President al-Assad: The Palestinian Cause Will Remain the Compass for the Syrian People
DAMASCUS, (SANA)- President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday stressed that the Palestinian Cause has always been and will remain the compass for the Syrian people no matter how much the ferocity of targeting Syria and pressuring it gets intensified to deviate it from this Cause.
The President’s stress came during his meeting with the Secretary General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, Ahmad Jibril, and the delegation accompanying him.
Talks during the meeting dealt with the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territories and the violations that are being daily committed by the Israeli occupation forces.
Particular focus with regard to these violations was placed on the continued constructing of new Israeli settlements in the West Bank to tighten siege on Jerusalem completely in preparation to Juidizing it particularly under the world’s preoccupation with the events witnessed in the region and the deliberate ignoring of the Palestinian Cause.
Discussion also touched upon the situation in Syria, with Jibril stressing that the Front stands by Syria who has always stood by the Palestinian people and the national resistance movements.
Twenty-Seven Army, Law-enforcement and Civilian Martyrs Paid Final Tribute
PROVINCES, (SANA) – On the music of the ‘Martyr’ and the ‘Farewell’, the bodies of 27 martyrs from the army and law enforcement forces on Wednesday were escorted from the military hospitals of Tishreen in Damascus, Zahi Azraq in Lattakia and the Military Hospital of Aleppo to their final resting place.
Solemn funeral processions were held for the martyrs who were targeted by armed terrorist groups while they were in line of duty in Damascus and its countryside, Lattakia, Aleppo and Daraa.
The martyrs are:
Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Ibrahim al-Zahra, from Homs.
Chief Warrant Officer Mirshid Mahmoud Mohammad, from Lattakia.
Warrant Officer Wajih Mahmoud Ismandar, from Lattakia.
Sergeant Major Adel Jawdat Slara, from Tartous.
Sergeant Ghaith Ali Shaar, from Tartous.
Sergeant Hussein Qais Hassan, from Lattakia.
Sergeant Milad Tamin Ali, from Lattakia.
Sergeant Samer Allawi, from Deir Ezzor.
Sergeant hani Mohammad al-Youssef, from Homs.
Sergeant Haidar Saji’ Ismael, from Lattakia.
Sergeant Wissam Mahmoud Abboud, from Hama.
Sergeant Amer Ahmad al-Ali, from Hama.
Sergeant Sami Taysseer Sahnawi, from Sweida.
Sergeant Ghadir Sleiman Mohammad, from Hama.
Corporal Khalil Nawaf al-Hammoud, from Deir Ezzor.
Conscript Munsif Hassan Abbo, from Aleppo.
Conscript Saeed Khaled Jaber, from Daraa.
Conscript Hazim Mahmoud Bajo, from al-Hasaka.
Conscript Wissam Farhan al-Ali, from Aleppo.
Conscript Hamza Abdul-Kafi Moussa Mansour, from Homs.
Conscript Karim Mohammad Abbour, from Hama.
Conscript Alawi Idan al-Ramthan, from al-Sweida.
Policeman Khaled Mahmoud Ibrahim, from Lattakia.
Policeman Ghaled Ahmad Alia, from Lattakia.
Policeman Abdulllah Mohammad al-Jabli, from Damascus.
Civilian Khaled Fayez Dribati, from Lattakia.
Civilian Daham al-Wazzeh, from Lattakia.
The martyrs’ families and relatives called for firmly confronting the armed terrorist groups that have been committing criminal and sabotage acts in implementation of foreign agendas to undermine Syria’s national and pan-Arab role.
They expressed pride in the martyrdom of their sons, stressing their readiness for martyrdom in defending the homeland whenever duty calls.
Foreign and Expatriates Ministry : The Ongoing Is but a War against Armed Groups which Resort to Terrorism
DAMASCUS, (SANA)_ Foreign and Expatriates Ministry voiced astonishment Wednesday over the recent statements made in New York by UN peacekeeping chief, Herve Ladsous, that ”Syria is now in a full-scale civil war”.
The Ministry, in a statement received by SANA, asserted that any talk about ‘civil war’ in Syria doesn’t respond to the reality and contradicts the nature of the Syrian People, because the ongoing in Syria is but a war against the armed groups which chose terrorism as their way to achieve their objectives and conspire against the present and future of the Syrian People.
