Twelve Citizens Killed, 48 Injured in Car Bomb Explosion during Escorting Martyrs in Jaramana, Damascus Countryside
Aug 28, 2012
DAMASCUS COUNTRYSIDE, (SANA) – A car bomb (a taxi) on Tuesday blew up in Tishreen neighborhood in Jaramana city, Damascus Countryside, during the escorting of two martyrs who were killed in the previous day in a terrorist blast in the city.
An official source told SANA reporter that the explosion of the car, which was parked near a cemetery in the abovementioned neighborhood, killed 12 citizens and injured 48 others, some in critical condition, in addition to damaging some of the surrounding buildings.
Early on the day, a family of two parents and their girl child were injured in the city due to a blast of an explosive device which terrorists had stuck to their car.
The Injured: The Terrorist Act Will Not Weaken the Syrians
Yazan Rukab, 18, one of the injured in the bombing lying in Jaramana Hospital, highlighted in a statement to SANA the hatred nursed by the criminals who carried out the terrorist blast against the Syrian people who have stood firm in the face of the conspiracy hatched against their country.
“These crimes will not weaken the steadfastness and determination of the Syrian people,” said William Shiya, another injured citizen, who strongly denounced the terrorist act which targeted a funeral procession for a number of martyrs killed the previous day in another terrorist act.
“I was at home when the blast happened…Our house’ façade was smashed and a number of my family members were injured,” said Ghazal al-Atrash, 16, who still was in a state of panic and shock.
She called for inflicting punishment upon the criminals who “are seeking to destroy the life of the safe Syrians.”
Dr. Bashar Rabah at al-Radi specialized hospital told SANA reporter that they received scores of injured people, at least 10 of them were in critical condition, to whom first aid treatment was applied.
He added that a number of the injured were transferred to Damascus Hospital because of their serious cases.
For his part, Director of Damascus Hospital, Dr. Adib Mahmoud, said 25 of the serious cases received by the hospital needed surgery, noting that 10 operation rooms have been preoccupied.
The fact that funeral procession included all members of mourning families, some of these families were inflicted with cases of martyrdom and injury among their members.
The 15-year-old Mohannad Mohammad Alloulo was martyred in the bombing, while his three-year-younger sister Alaa was injured lying on a bed in one of the emergency department’s rooms at Damascus Hospital.
“My sister was playing with her friends outside the house when she heard the boom. She fell to the ground and couldn’t move,” said Alla’s brother, Mustafa, who was sitting by her side.
“Those who are killing mourners and children can’t be Syrians,” Mustafa added, stressing that the Syrian Arab Army will eliminate the terrorists and foil their backers in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Damascus Countryside Governor: The Terrorist Act Represents the Highest Degree of Criminality
Damascus Countryside Governor, Hussein Makhlouf, along with the Commander of the Police Department in the province, visited the injured in the hospitals and checked their condition, wishing them a speedy recovery.
“This terrorist bombing represents the highest degree of criminality as it targets innocent mourners,” said Governor Makhlouf, asking that God has mercy upon the souls of the martyrs.
Authorities Inflict Heavy Losses upon Terrorists in Aleppo, Homs and Hama, Raid Terrorists’ Hideout in Qamishli
Aug 28, 2012
PROVINCES, (SANA)- Authorities in Aleppo on Tuesday carried out a qualitative operation in al-Bandara neighborhood and inflicted heavy losses upon the mercenary terrorists, SANA reporter said.
The reporter quoted an official source in Aleppo province as saying that units of the armed forces carried out another qualitative operation around Radio and TV broadcasting area in the city of Aleppo, arresting two terrorists and killing the others.
The source told SANA that six bomb boxes, ammunition, rifles, sniper rifles, a PKC machine gun, military uniforms and medical materials were confiscated in teh operation.
The source said that the security authorities clashed with terrorists in the area of Sheikh Saad in the city of Aleppo and kill a number of them and wound others.
Clashes also broke out between the security authorities and a number of terrorists in al-Ashrafiyeh neighborhood in Aleppo city.
SANA reporter said that 7 terrorists were killed in the clashes.
A number of terrorists were killed and tens of them were injured while 3 SUVs and a small truck were destroyed in Mizar street in Saif al-Dawla area in Aleppo during the armed forces’ work to clear the area.
