03 jun 12 osint syria crisis tracker

7/31/2019 03 jun 12 osint syria crisis tracker

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TheCENTCOM This OSINT publication contains foreign mediaderived entirely from open sources in andaround the CENTCOM AOR.

03 June 20

Synopsis:

Assad Maneuvering To Gain Time: Prince Saud: Arab NewsSaudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal said Syrian President Bashar Assad is maneuvering to gain time. Everyinitiative has been accepted by the Syrian regime and was not implemented. This is a way used by the regime togain time, Prince Saud said in a joint news conference on Sunday with UN chief Ban Ki-moon in Jeddah. (Source:Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Daily; Undetermined)

Syria Violence Kills 89, Including 57 Troops: The NationalViolence in Syria killed 89 people on Saturday, including 57 soldiers, the largest number of casualties the militaryhas suffered in a single since an uprising began in March 2011, a watchdog said. (Source: Abu Dhabi, Multi-media company owned; Undetermined)

EU and Russia to Tackle Differences on Syria, Iran: Al ArabiyaRussian President Vladimir Putin will host EU chiefs for an informal dinner on Sunday at the start of a two-daysummit overshadowed by clashing visions on Syria and Iran. (Source: Dubai, UAE; Independent; ClaimNeutrality)

Assad Says Masks Of Foreign Plot Have Fallen, Vows To Continue To Fight Terrorists: Al ArabiyaPresident Bashar al-Assad said Sunday that Syria is faced with a foreign plot to destroy the country, as headdressed parliament for the first time since May 7 elections. (Source: Dubai, UAE; Independent; ClaimNeutrality)

Assad Says Foreigners Plotting To Destroy Syria: DawnPresident Bashar al-Assad said Sunday that his government faces a foreign plot to destroy Syria, and blamedmonsters for the Houla massacre, in a rare televised speech delivered in parliament. (Source: Karachi,Pakistan; Anti-Military Rule)

President al-Assad: Circumstances which Syria Is Passing through Require More Courage, Strength andResponsibility: SANAPresident Bashar al-Assad on Sunday said the sensitive circumstances which our country is passing throughnecessitate us to be more courageous, strong and more responsible. (Source: Damascus, Syria; Daily; OfficialGovt news agency)

Hizbollah Urges Syrian Rebels to Free Pilgrims: The NationalHizbollah's leader yesterday appealed directly to Syrian rebels who claim to be holding 11 Lebanese hostages,saying the men should not be held responsible for grievances the rebels have against the Lebanese Shiite group.(Source: Abu Dhabi, Multi-media company owned; Undetermined)

Supporting Documentation:

03 Jun 2012Arab NewsAssad Maneuvering To Gain Time: Prince SaudSaudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal said Syrian President Bashar Assad is maneuvering to gain time.

Every initiative has been accepted by the Syrian regime and was not implemented. This is a way used by theregime to gain time, Prince Saud said in a joint news conference on Sunday with UN chief Ban Ki-moon in Jeddah.

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He is playing for time and maneuvering, he said, referring to Assad.

The ministers remarks came immediately after Assad said on Sunday that his government is faced with a foreignplot to destroy Syria.

Arab leaders on Saturday called on the United Nations to act to stop bloodshed that has persisted for nearly 15months despite a UN-backed peace plan that includes the deployment of nearly 300 observers.

The plan was drawn up by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, who on Saturday singled out Assad and his regimeas the key to resolving the conflict as he warned of the specter of all-out sectarian warfare.

Annan will present his report (on Syria) in a few weeks... It must be clear, straightforward, precise andtransparent, Prince Saud said. We hope the United Nations takes a firm stance.

Since the so-called cease-fire began on April 12, as many as 2,300 people have been killed out of the more than13,400 to have died in Syria since the uprising against Assads regime began in March 2011.

Prince Saud, who has repeatedly voiced his countrys support for arming Syria rebels, said: We support creating abuffer zone in Syria which the oppressed can take refuge in... but this is the responsibility of the UN SecurityCouncil as the Arab League cant do this.

The real solution belies in protecting the Syrian people from the harsh military, he said. The people are unarmedwhereas the regime receives weapons from several countries.

The situation is very dangerous. We hope things dont deteriorate further, he added.