The statement added that Syria has expected and still expects from UN officials, and from Ladsous in particular, to deal evenhandedly, accurately and objectively with the ongoing developments in Syria, especially after the dispatching of UN monitors to most of the Syrian governorates.
Syria doesn’t witness a ‘civil war’, but a struggle to uproot the plague of terrorism and encounter the killing, abduction and payment of ransoms, aggressions, and explosions, outlined the statement, reiterating Syria’s right and duty to combat the crimes perpetrated by the armed groups and to extend the authority of the State over all of its territories in accordance with the international law and the preliminary understanding signed between Syria and the UN on April 19th 2012.
The Statement reiterated Syria’s respect to the UN envoy, Kofi Annan’s plan and Syria’s preparedness to implement it and that the international community, represented by the UN, should take a decisive stance against the crimes committed by the armed groups, and halt any military or financial backing by regional and international sides to these terrorist groups in commitment to related UN Security Council resolutions which stipulate the rallying of efforts to combat the plague of terrorism.
Authorities Foil infiltration attempts by terrorists from Lebanon into Syria
HOMS, HAMA, (SANA)-The competent Authorities today foiled two infiltration attempts by armed terrorist groups from the Lebanese lands into Syria at al-Arida and al-Armouta towns in Homs countryside.
A source in Homs told SANA reporter that the authorities clashed with the armed groups, killing a number of gunmen and wounding others while several of them fled back to the Lebanese lands.
Authorities discover a warehouse for manufacturing explosives while storming one of the terrorists’ dens in Hama
Competent authorities in Hama discovered today a warehouse for manufacturing explosives while storming one of the terrorists’ dens.
A source in Hama told SANA reporter that the authorities confiscated ammunitions, explosives, and a number of communication sets.
The authorities said that released citizen Muss’if Omar al-Tatan who was abducted several days ago by the armed terrorist groups.
Security, Calm Restored to al-Haffeh, UN Observers Called upon to Insepct the Situation
LATTAKIA, (SANA) – Authorities have restored security and clam to al-Haffeh district after clearing it from the armed terrorist groups which terrorized citizens and sabotaged several public and private properties.
An official source in Lattakia province told SANA reporter that the authorities tracked down the armed terrorist groups in the villages surrounding al-Haffeh and clashed with them leading to the killing of many terrorists and arresting others.
The authorities also seized huge amounts of advanced weapons used by armed terrorist groups, including sniper rifles, explosive devices, RPG launchers and a large amount of ammunition.
The source added that clashes also led to the martyrdom of a number of the authorities’ members and wounding others.
Terrorists Leave Behind Gruesome Scenes of Destruction in al-Haffeh
The gruesome scenes of destruction that the terrorists left behind in al-Haffeh city in Lattakia unveil the subversive and terrorist face of these groups that desecrated the lives of citizens.
The terrorist groups turned al-Haffah into a ghost city after displacing its residents through the crimes and attacks that they perpetrated against the people there.
The images showed large scale destruction of public and private facilities that unveiled the mentality of the criminal groups.
The terrorists burnt down the national hospital that was providing health services to citizens. They also set fire to the finance, electricity and water directorates in the city, vandalized cultural centers and the fuel station, broke into houses and stole furniture and dug the roads by bulldozers.
Foreign Ministry Calls on UN Observers to Inspect Situation in al-Haffeh
Later, an official source at the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry stated that teh Ministry has called on the UN observers to go to al-Haffe city and inspect the situation there after the armed terrorist groups in the city carried out operations of killing and terrorizing against the innocent citizens and acts of looting and vandalism against public and private properties and shops.
The Ministry said this call comes in the framework of the observers’ mission to verify what is taking place on the ground and inspect the acts of these terrorist groups.
Lavrov: Russia Ready to Hold International Conference on Syria , Salehi: Syrian Crisis should be resolved internally and peacefully
TEHRAN, (SANA)- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday stressed Russia’s support to the Syrian state, saying it is the axis of stability in the region.
In a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi, Lavrov said Moscow is interested in keeping Syria and the Syrian State intact against any disunification.
Lavrov stressed that Russia is ready to have the international conference on Syria held anywhere the participants see fit, urging all Syrian sides to the conflict and the forces with influence on them to work to make Anna’s plan a success.
