by Darius Kadivar on Sat Mar 31, 2012 12:50 PM PDTSyria links withdrawal to 'peace' (bbc)
The Syrian government says it will keep troops in residential areas of cities until "peace and security" prevail, after the UN urges their withdrawal.Iraq's Maliki warns of Syria 'proxy war'
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:59 AM PDTIraq warns of Syria 'proxy war' (bbc)
raq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has warned that arming either side in Syria will lead to a "proxy war".
He was speaking at the opening of an Arab League summit which is discussing a joint plan with the UN to end a year of violence in Syria.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has agreed to the plan and will spare no effort to make it succeed, Syrian state news agency Sana reported.
The summit is the first such meeting in Baghdad for at least two decades.
President Assad's remarks were contained in a message to the world's emerging powers - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - who are meeting in Delhi on Thursday.
Syria to dominate historic summit in Baghdad
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Mar 29, 2012 01:16 AM PDTArab leaders gather to discuss a UN-backed peace plan for Syria at the first major international summit to be hosted by Baghdad in decades.
Leaders attending the summitSyria to dominate historic summit (bbc)
Disunity haunts Syrian opposition
by Darius Kadivar on Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:52 AM PDTDisunity haunts Syrian opposition By Jonathan Head (bbc)
Diplomacy on Syria appears to be moving quickly. President Bashar al-Assad has signed up to the Kofi Annan peace plan, the only plan that has full international support, including Russia and China.
And most Syrian opposition groups have put aside their differences and agreed that the umbrella Syrian National Council will be their official representative, and their interlocutor in any talks on the country's future.
All this is welcome news to Turkey, as it prepares to host the second Friends of Syria meeting of sympathetic countries in Istanbul this weekend.
But hold on. The Syrian government offer has been greeted with understandable scepticism.
Syria clashes as Arab League meets in Baghdad
by Darius Kadivar on Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:50 AM PDTSyria clashes as Arab states meet (bbc)
Fighting continues in Syria as the Arab League meets over the crisis, with the government in Damascus rejecting co-operation with its peace moves.
Jonathan HeadBBC News, Istanbul
We have been here before. Last November, President Assad agreed to a deal proposed by the Arab League which had many of the same elements as the Annan plan - withdrawal of government forces from residential areas, freeing of political prisoners and good-faith negotiations with the opposition.
None of those promises was kept.
The Annan plan contains no timetable for implementation, but for it to get any momentum, it must produce results on the ground in a matter of days.
The Syrian opposition groups who have been meeting in Istanbul this week are unanimous in their belief that President Assad is just playing for time. So they are convinced they will never have to confront the dilemma over whether to sit down and negotiate with him.
At Russia's request, the Annan plan makes no mention of any requirement for President Assad to leave office. But almost all the opposition groups say that requirement is non-negotiable; all they would be willing to talk about is how he leaves office, and what kind of system follows his departure.
Syria opposition unite behind SNC
by Darius Kadivar on Wed Mar 28, 2012 01:15 AM PDTSyria opposition unite behind SNC (bbc)
All but one of Syria's disparate opposition groups have agreed to unite behind the Syrian National Council.
A statement issued after a two-day meeting in Istanbul said the SNC would be the "formal interlocutor and formal representative of the Syrian people".
They also expressed scepticism at the government's acceptance of the peace plan presented by UN envoy Kofi Annan.
Meanwhile, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay has told the BBC that President Bashar al-Assad will face justice.
Syria forces 'targeting children'
by Darius Kadivar on Wed Mar 28, 2012 01:06 AM PDTSyrian forces are detaining and torturing children in their crackdown on opposition activists, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay tells the BBC.
Syria forces 'targeting children' (bbc)
Western powers 'sceptical' over Syria peace move
by Darius Kadivar on Tue Mar 27, 2012 04:37 PM PDT'Scepticism' at Syria peace move (bbc)
Western powers have reacted sceptically to Syria's acceptance of the peace plan put forward by UN envoy Kofi Annan.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said President Bashar al-Assad would be judged by events.
"Given Assad's history of over-promising and under-delivering, that commitment must now be matched by immediate actions," she said.
Earlier the UN said more than 9,000 people have now died since the Syria uprising started a year ago.
"If he is ready to bring this dark chapter in Syria's history to a close he can prove it by immediately ordering regime forces to stop firing and begin withdrawing from populated areas," Mrs Clinton said.
Other Western powers have made similar comments.
Syria clashes spill into Lebanon
by Darius Kadivar on Tue Mar 27, 2012 07:41 AM PDTSyria clashes spill into Lebanon (bbc)
Clashes between Syrian security forces and armed rebels have spilled across the border with Lebanon, witnesses and Lebanese security officials say.
Residents of Masharia al-Qaa said soldiers backed by armoured vehicles had entered Lebanon and fired at houses where rebels had taken cover.
Lebanese officials said bullets had struck Lebanese territory, but that no Syrian troops had crossed the border.
Thousands of Syrian refugees have fled to Lebanon in the past year.
More than 1,500 crossed the border after troops entered the Baba Amr district of Homs earlier this month after four weeks of bombardment.
The border area is also used by smugglers and the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which wants to oust President Bashar al-Assad by force.
Syria government backs peace plan
by Darius Kadivar on Tue Mar 27, 2012 03:54 AM PDTSyria government backs peace plan (bbc)
Syria's government has agreed to accept the peace plan put forward by the United Nations and Arab League envoy, Kofi Annan, his spokesman has said.
Mr Annan considered it "an important initial step that could bring an end to the violence and the bloodshed" but implementation was key, he added.
The plan calls for an end to the fighting in a UN-supervised ceasefire.
The opposition has dismissed Mr Annan's initiative as an opportunity for the government to continue its repression.
Syrian cartoonist on revolution, art - and taking a beating
by Darius Kadivar on Sun Mar 25, 2012 11:46 PM PDTAli Ferzat's hands sweep and glide and conjure shapes as he sits in a small art gallery behind Sloane Square in London where his sly deconstructions of authoritarianism are on show.
These are the hands that pricked and provoked the mukhabarat - the security police - in Syria into trying to smash them into silence.
It was last August when he was attacked by masked men in what he describes as one of the most secure parts of Damascus.
Price of defiance (bbc)
Turkey's Syrian refugees try to keep revolution alive
by Darius Kadivar on Sun Mar 25, 2012 11:44 PM PDTYou can hear gunfire cracking over the hills of Syria just across the border these days and, through binoculars, you can see soldiers stationed on the tops of buildings.
The Syrian civil war has moved very close to Turkey. Pro-Assad forces control all the big towns, many of the villages, and most of the roads in Idlib province, which borders Turkey.
That is what has driven thousands more refugees into Turkish territory, bringing tales of extraordinary cruelty by the soldiers and Shabiha pro-government militias, and of arduous journeys through the hills and forests, carrying children, the elderly and wounded on their backs.
Long struggle (bbc)