The armed forces also eliminated a number of terrorists, most of them of Arab and foreign nationalities, who attempted to sneak from al-Sukkari neighborhood into Saif al-Dawla area.
Units of the Syrian Army storm hideouts of armed terrorist groups in a number of Aleppo areas
Units of the Syrian Army stormed hideouts of armed terrorist groups in a number of Aleppo areas, killing a big number of them while scores escaped.
A source told SANA reporter that a unit of the Army destroyed hideouts of terrorists in Kiljibrin in Azaz, Bishkaten, al-Eis.
Explosive Device Explodes in Car in Jaramana, Damascus Countryside, Killign Driver
Last night, in Jaramana, Damascus Countryside, an explosive device detonated in a car causing the killing of its driver.
The device was attached to the car by an armed terrorist group.
Authorities Pursue mercenaries in East al-Ghouta, Damascus Countryside
The competent authorities pursued today armed terrorist groups in East al-Ghouta, Damascus countryside.
A source told SANA that the authorities killed a big number of the mercenaries, arrested quantities of weapons, ammunitions and modern communication sets.
Authorities Confront Terrorists Who Mortared al-Mashrafah Village in Homs, Inflict Heavy Losses upon them
The authorities in Homs province confronted last night a group of armed terrorists who mortared al-Mashrafah village in eastern Homs causing injury to a number the citizens.
A source in the province told SANA reporter that the authorities succeeded in inflicting heavy losses upon the terrorists and destroying their DShk-eqipped vehicles.
Army Unit Pursue Terorists in al-Madik Village in Hama
In Hama, an army unit pursued on Tuesday an armed terrorist group in the area of al-Madik village in the countryside of teh province and inflicted heavy losses upon them.
An official source told SANA that the operation resulted in seizing large amounts of weapons and ammunition belonging to the terrorists, adding that a workshop for making explosive devices was found.
The military engineering units dismantled ten explosive devices planted by armed terrorist groups in the area of al-Madik Castle.
SANA reporter said that four explosive devices were planted by terrorists inside a school, and other six explosive devices were planted near grain silos in the area.
Terrorists’ Hideout Raided in Qamishli, 11 Terrorists Arrested, Weapons Seized
In Qamishli province, the authorities raided a hideout for an armed terrorist group in Qaddor Beik neighborhood arresting 11 terrorists and injuring another.
SANA reporter quoted an official source in the province as saying that the raid resulted in seizing an amount of weapons found in the hideout including 10 machineguns, Nato sniper rifle, 3 pump-action rifles, 11 grenades, a military pistol, a hunting rifle and military uniforms.
An amount of heroine and narcotics, 23 communication devices, 4 computers and remote control devices for detonating explosive devices were also found in the terrorists’ hideout.
Authorities confront an armed terrorist group’s attempt to attack the civilians in al- Qseir countryside
The competent authorities today confronted an armed terrorist group’s attempt to attack the civilians in al-Ziraa, al-Shaiyahat and al-Mashtal in al-Qseir countryside.
SANA reporter quoted a source as saying that the clashes led to the killing of a number of terrorists among them Mohammad Khudre Mokheber know as the assassin.
Al-Moallem: We Believe that the USA is the Major Player against Syria and the Rest are Its Instruments
Aug 29, 2012
LONDON, (SANA) – Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem affirmed that We belive the USA is the major player against Syria and the rest are its instruments under its control.
In an interview with the British newspaper the Independent conducted by journalist Robert Fisk, al-Moallem said that America is behind Syria’s violence, and that he doesn’t understand its slogan of fighting international terrorism when it’s supporting terrorism in Syria.
He pointed out that over 60% of the country’s violence comes from abroad, specifically from Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, with the United States exercising its influence over all others, adding “When the Americans say, ‘We are supplying the opposition with sophisticated instruments of telecommunications’, isn’t this part of a military effort, when they supply the opposition with USD 25 million?”
Al-Moallem pointed out that the goal of what is happening in Syria is to pressure it regarding its relations with Iran and resistance movements in Palestine and Lebanon, saying “We were told by some Western envoy at the beginning of this crisis that relations between Syria and Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, Syria and Hamas are the major elements behind this crisis. If we settle this issue, they will help end the crisis.”