He said that Russia and Iran are in agreement on solving the Syrian crisis and the importance that all international players take part in the conference, whose aim is to lend support to the implementation of the UN envoy to Syria Kofi Annan.
Lavrov said that certain sides announce support to Annan’s plan as they anticipate its failure, warning of the efforts to foil the plan, adding that the countries’ actions should match their words regarding finding a solution to the crisis in Syria and making Annan’s plan succeed.
He stressed the necessity of halting all acts of violence in Syria, noting that attacks against schools and government facilities were witnessed in Syria in the recent days.
The Russian Foreign Minister said what happened in Libya should not be repeated as it was destruction and terrorism on a large scale on the world’s level whose repercussions are still to date.
He noted that 15 states are suggested to participate in this conference who have to use their capabilities to push towards reaching a solution and bringing the Syrian sides to sit around the negotiating table.
In response to the statements recently made by the U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Lavrov said all the Russian agreements being implemented with the Syrian side are related to defensive equipment and arms and do not contradict the international law.
For his part, the Iranian Foreign Minister stressed that the Syrian issue should be solved by the Syrian themselves.
Salehi said Syria has started effecting reforms and should be given the chance to get them completed, highlighting however the existence of parties that are providing support to the opposition and sending militias and impeding the reforms in Syria.
He said that Iran is working with Russia to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Syria, which is being hindered by parties that are offering support to the gunmen to undermine stability in Syria.
Salehi hoped that an international conference on Syria would be held in which the participating countries would coordinate efforts to get Syria out of the crisis peacefully.
”We are looking forward to stopping bloodshed in Syria, and we call upon the parties concerned to provide the atmosphere for that,” Salehi added, stressing that those who claim to be interested in the wellbeing of the Syrian people are sending weapons and supporting armed opposition.
Syria Strongly Condemns Terrorist Bombings in Iraq
DAMASCUS, (SANA)- Syria on Wednesday strongly condemned the terrorist bombings which hit four cities in brotherly Iraq early in the morning causing tens of deaths and injuries.
“The Foreign Ministry, while stressing that terrorism has no religion or home, asserts that the vicious hand of terrorism which hit various Syrian cities lately is the same one that targeted the capital Baghdad and other Iraqi cities on Wednesday,” a statement by the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said on Wednesday.
It added that “the pure blood that was spilt on the Iraqi territories is the same blood spilt a few days ago on the Syrian territories.”
The Ministry offered to the brotherly government and people of Iraq deepest condolences over the martyrs and expressed its full solidarity with and condolences to the victims’ families and hope that Iraq restores security and stability.
Early in the morning, terrorist bombings hit a number of Iraqi cities claiming the lives of more than 70 people and causing injury to 100 others.
Syria Strongly Condemns Terrorist Bombings in Iraq
DAMASCUS, (SANA)- Syria on Wednesday strongly condemned the terrorist bombings which hit four cities in brotherly Iraq early in the morning causing tens of deaths and injuries.
“The Foreign Ministry, while stressing that terrorism has no religion or home, asserts that the vicious hand of terrorism which hit various Syrian cities lately is the same one that targeted the capital Baghdad and other Iraqi cities on Wednesday,” a statement by the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said on Wednesday.
It added that “the pure blood that was spilt on the Iraqi territories is the same blood spilt a few days ago on the Syrian territories.”
The Ministry offered to the brotherly government and people of Iraq deepest condolences over the martyrs and expressed its full solidarity with and condolences to the victims’ families and hope that Iraq restores security and stability.
Early in the morning, terrorist bombings hit a number of Iraqi cities claiming the lives of more than 70 people and causing injury to 100 others.
Mikdad: Relations between Syria and Russia deep and historic
DAMASCUS, (SANA)-Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad described relations between Syria and Russia as deep and historic, saying that the national Day of Russia is a day for all Syrian people.
“This day represents the top of cooperation and coordination between the two friendly countries and the two Presidents Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin,” Mikdad said during a celebration for the Russian National Day held by Ambassador Azamatullah Kulmohammadov at Dama Rose Hotel in Damascus.
The Russian Ambassador, for his part, called for the necessity of unifying the efforts of the international community to end violence in Syria and stop providing armed groups with weapons and stop pressures practiced by some foreign sides on Syria.
