The Army Forces Clean al-Izaa, Al-Ameriya, Tal al-Zarazer in Aleppo from Mercenaries
Aug 27, 2012
PROVINCES, (SANA)- The army forces in Aleppo on Monday cleared al-Izaa, Al-Ameriya, Tal al-Zarazer neighborhoods from terrorists, killing a great number of them while arresting scores others.
An army unit also purified the Trade Mall neighborhood at Said al-Dawla area from the mercenaries who were positioned there as a base for their crimes against civilians.
Meanwhile, the security forces stormed a den for the armed terrorist groups in al-Inzarat Neighborhood in Aleppo and seized a huge amount of ammunition and weapons.
SANA’s reporter in Aleppo said that the seized weapons include PKC machineguns, Russian rifles, pump-action shotguns, ammunition and a large quantity of bombs.
Another Army unit hit a warehouse for ammunitions at Masaken Hananou and cars equipped with machineguns, killing a big number of terrorists.
Army units also purified the buildings of Vocational Training, Maisaloun school, Jamil Kabani school in al-Mashhad neighborhood and al-Yarmouk School in Bustan al-Qasr area, killing a great number of mercenaries.
Authorities Continue Purist of terrorists in Ariha, Idleb
The competent authorities in Ariha, Idleb, continued their hunt operations against the remnants of the terrorists, inflicting heavy losses among them.
An official source in Idleb told SANA reporter that the clash with the terrorists led to the killing of a number of them while others were arrested.
Army Units restore Security and Stability to al-Hrak, Daraa
In al-Hrak, Daraa countryside, the authorities clashed with a number of terrorists, killing a number of them including Sabri Nizar al-Qadah, Imad Hamdi al-Shawamra and Eiyad Yousef al-Khayrat.
Meanwhile, the Army units restored security and stability to al-Hrak in Daraa countryside after purifying it from the remnants of the armed terrorist groups who perpetrated crimes against the civilans, sabotaged the private and public properties.
A source in Daraa told SANA reporter that the pursuit operations which lasted for several days in the city of al-Hrak led to the killing of scores of terrorists, arresting others and confiscating their weapons which included RPGs, snipers, machineguns, hand-made bombs and explosives.
Authorities Kill Terrorists who Attacked Tankers Loaded with Fuel Bound for al-Hasaka
The authorities clashed on Monday with a group of armed terrorists who attacked tankers loaded with fuel coming from Homs and headed to al-Hasaka.
An official source in the province told SANA’s reporter that the authorities killed several terrorists and that weapons and ammunition, including machineguns and pump-action shotguns, were seized.
Authorities Raid Terrorist Hideout in Hama
On Sunday night, the authorities raided a terrorist hideout inside a house in al-Murabet neighborhood in Hama city, arresting a number of terrorists and confiscating weapons.
Confiscated weapons included bazooka rounds, Malotka missiles, NATO snipers, Australian sniper rifles, PKC machineguns, Russian light machineguns, mortar launchers and rounds, RPG rounds, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and materials used for manufacturing them.
Authorities kill terrorists in al-Samak neighborhood of Hama
In cooperation with the families, the competent authorities pursued an armed terrorist group which was planting explosives at al-Samak neighborhood in Hama, killing all its members.
A source in Hama told SANA reporter that among the terrorists killed were Basel Zaidan and Khaled Omar al-Fara. The explosives were dismantled.
Prime Minister Inspects Work at Health Ministry, Stresses Importance of Meeting Citizens’ Needs
Aug 27, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – Prime Minister Dr. Wael al-Halqi inspected on Monday work at the Health Ministry and the efforts made to continue providing healthcare and health services to citizens, particularly in areas affected by the vandalism of terrorist groups.
During his tour of the Ministry, Dr. al-Halqi underlined the importance of the efforts of workers in the services sector to meet citizens’ needs, particularly in hospitals, emergency services and healthcare centers, noting that these workers carry out their duties admirably despite the economic siege, media pressure and misleading campaigns leveled against these sectors.