He went on to say that the Americans succeeded in frightening the Gulf countries about Iran’s nuclear capabilities, persuading them to buy arms from the US and fulfilling Franklin Roosevelt’s 1936 dream of maintaining bases for oil transportation.
Regarding the European positions towards the Syrian crisis, al-Moallem said “I tell the Europeans: I don’t understand your slogan about the welfare of the Syrian people when you are supporting 17 resolutions against the welfare of the Syrian people.”
As for Qatari-Syrian relations, al-Moallem noted that Qatar was the one who reneged on these relations, saying that he met Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in Doha in November 2011 when the Arab League launched its initiative which led to sending observers to Syria, pointing out that during this meeting, Hamad told him “If you agree to this initiative, I will change the attitude of Al Jazeera and I will tell Sheikh Yusef al-Qaradawi to support Syria and reconciliation, and I have put down some billions of dollars to rebuild Syria.”
He added that he asked Hamad about having had very close relations with Muammar Gaddafi and why he sent his aircrafts to attack Libya and be part of NATO, with Hamad responding by saying simply “Because we don’t want to lose our momentum in Tunis and Egypt.”
Al-Moallem stressed that the crisis started with legitimate demands subsequently addressed by legislation and reforms and even a new constitution, but then came foreign elements who used these legitimate demands to hijack the peaceful agenda of the people.
“I don’t accept as a citizen to return back centuries to a regime which can bring Syria backwards. In principle …no government in the world can accept an armed terrorist group, some of them coming from abroad, controlling streets and villages in the name of jihad,” he said, adding that as a Syrian citizen, he is sad to see what’s happening in Syria, compared with how it was two years ago.
“There are many Syrians like me – eager to see Syria return to the old days when we were proud of our security,” he concluded.
Russian Foreign Ministry: Foreign Military Support to Opposition Encourages it to Reject participation in National Dialogue
Aug 28, 2012
Moscow, (SANA)-The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the foreign military support to the Syrian opposition encourages it to go ahead in its method which rejects to take part in the national dialogue and pose a threat to escalating confrontation, destabilize the situation in Syria and the whole region.
“Russia has always stated that offering financial, ,military and technical assistance by foreign players to one side in Syria poses a threat to escalating confrontation in Syria, subsequently leading to dangerous repercussions that destabilize the security in the country,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement broadcast by Russian Today site on Tuesday.
Commenting on reports about using bases by the British military in Cyprus to offer assistance to the armed terrorist groups in Syria, the Ministry added that such support paves the way for the opposition to go ahead in its method which rejects dialogue in contradiction with the UN Security Council resolutions, Annan’s plan and Geneva meeting.
Mansour Calls upon All Parties to Stop Supporting Gunmen in Syria…Zebari: What Is Going on in Syria Affects Iraq
Aug 28, 2012
TEHRAN, (SANA)- Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour underscored that solving the crisis in Syria should be form inside Syria and under a Syrian leadership, calling some foreign sides to stop supplying the gunmen with arms and money.
In an interview with al-Alam TV Channel on the sideline of his participation in the meetings of the Non-Aligned Movement Foreign Ministers in Tehran on Tuesday, Mansour expressed his country’s rejection of the foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs, stressing that Lebanon supports the internal political solution through dialogue between the Syrian leadership and opposition.
Mansour stressed that talking about establishing a no-fly zone over Syria is very dangerous as it doesn’t serve Syria’s unity and constitutes a flagrant interference in Syria’s internal affairs.
He called on the Non-Aligned countries to put pressures on Israel to commit to respect the international resolutions.
He also called for the establishment of a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction.
In a speech at the meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement’s Foreign Ministers in Tehran, Mansour underlined that NAM must tackle the problems encountered in some members states and help them come out of the crisis without foreign intervention.
“The foreign military, financial, media and human interference in Syria became uncovered for the whole world through statements issued by some sides,” Mansour said, wondering about the role of NAM and how it could put an end to the interference in the affairs of member states.
Zebari Stresses Iraq’s Support to any Initiative for Political Solution to Crisis in Syria
Iraqi Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari, stressed on Tuesday that Iraq supports any initiative for political solution to crisis in Syria, adding that what is happening in Syria affects Iraq and all regional countries.