Because of the worsening violence and Assads failure to meet commitments under the agreed peace plan, the

United States has warned that it may not agree to renew the UN observer mission when its mandate expires onJuly 20.

03 Jun 2012The NationalSyria Violence Kills 89, Including 57 TroopsViolence in Syria killed 89 people on Saturday, including 57 soldiers, the largest number of casualties the militaryhas suffered in a single since an uprising began in March 2011, and a watchdog said.

The casualties also included 29 civilians and three army defectors killed in various regions of the country in shellingby regime forces or in clashes or gunfire, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Asked about the high number of troops killed in recent days, the Observatory's Rami Abdel-Rahman told AFP:"This relates to the sharp increase in clashes across the country. Troops are vulnerable to heavy losses becausethey are not trained for street battles and are therefore exposed to attacks."

"What exacerbates those losses is that the army is fighting locals of those towns and villages, whether militarydefectors or civilians who took up arms against the regime, who know the area inside and out and enjoy publicsupport."

Opposition fighters are defending their towns by targeting approaching military vehicles with automatic weapons orgrenades, which has taken a heavy toll on the army and security forces, said Abdel Rahman.


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But Putin has cited Libya and Iraq -- two foreign interventions Moscow also bitterly argued against -- as evidencethat transitions of power and outside interference do not solve problems in the long term.

Russias dispute with the West over Iran also concerns what Moscow sees as attempts by Western nations tocircumvent its diplomatic sway on the U.N. Security Council by acting on their own.

The Kremlin has criticized the European Union sharply for imposing an oil embargo on Iran over its nuclearprogram and argued that unilateral sanctions only diminish the chances of compromise from Tehran.

Van Rompuy countered in an interview with Moscows Kommersant business daily that whether we maintain, lift orease sanctions (against Iran) will depend on its own future actions.

Yet the two sides could still seek out common ground ahead of a crunch third round of talks with Iranian negotiatorsthat world powers have scheduled to hold in Moscow on June 18 and 19.

Moscow has been keen to stress that its ties with the European Union itself -- a 27-nation bloc representingRussias top foreign trade partner -- remained warm and were seen as vital by Putin.

Overall, we believe that enhanced strategic partnership between Russia and the EU is not only useful, it isessential to all sides, Russias EU envoy Vladimir Chizhov said in Brussels.

Some analysts cautioned however that the EU officials who hope to see a more accommodating Putin on his returnfrom a four-year spell as Russian premier may be disappointed.

Based on his recent rhetoric and statements, he has not become any more cooperative than he was (during his2000-2008 presidency), said Institute of Strategic Assessment analyst Alexander Konovalov.

If anything, should the financial crisis worsen, he might defend the nations interests more adamantly still.

03 Jun 2012Al ArabiyaAssad Says Masks Of Foreign Plot Have Fallen, Vows To Continue To Fight TerroristsPresident Bashar al-Assad said Sunday that Syria is faced with a foreign plot to destroy the country, as headdressed parliament for the first time since May 7 elections.

The masks have fallen and the international role in the Syrian events is now obvious, Assad said, adding that theelections were the perfect response to the criminal killers and those who finance them.

The embattled leader also paid tribute to civilian and military martyrs of the violence in Syria, saying their blood

was not shed in vain.

During the speech, activist group, Local coordination committees of Syria, said that five people were killed bySyrian security force gunfire, Al Arabiya reported.

What happened in Houla and elsewhere (in Syria) are brutal massacres which even monsters would not havecarried out, Assad said.

At least 108 people, including 49 children and 34 women, were slaughtered in the Houla massacre, in central Syria,in killings that started on May 25 and spilled into the next day, triggering international outrage.


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Despite changes to the constitution ending the Baaths five-decade domination of power, more than 160 of the 250members of parliament are Baathists, and the legislature voted 225-8 to elect ruling party member Jihad Lahhamas its speaker

03 Jun 2012DawnAssad Says Foreigners Plotting To Destroy SyriaPresident Bashar al-Assad said Sunday that his government faces a foreign plot to destroy Syria, and blamedmonsters for the Houla massacre, in a rare televised speech delivered in parliament.

Assads accusations came as Arab leaders called on the United Nations to act to stop bloodshed in Syria andFrance raised the prospect of military action against Damascus under a UN mandate.