The Prime Minister affirmed that the government will spare no effort to continue providing the requirements of health security and health services, stressing the need to continue providing health establishments’ needs in terms of medicine and medical supplies, particularly in provinces that need them the most.
For his part, Health Minister Dr. Asaad al-Nayef said that his Ministry will intensify efforts to continue providing health services to citizens in cooperation with relevant sectors, particularly the civil sector, adding that the Ministry is working to provide the growing needs of health establishments to continue providing services to citizens.
He added that a new shipment of medical supplies and medicine, including equipment for dialysis, ultrasound and colonoscopy, in addition to incubators, operating tables and more, is due to arrive within the next two weeks.
Haidar: Iran’s Role is in the Interest of Syrian People… Polticial Process Must Be Between National Sides
Aug 27, 2012
TEHRAN, (SANA) – State Minister for National Reconciliation Affairs Dr. Ali Haidar said that Iran’s role is in the interest of the Syrian people and is based on preventing foreign interference and halting violence, stressing that the political process in Syria must be between national sides.
At a press conference on Monday, Haidar affirmed that and that any call for foreign intervention will have no place in the coming political stage, and that any suggestion that manifests the US-western project to fragment the region is a non-national suggestion.
He said that everyone knows that Iran has an active role in producing a political process that helps Syrians emerge from the crisis, and that the Syrian themselves – both the people and the leadership – are moving towards a political solution, not any other sort of solution.
Haidar stressed that that Syrian wants a change that makes Syria stronger and more capable of confronting and resisting the US-western project and its tools in the region, adding that any political solution must be based on preventing foreign intervention and rejecting violence from any side, and that this solution must be achieved by the Syrians without interference from any external side and must preserve the unity of people and land and Syria’s historic strategic choices.
He pointed out that doors are still open for everyone, and that this was discussed with friends and allies in Iran, affirming that militants who cross borders from other countries to carry out their own agendas in Syria have nothing to do with the political process and will never be a part of it since they didn’t come to Syria to defend the Syrians’ interests and just demands, adding that this is an entirely different issue that the Syrian government is dealing with through confrontations on the ground against these militants.
Haidar underlined the need to distinguish between the political process as a whole and national dialogue which is one of the axis of the political process and a method to find safe ways out of the crisis that meet the Syrians’ just demands which are well-known and which the government is working to achieve.
“As for the reason behind the insistence by the US and some western countries and their tools in the region to have President al-Assad abdicate as a first step to resolving the crisis in Syria, I will respond that this is unacceptable in principle for the reason – as everybody knows – that this suggestion came from abroad and is a direct interference in Syria’s internal affairs and a violation of the sovereignty of a country, a sovereignty which is acknowledged by all countries of the world, and this violates the international convention of the people’s right to self-determination,” he explained.
Haidar went on to say that the issue, structure and mechanisms of change are purely Syrian issues, and that no-one has the right to interfere in them. Therefore, discussing these points constitutes interference in Syrian affairs, adding “all suggestions – whether they are abdication, a transitional phase, a transitional government or otherwise – that interfere in these points are rejected by the Syrians.”
He stressed that the only acceptable thing is helping Syrians engage in dialogue, abandon weapons and adopt a political process, noting that it’s possible to pose ideas through dialogue which is open to everyone, and that there will be no veto on any idea.
Haidar said ”There are voices abroad who raise slogans that call for rejecting the othe, or who seek resort to weapons and the continuation of fighting until one side conquers the other and speak about fragmenting Syria.”
He said that any project that leads to the rise of the Western-US project in the region, that is redrawing the region on sectarian and racist foundations will have no place in the upcoming political process.
”We want the kind of change that makes Syria more powerful in the face of US-Western project and their tools in the region, which is, on the whole, intended to serve the Zionist project.”
He stressed that the Palestinian cause is in the heart and mind of every Syrian citizen until whole Palestine is back.