In an interview with al-Alam Channel, Zebari considered the Iraqi stance on the situation in Syria is based on the national interest of Iraq and the interests of the Syrian people as well.
He added that the scale of valence in Syria has reached advanced levels, stressing that violence will not solve the problem.
He warned that al-Qaeda is representing an enormous threat to all peoples of the region, pointing out that it practiced acts of killing and slaughtering against the Iraqis throughout the past years.
The Iraqi Foreign Minister condemned Turkey’s violation of the Iraqi sovereignty, saying that the neighboring countries to Iraq should in the first place respect this country, its people and government and deal with it according to the mutual interests and respect.
Regarding the recent visit of the Turkish Foreign Minister to the north of Iraq, Zebari said that Iraq has condemned this visit and officially expressed rejection of it, considering it unacceptable.
Cabinet to Form Ministerial Committee to Follow up on Displaced Families
Aug 28, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – During a session chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Wael al-Halqi on Tuesday, the Cabinet discussed a number of services and economic issues of interest to citizens in light of the current circumstances.
Premier al-Hamqi stressed the need to stay in touch with citizens through the media, direct meetings, and field tours and to handle their complaints and demands according to available resources, all while explaining to citizens the difficulties hindering the work of the ministries and affiliated bodies.
He called for resolving the situation of families displaced due to the crimes of terrorist groups and providing support from all ministries to help the State Ministry for National Reconciliation Affairs carry out its duties.
Al-Halqi also called for resolving administrative entanglements among some ministries and monitoring administrative spending.
Deputy Prime Minister for Services Affairs and Minister of Local Administration Omar Ghalawanji and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Internal Trade and Consumer Protection Minister Dr. Qadri Jamil briefed the Cabinet on the state of services and economy.
Ghalawanji reviewed the state of displaced families and the government’s efforts to provide them with shelter, services and aid,
The Cabinet decided to form a ministerial committee to follow up on displaced families on the ground, calling on displaced families to return to their homes in the areas that have been cleared of terrorists and have become stable and secure, affirming the government’s readiness to provide the necessary services and needs of these areas.
The Cabinet called on the Petroleum Ministry to double the number of fuel transport tankers to meet citizens’ needs across Syria, in addition to calling on the Health Ministry to provide milk for children in Hasaka Province.
The Cabinet also called on the Electricity and Communications and Technology Ministries to submit their needs and work requirements for approval, and instructed the Education Ministry to finish preparation for the upcoming school term on schedule.
Afterwards, the Cabinet passed a bill on the new state council law, terminating law no. 55 for 1959 and its amendments, in addition to approving the licensing of a number of newspapers and magazines.
NAM Foreign Ministers Discuss Bill of Summit’s Final Statement
Aug 28, 2012
TEHRAN, (SANA)_Works of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Foreign Ministers’ meeting on Tuesday started in the Iranian Capital of Tehran with the participation of a delegation from Syria to discuss the bill of the final statement conducted by experts of these countries during the past two days.
The ministers discuss during their meeting the situation in the region, the world and the Syrian crisis, in addition to supporting the legitimate rights of the member states and activating dialogue for solving the international problems and the joint management of the world.
Experts of NAM member states concluded their meetings in Tehran on Monday agreeing on the final document.
The final document NAM Experts’ underscored the determination to solve the crisis in Syria through peaceful means using all available potentials for this purpose.
The document condemned the western sanctions imposed against Syria, calling for rejection of violence allowing the Syrian Government to carry on with reforms.
Mohammad-Mehdi Akhoundzadeh, secretary of the expert-level meeting, said in press statements yesterday that the document rejects “resorting increasingly to unilateralism”, asserting that ‘NAM member states have expressed deep concern with the forceful economic tactics including unilateral sanctions against developing states…and reiterate that unilateral economic sanctions trample the fundamental rights of people in the targeted countries,”
“The document calls on all parties to take urgent action in view of implementation of Iran’s 1974 proposal for creating a Middle East free from nuclear weapons, and expresses profound concern about the nuclear arms held by Israel and the Israeli threats, and condemns the proliferation and stockpile of nuclear weapons,” Akhoundzadeh added.