The masks have fallen and the international role in the Syrian events is now obvious, Assad said in his firstaddress to the assembly since a May 7 parliamentary election, adding the polls were the perfect response to thecriminal killers and those who finance them.

The embattled leader, who was greeted with warm applause from lawmakers, said actrocities like the May 25-26massacre of at least 108 people near the town of Houla, in central Syria, were committed by monsters.

What happened in Houla and elsewhere (in Syria) are brutal massacres which even monsters would not havecarried out, he said.

Assad, dressed in a smart suit and tie, also paid tribute to civilian and military martyrs of the violence in Syria,saying their blood was not shed in vain.

We are not facing a political problem but a project to destroy the country, Assad said, adding there will be nodialogue with opposition groups which seek foreign intervention. Syria is open to all Syrians regardless of theirviews, but terrorism can not be part of the political process and we must fight against terrorism to heal the nation,Assad said, dismissing the impact in Syria of uprisings sweeping the Arab world.

On Saturday, violence in Syria killed 89 people, including 57 soldiers, the largest number of casualties the militaryhas suffered in a single day since an uprising began in March 2011, a watchdog said.

The casualties also included 29 civilians and three army defectors killed in various parts of the country in shellingby regime forces or in clashes or gunfire, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

As Arab leaders called for UN action in Syria, France, which spearheaded an air assaultagainst Moamer Kadhafis forces last year, said it has not excluded military intervention in the country.

France has not excluded military intervention in Syria, but only under a United Nations mandate, Defence MinisterJean-Yves Le Drian said on Sunday.

03 Jun 2012SANAPresident al-Assad: Circumstances which Syria Is Passing through Require More Courage, Strength andResponsibility


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President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday said the sensitive circumstances which our country is passing throughnecessitate us to be more courageous, strong and more responsible.

"We pay tribute and honor the souls of innocent civilian and military martyrs," President al-Assad addressed thepeople's Assembly on the occasion of its 1st legislative term, saying that the martyrs blood will not be wasted.

President al-Assad said "Performing your legislative and supervising duties can't be done in best way unlesspossessing a clear developmental vision based on constructive dialogue and communication with the citizens," ThePresident added that concentrating on the supervising role of the Assembly should not ignore its partnership rolewith the executive authority.

President al-Assad said: "We confront a big part of the campaign against Syria by reforms and building a strongfortress in the face of regional and international ambitions."

He added: "It is our duty towards our people who proved their ability and succeeded to overcome very difficultnational tests to upgrade our performance to the level of its awareness and steadfastness."

The President stressed that conducting the People's Assembly elections as scheduled slapped those who want thatSyria closes in on itself and drowns in the blood of its people.

President al-Assad said "A year and a half after the crisis began, things became clear and the masks wereremoved the international role in what is taking place was exposed since decades ...colonialism remainsunchanged but its methods and faces are changing and the regional role exposed itself."

He added that "after all the pure blood that were shed, we need a lot of reason and to learn from the people whowere able to decode the conspiracy from the beginning."

President al-Assad said: "We are moving forward with the political process, yet terrorism is escalating."

"Not distinguishing between political process and terrorism is a great mistake that grant terrorism a legitimacy.Separation between terrorism and political process is essential to reach a solution to the crisis," the Presidentadded.

He went on to say: "We are facing a real war and dealing with war is different from dealing with internal issues.When we boycott election, we boycott the people. Any political process that is not based on popular state has nopopular value."

President al-Assad said " Since the first day we have known that the political track will not lead to a solution but wedid it because the Syrian people need it regardless of the crisis.

He added:" Syria is open to whoever wants a genuine reform and an honest dialogue; we welcome the participationof any honest Syrian in the process of developing the country."

The President stressed that the national security is a red line and we can't be tolerant with whoever tries to tamperwith it.

President al-Assad said "Chaos brings but chaos and the society can be built only on high moral standards." ThePresident added: " The issue is not reform or democracy but undermining Syria's resistant role, its support to theresistance and its adherence to its rights."


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"There is no justification for terrorism under any pretext and no tolerance for it or those who support it unless theygive up. Difference in viewpoints means richness but differences about the homeland means destruction,"President al-Assad said.

He added: " I am not talking about an agent inside or a conspirer outside, rather I admonish the Syrian who lovedhis country but he didn't know how to defend it and unintendedly contribute to undermining it."