Haidar added that the Iranian proposal for solving the crisis in Syria consists of a host of ideas and is not the full proposal to be put forward during the Summit, ”This proposal is based on the principles of rejecting foreign interference and violence or even attempts to justify it for one reason or another, and emphasizes the political solution by the Syrians themselves.”
He said that halting violence must be part of an integral project, adding that there must be a handover of weapons and finding a solution to the issue of gunmen, and that no other weapon exist except that of the state.”
”There are more than 300 armed groups in Syria that are not linked to each other, and the terms used by media such as ”Free Army” or specific groups with leadership and authorities are untrue,” Haidar added.
He said that reconciliation goes far beyond than a meeting of two sides, but it is about producing a new environment for a web of relationships among the Syrians that eliminate the effects of the past and addresses its problems in a serious and true manner.
Haidar said that some thought that national reconciliation is a political dialogue, but there still are hundreds of questions, especially about that parties who are to come to dialogue and their actual representation of the Syrian people.
Haidar said that national dialogue takes time and work for achieving the so-called social reconciliation that allows for producing the real representatives of the Syrian people.
On the countries who are interfering in the Syrian internal affairs, Haidar said that no country would accept that another provides weapons, funds, media and political support to armed groups with the aim of weakening or disintegrating the state.
“Iran stands at one distance among all Syrians, doesn’t support a side at the expense of the other side.. so the countries concerned should retreat from their measures of boycott and restore the diplomatic relations.. at that time, Syria sees what could be fulfilled in this file,” Haidar said.
On the Egyptian initiative, Haidar said that Egypt or any country has to stand at one distance among the Syrians, so it has to adopt a clear stance on the violence and who fund it.
“Iran’s vision on the crisis and the way of solution is based on a reality which states that the Syrians have rights and demands that should be met, and the Syrian state seeks to fulfill these demand, but the problem lies in the foreign intervention,” Haidar said.
As for the hostile stances of Turkish Premier and his Foreign Minister to Syria, Haidar underlined that the Turkish leadership doesn’t say what it is content with, and that the Turkish leaders were conveying messages from the West and the US in particular.
On the Iranian initiative, Haidar said that it concentrates on the halt of violence to make the atmospheres available to go for the political process.
As for the plan of the new UN Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, Haidar stressed that the average of success or fail of his paln is related to the international agreement on this plan, adding “the issue is not a personal one.”
Preliminary Meetings of NAM Summit Reaches Early Agreement on 688 Articles of Draft Closing Statement
Aug 27, 2012
TEHRAN, (SANA) – The preliminary meetings of the 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) continued on Monday in Tehran with the participation of Syria’s delegation headed by Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Dr. Fayssal Mikdad.
The experts meeting reached an early agreement on 688 articles of the Summit’s draft closing statement.
Boroujerdi: A Proposal to Form a committee including Iran, Egypt and Venezuela to resolve Crisis in Syria
Aug 27, 2012
TEHRAN, (SANA)-Chairman of Iran’s Shura Council’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, Alaeddin Boroujerdi announced that a proposal was presented to form a committee which includes Iran, Egypt and Venezuela to resolve the crisis in Syria, adding that the three countries are members in the Non-Aligned Movement.
“Syria’s issue is internal.. though some organizations like the OIC have suspended Syria membership, but any change in the reality didn’t happen,” Boroujerdi said in a statement on Monday.
On the role of NAM conference to resolve the crisis in Syria, Boroujerdi added “there are proposals to make use of the possibilities of the member states to resolve the crisis.”
He underlined that the situations in Syria are stable in contrary to what is being broadcast by a number of western media, saying that the Syrian government has control on all aggravated regions like Aleppo.
As for the Iranian abducted citizens in Syria, Boroujerdi denied rumors about their killing, considering such rumors as a psychological war by some western media to pass “special goals.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry: NAM Summit Provides Important Opportunity for Resolving Crisis in Syria
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesmen Ramin Mehmanparast affirmed that the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit due to be held on August 30-31 in Tehran provides an important opportunity to resolve crises around the world, including the Syrian crisis, away from western interference.