Interior Minister, the Commander-in-Chief Visit Injured Army and Law-enforcement Members in Lattakia
LATTAKIA, (SANA) – Interior Minister, Lt. Gen. Mohammad al-Shaar, and General Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Armed Forces, Gen. Fahd Jassem al-Freij, visited the injured army and law-enforcement members in Zahi Azraq Military Hospital, al-Assad University Hospital and the National Hospital in Lattakia.
The injured members were targeted by the armed terrorist groups while performing their national duty in preserving the homeland’s security and stability.
Al-Shaar and al-Freij also visited al-Ikhbaria TV channel’s reporter and cameraman of who were injured by the terrorists’ gunfire in al-Haffeh city in the countryside of Lattakia.
The two officials listened to the doctors about the health condition of the injured, stressing that their sacrifices for the sake of the homeland and achieving stability are appreciated by all the Syrians.
They called upon doctors and nurses to provide the best health services to the injured.
For their part, the injured members stressed that the crimes of the terrorist groups will not prevent them from performing their national duty in confronting these groups.
Aleppo University Students Stress Adherence to National Unity, Condemn Terrorist Acts
ALEPPO, (SANA) – Crowds of students gathered at Aleppo University to stress adherence to the national unity and their support to the comprehensive reform program.
The students reiterated rejection of any foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs, condemning criminal acts committed by the terrorist groups against civilians, military members and private and public properties.
They also denounced the instigative misleading media campaign lead by some satellite channels against Syria and its people.
The participants raised national flags and banners that stress their readiness to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the homeland, chanting slogans in appreciation of the Army’s role in confronting the armed terrorist groups and defending the homeland.
A member at the Students’ Union, Mohammad Za’azoe, said that the rally stresses the role of the youth in the comprehensive reform process.
Student Maher Ahmad al-Sayyed called for holding the armed terrorist groups accountable for their criminal acts against the homeland and the Syrian people.
In turn, student Nadeem al-Shaar said that he wanted to express appreciation and gratitude to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to safeguard the homeland.
Deputy of Mood: Media Statements about Outbreak of Civil War in Syria Not Issued by Gen. Mood or Observers
DAMASCUS, (SANA)-Following statements by a number of mass media attributed to Head of the UN mission in Syria General Robert Mood about the outbreak of a civil war in Syria and the Syrian government’s loss of control on several Syrian areas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates inquired the office of Mood in Damascus where his deputy Martin Grifith underlined that these statements have not been issued by Mood or any of the international observers in the country.
A number of media institutions attributed statements to Mood that Syria entered a civil war. They also claimed that Mood had stated that the Syrian government lost control on wide areas.
Independent Newspaper: Arab States Arming Syrian Opposition with Turkish Support
LONDON, (SANA) – The British Independent newspaper on Wednesday published an exclusive report about the Arab States arming the opposition in Damascus.
The newspaper stated that Qatar and Saudi Arabia are funding the opposition in Syria in a move to inflame the conflict in the region.
The report said, according to a Western diplomat in Ankara, that the militias of the so-called Free Army have received weapons from these two Gulf countries via Turkey with the implicit support of the Turkish intelligence agency.
It added that the Western diplomat, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, confirmed that “light weapons” were delivered to the armed Syrian opposition which were transported to the border by unmarked trucks and that many of the arms were transported with the knowledge of the Turkish authorities under the supervision of the Syrian National Council (SNC).
The report cited the diplomat as saying that despite the Council’s “failure to unite the fractured opposition, it appears that Turkey insisted the SNC vouch for the specific FSA groups that would receive the weapons before allowing the arms to cross the border.”
“Officially, they are not going to admit it,” the diplomat added according to the report, stressing that the SNC are “their guys”, referring to MIT.
The British newspaper noted that members of the groups comprising the Free Army militias said three weeks ago that they had received “multiple shipments of arms including Kalashnikov assault rifles, BKC machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank weaponry from Gulf countries and that Turkey was assisting in the delivery of the weapons.”
“The Turkish government helped us to be armed,” the newspaper quoted a member of these militias as saying, who claimed that “the weapons had arrived at a Turkish port and were then driven to the border without interference from Turkish authorities.”
The newspaper underlined that Saudi officials have in the past made clear their feeling that the opposition members should be armed.
Plumbly: UN Concened that Lebanon Should Not Turn into Conduit for Flow of Weapons to Syria
BEIRUT, (SANA)- United Nations Secretary General Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Derek Plumbly, said that the UN is concerned that Lebanon not to turn into a conduit for the flow of weapons to Syria.
In a statement to the Lebanese As-Safir Newspaper published on Wednesday, Plumbly added ” It’s not in Lebanon’s best interest to turn into a conduit for weapons transfers to Syria,” calling on the Lebanese army and security authorities to exert all efforts to prevent that.
He pointed out that all representatives of the Western and Arab countries seek to protect Lebanon from the repercussions of the Syrian crisis and to support the national dialogue which was launched on Monday.
Terrorist Groups Assassinate Former Head of Football Union in Daraa, Abduct 30 Citizens in Hama and Idleb, Authorities Seize and Dismantle 15 IEDs in Hama and Idleb
PROVINCES, (SANA) – An armed terrorist group assassinated Dr. Marwan Arafat, Former head of the Syrian Football Union.
Dr. Arafat was on his way back from Jordan, his wife was critically injured in the attack which took place between Nasib border crossing and al-Tayba town in Daraa Countryside.
The General Sport Union mourned Dr. Arafat, saying that the Syrian sport has lost one of its pioneers.
Lieutenant General Moafaq Jouma, Head of the General Sport Union, said that ‘We offer condolences to his family and to our sport family, because his death is a loss for all of us’.
Dr. Marwan Arafat was a member of the Executive Office of the General Sport Union and the Olympic Committee from 1982 until 1996, he headed the Football Union for two terms.
Authorities Seize and Dismantle Nine IEDs in Hama
Meanwhile, authorities seized and dismantled nine improvised explosive devices (IED) which were found in an abandoned house in Souk al-Shajara area in Hama Province.
SANA reporter quoted a source at the province as saying that the house was a den of an armed terrorist group, adding that the weight of the charges ranges between 35 to 40 kilograms.
6 Citizens Abducted in Hama
An armed terrorist group abducted 6 citizens in a bus belonging to Adra Transport Company in al-Salamiyeh in Hama countryside.
A source in the province told SANA reporter that the terrorist group blocked the way of the bus near Tal Mardikh while heading to al-Salamiyeh city.
The abducted citizens are Mohammad Ali Sattouf, Tareq Suheil Zaido, Mohammad Ismael, Ismael Haidar, Kareem Saif-Eddin Haidar, Abdulkareem Mustafa Mahmoud and Wassim Deeb, the source added.
Terrorists Attack Peasants Association in Hama Countryside, Burglarize 20 Tons of Wheat
In the same context, the source said that another armed terrorist group attacked the headquarters of the Peasants’ Association in Jinan town in al-Salamiyeh region and burglarized a tractor-trailer loaded with 20 tons of wheat and a tractor.
Armed Terrorist Group Abduct 24 Passengers in Idleb
An armed terrorist group kidnapped a bus carrying 24 passengers on Ariha – Saraqeb road who were heading from Lattakia to Aleppo.
A source in the province told SANA reporter that terrorists in two cars with machineguns opened fire on the bus to force it to stop, injuring the university student Ali Radwan who happened to be nearby.
6 Explosive Devices Dismantled in Idleb
The military engineering units dismantled 6 explosive devices planted by an armed terrorist group on Ariha-Saraqeb road in Idleb.
A source in the province told SANA reporter that the weight of the explosive devices, which were ready for remote detonation, ranged between 30 to 40 kg.
Authorities Arrest Two Wanted Terrorists, Wound Others in Deir Ezzor
The authorities in Deir Ezzor countryside, in cooperation with locals, arrested the terrorists Bashar al-Haki and Ahmad Hassan al-Younes, who are wanted on charges of murder and sabotage acts, and seized their weapons.
A source in the province told SANA reporter that the two terrorist were riding a motorcycle in al-Jaradiq neighborhood in al-Mayadin city and carrying machineguns and grenades.
The source added that the authorities clashed with an armed terrorist group in al-Bseireh town in the countryside of Deir Ezzor and wounded a number of terrorists.
An armed terrorist group attacked a telecommunications center in al-Dweir town in Deir Ezzor countryside and sabotaged its contents.