"We should differentiate between the political haziness and the national one as the national haziness isunacceptable. When the issue is national, I'm certainly with my country," the President said.

He added that no institution could have been able to make sacrifices as the armed forces have done without theexistence of faith that directs its members to the right track.

"Mistakes committed by some individuals from time to time have been exploited and exaggerated to appear as anapproach adopted by the state and its institutions in general," he said.

President al-Assad added: "Our armed forces have built the homeland and have always preserved itsindependence. No one is allowed to undermine a symbol that represents our unity and dignity.

"The crisis is not internal, rather it is a foreign war with internal tools and everybody is responsible for defending thehomeland."

President al-Assad: "If we united today, I confirm that the end of this situation will be soon regardless of the foreignconspiracy. We will not allow those who have nothing to do with history to write something that hasn't been writtenbefore by the history which is that the Syrians destroyed their homeland by themselves."

The President went on as saying "We should work together to achieve the citizens' needs of social justice

represented in a just distribution of the resources, an equality in the opportunities and obtaining the basic services."

President al-Assad said: "Today we are drawing together with the arms of the honorable citizens, nationalinstitutions and the bravery of our army the lines of inevitable victory."

" If some sides have sent death and destruction to our people, we want to present a civilized pattern to their peopleto follow to get their freedom and be partners in the homeland instead of that the leader is the owner of the land,the people and the homeland," he added.

President al-Assad said:" Terrorism will not break the will of the Syrian people and Syria will ever remain the castleof steadfastness and it will recover and witness the defeat of its enemies."

He stressed that Syria's sovereignty, independent decision, territorial security and the dignity of its people are

always the compass.

02 Jun 2012The NationalHizbollah Urges Syrian Rebels to Free PilgrimsHizbollah's leader yesterday appealed directly to Syrian rebels who claim to be holding 11 Lebanese hostages,saying the men should not be held responsible for grievances the rebels have against the Lebanese Shiite group.


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On Thursday, the rebels, who call themselves the Syrian Revolutionaries in Aleppo, claimed in a statementobtained by the Al Jazeera television network that they were holding the Shiite pilgrims captive.

The rebel group said it would not begin negotiations to free the hostages without an apology from HassanNasrallah, the secretary general of Hizbollah, for saying that the kidnapping would not change Hizbollah's supportfor the Syrian regime.

Yesterday, Mr. Nasrallah urged the kidnappers to sort out their differences with Hizbollah, not the pilgrims.

"If [your] problem is with me or Hizbollah or a political movement in Lebanon which has a specific stance towardsthe situation in Syria, separate the issue of the innocent aside and solve your problem with us," he said in atelevised address.

"But, to take innocent people as hostages for the sake of solving this problem ... this is a great injustice which youmust put a stop to."

Al Jazeera aired photographs on Thursday night said to be of the hostages, but did not say how it had obtained thematerial. The rebel group reportedly said the men, who were abducted inside Syria on May 22, were in good health.

While the authenticity of the images and statement could not be independently verified, the announcement was thefirst claim of responsibility since the pilgrims were abducted a week and a half ago.

Earlier reports suggested that the men's captors were holding them as bargaining chips in negotiations to freedetained Syrian opposition figures.

The 11 men were on their way back to Lebanon from a pilgrimage to Iran when they were reportedly taken bygunmen in the province of Aleppo while travelling by bus through Syria.

Last Friday there were indications that the group had been released. But the men failed to show up at Beirut airportand they remain captives.

The kidnapping has rattled Lebanon, where many fear being dragged further into the chaos in Syria. The country islargely divided between those who still support the regime of President Bashar Al Assad, including Hizbollah, andthose opposed to his rule.

The 15-month crisis in Syria has also raised sectarian tensions in Lebanon, which has seen deadly clashes inrecent weeks.

News of the kidnapping last week prompted street protests, as people burnt tires and blocked roads.

However, a televised address by Mr. Nasrallah managed to defuse the situation as he urged people to remaincalm. Yesterday he stressed that the Lebanese government was working to free the hostages.

Also yesterday, Najib Mikati, the Lebanese prime minister, held talks on the Syria crisis with joint United Nations-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan.

After the meeting, Mr. Annan told reporters that the UN would do what it could to help secure the release of thepilgrims.

03 jun 12 osint syria crisis tracker

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