Akhoundzadeh declared that the 688-paragraph document “In two paragraphs, the document highlights the inalienable right of all NAM member states to development and use of peaceful nuclear energy and full development of nuclear fuel cycle in compliance with the rights and obligations in the [nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] NPT,”
Akhoundzadeh added that the document rejects all forms of occupation in the world and deplores double standards on the world issues, asserting that the signals sent by the NAM meeting are peace, justice and respect of law.
The 16th NAM Summit, held under the motto “Lasting Peace through Joint Global Governance ” continued today its deliberations at foreign ministerial level.
A number of NAM member countries’ Foreign Ministers call for not interfering in Syria’s domestic affairs
A number of Foreign Ministers of NAM member countries called for not interfering in Syria’s domestic affairs or militarizing the crisis.
India’s Foreign Minister S.M.Krishna expressed his country’s deep concern over the developments in Syria which could extend to the neighboring countries, renewing India’s support for a political process that brings together all Syrian parties to meet aspirations of the Syrian people.
For his part, Zimbabwe Foreign Minister Simbarashe mumbengegwi underlined that the resolution to the crisis in Syria depends on the Syrians only through a political dialogue which includes all Syrian sides away from any form of foreign military intervention.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister al-Haaj Muhammad Mumuni called for not using pretexts of the human protection to interfere in the internal affairs of countries or exploiting the humanitarian suffering to change the political regimes.
Nepal Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, for his part, called for halting the violence and end the crisis in Syria away from the foreign intervention in a way that lets Syrians decide their future.
Salehi: Need for an Opportunity of dialogue to resolve crisis in Syria
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that the Foreign Ministers who take part in the NAM meeting of Tehran presented different viewpoints to resolve the crisis in Syria, underlining the importance of availing an opportunity for dialogue between the Syrian government and the national opposition without any foreign intervention.
“The foreign ministers gave special importance for the crisis in Syria and proposed several viewpoints in this domain… the best way to end the war on Syria is to facilitate conducting a dialogue between the opposition and the Syrian government,” Salehi said in a statement.
He added that discussions regarding the crisis in Syria are still available at the meeting of NAM foreign Ministers, considering that if the regional countries and international organizations were able to facilitate dialogue between the opposition and the Syrian government, it would be useful and effective.
Abdullahian: Syria’s National Sovereignty to Be Maintained, Iran’s Efforts Focused on Political Solution
Aug 28, 2012
TEHRAN, (SANA)- Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdullahian, stressed that the national sovereignty of Syria is the most important to maintain, noting that Iran’s efforts are focused mainly on finding a mechanism for a peaceful political solution to the crisis in Syria.
In an interview with the Iranian al-Aalam channel published on Tuesday, Abdullahian said Tehran’s search for a political solution to the crisis is based on focusing on the plan of the former UN envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, which was adopted by the UN and is to be continued by the new envoy Lakhdar Brahimi in cooperation with the international and regional parties.
He highlighted that the national dialogue which the Syrian leadership has proposed and came in Annan’s plan has been included among the Iranian proposals.
“When we speak of the opposition we mean the opposition which adopts the political solutions inside Syria and which has its bases inside Syria and doesn’t resort to the terrorist solutions,” the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister told al-Aalam TV.
He said the opposition abroad is not united and lacks a popular base inside Syria, stressing the necessity that the national dialogue be comprehensive and include all the trends and spectra.
Abdullahian affirmed that Syria has passed the stage of danger and foiled the aspirations of the hostile powers targeting it and the entire region, considering that the entry of armed terrorist groups and extremist forces into Syria has impeded reaping the fruit of the reforms proposed by the Syrian leadership.
He reiterated that resorting to weapons is a terrorist act and not a political one.
The Iranian official described the behavior of the so-called ‘Free Army’ as “crimes being committed without any political reading that guarantees the safety of the Syrian people.”
“Therefore,” Abdullahian added, “the Syrian people reject these groups that kidnap and kill the nationals of other countries. Accordingly, these groups can’t be called opposition because they don’t deserve such a title at all.”
He pointed out that Iran already proposed solutions at Tehran consultation meeting a month ago and is having detailed deliberations about those solutions with the other countries, particularly the countries of the region, on the sidelines of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement.