President al-Assad Appoints Gen. Fahd Jassem al-Freij Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Armed Forces and Minister of Defense
Jul 18, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA)- President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday issued Decree No. 275 for 2012 appointing Gen. Fahd Jassem al-Freij as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Armed Forces.
The President also issued Decree No. 275 for 2012 appointing Gen. al-Freij as Minister of Defense.
Gen. al-Freij said in a statement that the General Command of the Army and the Armed Forces announced the martyrdom of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Armed Forces, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense Gen. Dawood Rajiha and Deputy Minister of Defense Gen. Asef Shawkat “as a result of a terrorist criminal act that targeted a regular meeting of ministers and authorities leaders in Damascus on July 18th, 2012.”
He stressed that “the Armed Forces will not be deterred by this coward terrorist act from continuing their sacred duties to chasing down the criminal terrorist gangs and cutting off every hand that harms the security of the homeland and citizens.”
Gen. al-Freij dismissed in a phone call with the Syrian TV the reports of al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya channels on the Syrian Arab Army as “false and fabricated news that is completely untrue” and aimed at undermining the steadfastness the Syrian Arab Army and people’s unity behind the keadership of President Bashar al-Assad.
He stressed the falseness of the news broadcast by these channels on military defections taking place in Idleb and al-Midan neighborhood in Damascus and the Third Armored Brigade and on explosions in the Fourth Division.
The Minister emphasized that the Armed Forces are firm and steadfast at all their positions and are chasing the terrorist groups to foil the conspiracy targeting Syria’s steadfastness and dignity.
Gen. al-Freij was born in Hama in January 1st, 1950. He joined the Military Academy and graduated on January 1st in 1971 with the rank of Second Lieutenant, specialized in Armored Vehicles.He was ranked Lieutenant General on July 1st, 2001 and General on July 1st, 2009.
He held several leadership positions, the latest was Chief of the General Staff on August 10th, 2011. He was awarded several military merits throughout his military service. He is married and has three children.
Defense Minister, His Deputy and Assistant Vice-President Martyred in Terrorist Explosion Targeting National Security HQ in Damascus
Jul 18, 2012
DAMASCUS (SANA) – Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Armed Forces, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense Gen. Dawood Rajiha, Deputy Minister of Defense Gen. Asef Shawkat and Assisstant Vice-President Gen. Hassan Turkmani were martyred on Wednesday in a terrorist explosion targeting the National Security headquarters in Damascus.
The terrorist blast happened while a meeting of a number of ministers and senior military and security officials was taking place, causing injuries among the attenendees, some of them critical.
An official source confirmed in a statement to SANA that Interior Minister Lt. Gen. Mohammad al-Shaar and and Lt. Gen. Hisham are in a stable health condition.
Martyr Rajiha was born in 1947 in Damascus, and he graduated from the Military Academy in 1968, specialized in artillery. He took several military training courses, including Leadership and Staff course and Higher Staff course. He was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1998, ad he was made General in 2005.
He occupied various military posts including battalion and brigade commander and director of a number of directorates and departments at the Armed Forces, and he was appointed Deputy Chief of General Staff in 2004 and later Chief of General Staff in 2009.
He was awarded several military medals during the course of his career, and he was married and left behind four children.
Martyr General Asef Shawkat
Martyr General Asef Shawkat was born in al-Madhala, Tartous in 1950. He joined the Military Academy to graduate as an Infantry officer.
He took part in Tishreen Liberation War in 1973, continued his studies in Law, then his higher studies in history. He gained his doctorate in History in 1976.
Martyr Shawkat occupied several posts. In 2005, he was appointed as Commander of the Military Intelligence, then he was promoted to General in 2009.
Later, he was appointed as Deputy Defense Minister.
Martyr General Hassan Turkmani:
General Turkmani was born in Aleppo, 1935. He joined the Military Academy in 1954. He was graduated from the Artillery School in 1956.
Turknami participated in Tishreen Liberation War as Commander of a division.
He was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1978, then to General in 1988.
He was appointed as Deputy- Chief of Staff in 1982, then as Chief of Staff in 2002.
Defense Minister since 2004 till 2009.
He was appointed as Assistant Vice President on June, 3rd 2009.
Russia, Iran Condemn Terrorist Attack on National Security HQ in Damascus
Jul 18, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA)-Russia on Wednesday condemned the terrorist explosion which hit the National Security HQ in Damascus.
“Moscow strongly condemns terrorism with all its forms.. and rely on finding and punishing those who committed this terrorist attack,” Alexander Lukachevich, spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
He added “we see that what happened was an attempt to continue undermining the situation in Syria.. we are confident that the authority and people in Syria will seek a peaceful settlement to the crisis in Syria.”
Lukachevich expressed condolences to the Syrian people, government and families of the victims.
Iran Strongly Condemns Terrorist Attack on National Security HQ
The Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the terrorist attack that targeted the National Security headquarters, affirming that any attempt to destabilize Syria will reflect on the whole region.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry said that Iran strongly condemns the terrorist attack that led to the martyrdom of a number of officials and wounded several others, offering deep condolences of the Iranian government and people to the Syrian people and government.
The statement added that foreign interference and sending weapons and the backing provided by regional and western countries to the armed terrorist groups will lead to nowhere.
The statement added that Iran repeatedly stressed its condemnation of all forms of violence and resort to sabotage acts, stressing that Iran believes that the sole exit from the Syrian crisis is through dialogue.
In a statement to al-Alam TV Channel on Wednesday, Iranian Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdullahian said that Iran strongly condemns the terrorist attack, stressing that the parties which are sending weapons and supporting the armed groups in Syria have failed in destabilizing the country.
Abdullahian expressed the support of his country to the Syrian people and the reform program led by President Bashar al-Assad, indicating that foreign sides are attempting to foil the plan of the UN envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan.
Large Number of Terrorists Killed or Arrested in Damascus, Heavy Losses Inflicted upon Terrorists in Homs and Idleb
Jul 18, 2012
PROVINCES, (SANA)- Units from the Armed Forces on Wednesday chased down terrorists who infiltrated into al-Midan neighborhood in Damascus and killed and arrested a large number of them.
The military units also chased down terrorists who terrorized some families in the neighborhoods of al-Qaboun and Tishreen and forced them to leave their homes.
Army units clash with terrorists in al-Hajar al-Aswad and al-Sbeineh
The Syrian Army units confronted an armed terrorist group in al-Hajar al-Aswad, Damascus countryside. The group attacked civilians, forced them to leave their homes and tried to break off streets.
The Army units also clashed with another armed terrorist group in al-Sbeineh, Damascus countryside.
The group attacked civilians, forced them to leave their homes and tried to break off streets
An official source told SANA reporter that The army unites killed and wounded a big number of terrorists in the two neighborhoods.
Terrorists in al-Qseir, Homs, Suffer Heavy Losses
The competent authorities in Homs countryside on Wednesday clashed with an armed terrorist group which attacked security forces in the villages of al-Joura, al-Nizariya, Rabla and al-Zira in al-Qseir.
SANA reporter quoted an official source in Homs governorate as saying that the competent authorities inflicted huge losses upon the terrorists.
Authorities Clash with Terrorists in Idleb Countryside, Inflict Heavy Losses upon Them
The competent authorities on Tuesday tracked down an armed terrorist group in Selqin and Kafar Takharim towns in Idleb countryside.
An official source in the province told SANA reporter that the clashes resulted in inflicting heavy losses on the terrorists, pointing out that among the terrorists who were killed during clashes were the bodies of Mohannad Hassoun, Ahmad al-Daher, Mustafa Hamida and Wael Mazroui.
Ministry of Information: News and Photos Broadcast by Some Media on Terrorist Bombing at National Security HQ Baseless
Jul 18, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The Ministry of Information said “Since the terrorist bombing which caused the death of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Armed Forces, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense Gen. Dawood Rajiha, Deputy Minister of Defense Gen. Asef Shawkat and Assistant Vice-President Gen. Hassan Turkmani hundreds of websites, social networking websites and satellite channels started broadcasting huge amount of information, news and photos aimed at undermining the morals of the Syrian citizen.”
In its statement on Wednesday, the Ministry stressed that all these news and photos are baseless and have been prepared by western intelligence apparatuses and psychological war centers, adding that the goals of this campaign revealed a clear weakness on the side of the conspirators against Syria abroad and their tools inside Syria.
The statement added that weakness and frustration pushed these websites and satellite channels towards such a desperate attempt to get out of its frustration.
The statement pointed out that “the Ministry condemns this cheap manner of media and calls for giving up these ways which have been exposed to the public opinion” as it calls these satellite channels and websites to admit of their failure in their open media war against Syria.
The ministry stressed that the hired media will not be able to achieve what the armed gangs failed to achieve.
Al-Zoubi: Responsibility for Terrorist Explosion in Damascus Lies with the Countries Sending Money and Arms to Syria
Earlier, Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi stressed in an interview with the Syrian TV that the terrorist explosion which targeted the National Security headquarters in Damascus expresses Syria’s enemies’ feeling of weakness and frustration at the strength and firmness of the Syrian Arab Army and at the terrorists’ failure to undermine the Army’s unity.
The Minister held the Qatari, Saudi, Turkish and Israeli intelligence accountable for the terrorist bombing which hit the building of the National Security.
He added that Arab and western governments, intelligence systems and agents are legally, politically and morally responsible for the killing, assassination and sabotage acts taking place in Syria for sending money and arms to the terrorists in it and that they will be punished for their crimes.
Al-Zoubi said that the Syrian army will protect the country and safeguard the homeland, calling upon the intelligence systems, agents and governments which conspired against Syria and its people to stop their terrorist activities.
He said that “We are a real state, a real people and a real army…We have always been able to defend ourselves against any aggression and conspiracies… We will hold them accountable according to the legal, moral, political and legitimate international tools.”
The Minister said that this coward terrorist act, which came a few days after successful military maneuvers were conducted by the Syrian armed forces which proved the Syrian army’s firmness and ability to confront any foreign attack indicates the weakness and the frustration of Syria’s enemies, which pushed those who supply the terrorists with money and arms to target the leaders of this army.
Al-Zoubi said that what happened today is “the last chapter of the U.S.-Western-Israeli conspiracy against Syria”, stressing that the morals of the Syrian people and Army are high and at their best and that Syria’s enemies are mistaken in their assessment of the strength of the people, army and the country.
He dismissed what the satellite channels that are involved in shedding the Syrian blood have reported on explosions taking place in Damascus as “completely untrue”, stressing that Syria will not let these channels which went too far in the media war on the Syrian people get away with their crime of instigation against Syria and that they will be sued.
Al-Zoubi underscored the Syrian Armed Forces’ full preparedness and determination to uproot terrorism in Syria.
Russia Proposes Second Meeting for Action Group on Syria
Jul 18, 2012
MOSCOW, (SANA) – Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia has proposed to the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Kofi Anna, holding a second round of talks of the international action group on Syria on the level of political experts.
In a statement to the journalists in Moscow, Lavrov stressed the need for such a meeting to consider the mechanism of implementing what was agreed on, adding that the western countries are working hard to prevent the UN Security Council from adopting Geneva agreements.
Lavrov added that Annan viewed the Russian proposal as useful and that he will discuss it with other participants, indicating that the Russian side also talked about the need to fix the mistake of not inviting Iran and Saudi Arabia to Geneva.
French Defense Ministry: Journalist Jacquier Killed by Syrian Opposition Gunmen’s Fire
Jul 18, 2012
PARIS, (SANA) – A source at the French Defense Ministry stressed to the Le Figaro Newspaper that the French TV reporter Gilles Jacquier, who was killed on January 11th , 2011 in Homs, died in a blast of a mortar fired by the armed terrorist groups in the city.
In his article, Georges Malbrunot quoted a source in the Ministry of Defense in Paris as saying that the information collected from the site of the accident and the tests of shells affirmed that Jacquier was killed by a 18-mm mortar fired from a neighborhood where gunmen were gathering.
The source added that all investigations and analysis clearly showed the source of fire and that all authorities concerned including the Central Directorate of Interior Intelligence, the General Directorate for External Security and diplomats at the French Embassy in Damascus approved the result.
The writer said that the French journalist who worked as TV reporter for France 2 TV channel was killed by a blast of a mortar fired by mistake by what he called Syrian rebels as the journalist was in a pro-government neighborhood and he was wounded by shrapnel from a shell as he was leaving the building along with other French and Swiss journalists.
Malbrunot said that the results reached by the French Defense Ministry stressed the information published by Le Figaro newspaper a week after the accident basing on a statement for an official in a so-called human rights association in Homs as saying that “we made a big blunder”.
He added that article 44 of the document indicated that the reports submitted by the UN observers revealed that the French journalist was killed by a mortar fired by the opposition, indicating to the presence of many reports and a detailed text written by the Arab observers in Homs that is at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo but it has never been published.
Malbrunot quoted an official in the Syrian opposition as saying that he asked the AL Secretary General’s Assistants about not publishing the second report and was answered that France and Qatar, who were chairing the AL Ministerial Committee, asked them not to publish it as the issue was referred to the French judiciary.
The opposition official, according to Malbrunot, said that both France and Qatar support the so-called free army and it will not serve their interest if any opposition member was accused of killing Jacquier.
Malbrunot said that the Elysée, having admitted that it has no evidence on the killing of Jacquier, preferred that the government would have been the one responsible for committing the crime to prevent the journalists from investigating the opposition’s movement against him.
Malbrunot said that the juridical investigation in the killing of the French journalist opened by the prosecutor was inclined to the hypothesis of blunder, quoting a juridical source as saying that it was clear that it was not one aimed bullet.
Velayati: Iran Will Defend Syria Being Main Part of Resistance in the Region
Jul 18, 2012
TEHRAN, (SANA) – Ali Akbar Velayati, Iranian Supreme Leader’s Advisor for International Affairs stressed that the policy of the U.S., Europe and the reactionary powers against Syria aims at undermining the resistance in the region.
Velatati said in a statement on Wednesday that there are sides of the so-called Syrian opposition, one is inside Syria seeking reform and the other side is abroad comprising agents who are killing the Syrian people using the money and weapons.
He added that the goal of reactionary powers in the region is undermining the approach of resistance against the Zionist entity and not achieving democracy, adding that “If this is the goal, then the duty is clear as Iran will defend Syria being the main part of resistance against the Zionists.”
Velayati reiterated his country’s support to reforms in Syria, stressing the need for launching national dialogue in Syria and reaching a peaceful solution to move forward with reforms to achieve a better future for the Syrian people.