In a statement, Mehmanparast said that the NAM member countries have reached an agreement regarding the majority of the articles in the draft closing statement of the summit, which he considered an indicator to them agreeing to resolve crises through mutual action without western interference.
He said that member countries agreed that they must take steps and work for reaching political solutions and preventing foreign interference and unilateral steps by the US and its allies, adding that meetings on the sideline of the summit resulted in forming a liaison group to communicate with the Syrian government and the opposition to reach a solution.
Mehmanparast noted that the sideline of the Tehran summit presents a chance for exchanging viewpoints and bringing them closer on the basis of the six-point plan, which would help reach a mechanism for ending violence and meeting the aspirations of the Syrians through a democratic process.
He pointed out that Iran and countries that share its efforts to achieve a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis seek peace, contrary to some major powers and regional countries that claim to defend the Syrian people while at the same time they send weapons to terrorists.
Mehmanparast explained that the draft closing statement includes three articles, with the first covering international issues of interest to all countries such as defending sovereignty, rejecting occupation, the issues of Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Africa and Latin America.
He said that Iran wishes to make use of its presidency of the NAM to benefit from all members’ viewpoints to achieve development and economic cooperation through a global administration adopting peace, justice, respecting human rights, and rejecting occupation and hegemony, adding that this should be done with the participation of all independent and capable countries within the NAM movement which encompasses 120 member countries and 17 observer countries, making it the second largest bloc of countries after the UN.
Mehmanparast pointed out that the NAM seeks to change the structure of how the world is run to achieve noble goals, including the reform of the UN which suffers security issues and whose structure is no longer valid.
On the western efforts to downplay the Tehran summit and to prevent some sides, countries and personalities from participating in it, Mehmanparast said the considerable participation in this summit represents a failure of western pressure against Tehran and attempts to isolate it.
He stressed that the Iranian people turned the western embargo into an opportunity to achieve progress and prosperity, making Iran a role model for countries who seek independence, noting that so far, 50 countries announced their participation in the NAM summit on the summit level, in addition to 30 foreign ministers, which marks a big political and diplomatic success for Tehran.
Russian President’s Special Envoy: NAM Summit in Tehran will be Positive Step to Solve Syrian Crisis
The Russian President’s Special Envoy, Konstantin Shuvalov said that the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit due to be held in Tehran on Thursday and Friday will be a positive step to solve the crisis in Syria through cooperation among the participating countries.
Shuvalov, who arrived in Tehran on Monday to take part in the Summit’s meetings, stressed in a statement to the Iranian News Agency (Mehr) the importance of the summit and the necessity of finding a diplomatic solution to the crisis, adding there is hope that the foreign ministers and leaders of NAM member countries would adopt decisions that would find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
He said that the message he carried from the Russian president included important topics as the Non-Aligned Movement has an influential role in addressing international issues , calling upon member countries to work on solving current crises and the importance that they be true allies.
SANA Calls on Media Outlets to Disregard any News Coming via Email Addressed Attributed to SANA as False and Misleading
Aug 27, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on Monday issued a warning to all mass media outlets to disregard and ignore any news coming via email addresses attributed to SANA as false and misleading.
SANA reiterates that the only source of its news is the official website www.sana.sy and its special news bulletin, and that it does not send its news via email.
SANA calls upon all media outlets to inform it of any news they receive in SANA’s name via email.
390 People Involved in Recent Events Released
Aug 27, 2012
PROVINCES, (SANA) – 390 people who were involved in the recent events and didn’t shed Syrian blood were released on Monday.
In Damascus, 332 people were released, in addition to 20 in Hama and 38 in Homs who had turned themselves in, with the released individuals pledging not to return to bearing arms, carrying out vandalism or doing anything that harms Syria’s security in the future.
A number of the release people said that this marks a fresh start for them, allowing them to return to their normal lives.
Earlier in July, 100 people turned themselves in to the authorities in Hama and were released after pledging to refrain from bearing arms or committing vandalism.
Terrorist Deib Confesses to Trying to kill a citizen in Lattakia, Injuring three civilians
Aug 27, 2012
LATTAKIA, (SANA)-Terrorist Alaa Khaled Deib admitted that he tried to kill a citizen at Souk al-Bala in Lattakia and opened fire at the people, injuring three civilians.
“I have met a leader of an armed terrorist group called Suhaib Kilia from Jabal al-Akrad in Lattakia countryside.. he showed me a photo for a man from the family of Ghandour whom he said that he cooperates with the State and that we should kill him,” Deib said in confessions broadcast by the Syrian TV on Monday.
“After four days of my arrival in Lattakia, Suhaib informed me that he will send me a pistol through a taxi driver.. my mission was to kill the person of the photo he showed to me.. he promised to give money in return for the operation,” Deib said.
He added “Later, a man phoned me saying that he cooperates with Suhaib.. he gave me the pistol with 16 bullets.. I started to pursue the man from Ghandour family for three days.. on August 12th I hunted him at Souk al-Bala and tried to open fire at him, but the bullet failed, then I opened fire on three persons, injuring three among them a female citizen called Zainab Haddad.
For her part, Mrs. Haddad said that while she was walking at Souk al-Bala to buy a shoe, she felt a fever in her foot.. a shop keeper told her that she was hit in the leg.
Salehi, Jalili and Larijani Meet Haidar, Affirm Iran’s Support for Resolving Crisis in Syria via Dialogue
Aug 26, 2012
TEHRAN, (SANA) – Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Sunday discussed with Syrian State Minister for National Reconciliation Affairs, Dr. Ali Haidar, bilateral relations and regional and international issues, particularly the crisis in Syria and means for restoring security and stability in it.
Salehi stressed the need for restoring security and stability in Syria, reiterating Iran’s readiness to host dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition.
He also stressed Tehran’s commitment to restoring stability to Syria via peaceful methods, lauding the six-points plan and the principles of the recent meeting in Tehran on Syria, affirming that the Syrian crisis can only be solved by dialogue, and that sustainable calm and stability can only be realized through ending violence, finding mechanisms for meeting the people’s demands, providing an atmosphere for dialogue between the government and the opposition, and supporting political participation of all parties and national dialogue.
In turn, Haidar lauded Iran’s position and the help it provides to restore sustainable calm and security in Syria, praising Iran’s efforts to establish communication with the Syrian opposition.
He also affirmed that the crisis in Syria can be resolved through dialogue, and that any political projects for resolving the crisis must involve a complete cessation of violence, rejection of foreign interference, and preventing the sending of weapons and foreign militants into Syria.
On a relevant note, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili underlined during his meeting with Haidar that Iran has always emphasized the need for national dialogue and finding a Syrian solution to the crisis.
Jalili underscored the need for ending violence, disarming the opposition, and ending some countries’ support of militants, calling for benefiting from new initiatives and involving new sections of the Syrian people in national dialogue.
For his part, Haidar said that Syrian-Iranian relations are deep-rooted and without peer, and that the Syrian people wish to determine their fate on their own through democracy and without foreign interference, which is why Syria is prepared to launch national dialogue.
He affirmed that Syria will overcome the current conditions in the end and will remain part of the resistance axis.
In a similar meeting, Minister Haidar discussed bilateral relations and the situation in Syria with Speaker of Iranian Shura Council Ali Larijani, with Larijani reiterating his country’s support for Syria’s people and leadership in the face of the conspiracy targeting it.
In turn, Haidar reviewed the efforts being exerted in order to restore Syria to normal, affirming that the solution lies in inclusive national dialogue which can only be achieved if violence ends and if foreign sides cease arming and funding militant groups.