Yahoo: Assad predicts disaster if West meddles in Syria

[visionary]

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/Syria

5 hours 40 min ago

Canada tightened the sanctions Friday on Syria, targeting President Bashar al-Assad's wife, mother, sister and sister-in-law a week after the European Union made a similar move.

The four Assad relatives were among 12 people and two oil companies added to an existing Canadian blacklist now totaling 127 people and 41 entities.

Under Canada's seventh round of Syria sanctions, those cited will be subject to an asset freeze and a prohibition on economic dealings.

John Baird, the country's foreign minister said in a statement:

Canada's position is clear: Assad must go.

"These latest sanctions target in particular those who profit from their association with the regime and those closest to Assad, including his wife Asma.

"Assad's family may be kept shielded from the misery of the average Syrian, but they will not be immune from international will."

5 hours 32 min ago

Last year, Khalid was an engineering student whose modest dreams were to land a job and earn enough to marry his girlfriend.

Since then, he's become a fugitive activist in the fight to topple President Bashar Assad. Khalid said he has been tortured by security forces and hasn't spoken to his loved ones in months for fear he'll endanger their lives.

The 20-year-old said in an interview with the Associated Press news agency, after escaping into neighbouring Lebanon:

I can't think about my own life now. All I can think about is working to make the revolution succeed because it will have a huge effect on the lives of all youth.

"I reached a point where I realized that Syria could have a good future.

"I used to want to go to a developed country, but someday, after Assad falls, Syria will be like that. But we'll build it ourselves."

3 hours 44 min ago

A protest in Kafr Takhareem town in Idlib, reportedly with participation from Druze sect religious leaders.

3 hours 36 min ago

A funeral-turned-protest in Salah al-Din neighbourhood in Aleppo for Youssef Rasheed, who was reportedly killed by security forces earlier.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...acy?CMP=twt_gu

Syria crisis: US urges Saudis to support diplomacy to end bloodshed

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...3lS_story.html

The Washington Post comes out with another stinging critique of the current policy on Syria.

Syria’s cover for murder

Yet the Obama administration continues to bet on the initiative, while rejecting other options — such as the creation of a safe zone in Syria. “We want to see, and support very much, the efforts of Kofi Annan and give him the time and diplomatic space that he needs to make this work,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Thursday.

How much time? How many more dead? Mr. Annan’s spokesman in Geneva said Friday that “the deadline is now. We expect [Assad] to implement this plan immediately.” Those words will merely make Mr. Annan look more feckless. Mr. Assad will never implement the plan. Were he to do so, his regime would quickly collapse — and the dictator and his family long ago made clear that they have no intention of surrendering.

Obama administration officials describe the Annan plan as a tool that could facilitate the removal of Mr. Assad without triggering a civil war. But civil war — albeit a one-sided one — has been underway in Syria for months already. And the Annan plan does not provide for Mr. Assad to step down. On the contrary: The plan’s chief proponent, Russia, sees it as the means to keep the regime in power.

The Obama administration’s de facto choice to tolerate the survival of a regime that is Iran’s chief ally in the Middle East and the sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah might have many motivations. But neither the will to prevent mass murder nor the pursuit of U.S. strategic interests could be among them.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...type=3&theater

7 hours ago
The Local Coordination Committees in Syria:
The number of martyrs in Syria thus far has risen to 45, among them 4 children and 2 women. 9 martyrs were reported in Daraa, 15 in Qorieh in Deir Ezzor, 12 in Homs, 4 in Idlib, 3 in Aleppo, 2 in Damascus, and 1 in Hama

http://www.lccsyria.org/

Syria Today 30-3-2012
The Local Coordination Committees in Syria:

The number of martyrs in Syria thus far has risen to 51, among them 4 children and 2 women. 9 martyrs were reported in Daraa, 15 in Qorieh in Deir Ezzor, 12 in Homs, 4 in Idlib, 3 in Aleppo, 2 in Damascus, and 1 in Hama

[visionary]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/31/world/...html?hpt=wo_c2

The Syrian government is trying to "systematically dismantle" the anti-regime "citizen journalist network" and have seized a key player in the operation, activists told CNN Saturday.

The regime has been making arrests and have seized Ali Mahmoud Othman -- instrumental in the evacuation of the wounded journalists from inside the Homs' neighborhood of Baba Amr, an activist who asked not to be named for security reasons said Saturday.

"We believe Ali is being subjected to severe torture," the activist said. "The lives of our activists and citizen journalists across the whole country are now at risk."

Activists believe that Othman, head of the media center in Homs, is being held in a secure military unit in Aleppo since his detention Wednesday. Syrian authorities have not responded to requests for comment.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opi...234283361.html

Tales from Cafe Tahrir: Syria's greater revolution

4 hours 36 min ago

The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office released the following statements by the Foreign Secretary William Hague regarding the capture of Ali Mahmoud Othman, the head of the Media Centre in Homs where Marie Colvin, Paul Conroy and other journalists were based:

"I am very concerned by reports that Ali Mahmoud Othman, the head of the Media Centre in Homs where Marie Colvin, Paul Conroy and other journalists were based, has been captured by the Syrian regime. There are also reports that some of Othman's colleagues have also been detained.

"There are reports that Mr Othman has already been tortured and maltreated.

"I call on the Syrian authorities to release Mr Othman and other political prisoners immediately. The Syrian regime will be held responsible for Mr Othman's safety and his treatment and I will raise his case in Istanbul at the Friends of Syria meeting tomorrow."

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria

4 hours 34 min ago

Syria has agreed to admit a UN team of experts to examine conditions for a possible observer mission in the violence-swept country, the foreign ministry spokesman said on Saturday.

UN officials said on Friday that the world body is making plans for at least 250 observers to be sent to Syria if the government halts its offensive on protesters and gives its agreement for the international force.

At present the plan would be for the observers to be unarmed but under the protection of Syrian government forces, according to one senior diplomat at the United Nations.

The observers would mostly come from UN missions in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Golan Heights between Syria and Israel (UNDORF) and in South Sudan (UNMISS), the diplomat added.

A senior UN official said that for the mission to go ahead there needed to be a Security Council mandate, as well as a ceasefire and the agreement of the host country.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...type=3&theater

37 minutes ago
Local Coordination Committees in Syria:

The number of martyrs in Syria has risen to 40 so far including 6 children and an eldrely woman. Sixteen martyrs in Homs including a defected recruit, 11 in Idlib, 9 in Daraa, 2 in Hama and one in each of Damascus and Damascus suburbs

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...17848338242310

3 minutes ago

Daraa: Western Ghareba: Regime forces committed a new massacre, where they slaughtered 18 people including 11 units [members?] of the Free Syrian Army and the rest are civilians.

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/30/149712...icies-on-syria

Comparing U.S. And UN Policies On Syria

I'm really getting worried.
There's so much anger right now among Syrians and outside Arab followers of the revolution, and frustration by international analysts and media over the lack of support for the Syrian people, especially from the US.
There's pretty widespread belief now that the US is stopping Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia from intervening and is unwittingly or some say purposefully aiding Assad.
It's kind of depressing how something that could have been a positive for us has become a huge negative internationally.

[visionary]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...type=3&theater

Local Coordination Committees in Syria

The number of today's martyrs has risen to 64, including 6 children, an old woman, and 10 defected soldiers. 27 martyrs in Daraa; including 18 who were excuted in the field, 18 martyrs in Homs; including a military recruit, 12 martyrs in Idlib, 5 martyrs in Hama, and a martyr in both Damascus and Damascus Suburbs

https://twitter.com/#!/DamascusSYR

Idlib: Jisr Shughour: Twelve soldiers defected at a security checkpoint in the city and have joined the FSA.
4:25 PM

https://twitter.com/#!/NMSyria

Damascus Suburbs: Erbeen: There are reports of heavy clashes between the FSA and the regime's army near the motor vehicle's admin building
4:29 PM

Daraa: Basr Harir: Sounds of artillery everywhere. Shells falling on civilian homes.
4:28 PM

Daraa: Violent clashes between FSA and Assad regime forces taking place at security checkpoints in the area. Reports of heavy weaponry.
4:30 PM

Daraa: Lajah: Assad regime forces continue to shell the city, as the FSA is in the area.
4:31 PM

Deirezzor: Two people injured in Joorah neighborhood after regime forces opened fire on protest, leading to clashes with FSA.
4:32 PM

(keep in mind that Deir Ezzour was reported to be completely under government control weeks ago)


https://twitter.com/#!/StateDept

SecClinton: Today, GCC ministers and I urged joint special envoy to set a timeline for next steps regarding Syria. http://go.usa.gov/mOf
7:36 PM

Some earlier stuff:



http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria

19 hours 17 min ago

This video, according to activists, was leaked from the Syrian Army. It shows a tank firing at buildings in Bab Amr neighbourhood from the University Bridge in Homs.

The cameraman is heard saying “God, Syria, Bashar” and saluting the army.

16 hours 53 min ago

Two people have reportedly been killed and several others injured in Kafarsouseh neighbourhood after security forces opened fire at a funeral for a person killed the day earlier.

Activists posted the following video of the funeral-turned-protest:

16 hours 6 min ago -

The Syrian army will withdraw from urban areas "once peace and security prevail," foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdisi said in comments carried by state media on Saturday.


"The presence of the Syrian Arab army in Syrian cities is for defensive purposes (so) as to protect the civilians," Makdisi was quoted as saying by the official SANA news agency.


"Once peace and security prevail, the army is to pull out," he added.

[visionary]

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...type=3&theater

9 hours ago
The Local Coordination Committees in Syria:

Saturday ends with the fall of 70 martyrs, among them 8 children, an elderly woman, and 10 defected soldiers. 32 martyrs were reported in Daraa, among them 18 who were summarily executed; 19 in Homs, among them a soldier; 12 in Idlib; 5 in Hama; 1 in Damascus; and 1 in the Damascus Suburbs

https://twitter.com/#!/WashingtonPoint

So, Friends of Syria conf be convened and discuss the Annan plan tomorrow in Istanbul, but Mr. Annan too busy to participate it.
7:36 PM

https://twitter.com/#!/ARABICA11

Saudi F.M "Arming Syria opposition was a "duty" because the opposition "cannot defend itself except with weapons".
9:59 PM

https://twitter.com/#!/ObeidaNahas

Dr Ghalioun asked FriendsofSyria to support FSA, a buffer zone and safe corridores in Syria.
4:26 AM

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-p...022613580.html

Syria opposition: Don't prolong catastrophe

Burhan Ghalioun, the head of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC), said at the opening of the so-called "Friends of Syria" in Istanbul: "We demand serious action. The Syrian regime will inevitably fall. Don't prolong the catastrophe. The opposition is united; now it is time for you to unite and support the Syrian opposition."

To help the armed opposition financially, Ghalioun said: "The SNC will take charge of the payment of fixed salaries of all officers, soldiers, and others who are members of the Free Syrian Army."

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, called for the international community to speak with one voice in his opening remarks.

"We believe geopolitical concerns and interests cannot rule our world. We refuse to take such a stand. We refuse to accept a situation where tanks are shooting women and children," Erdogan said.

"We also believe the international community has a moral obligation to act. We must make sure that only our conscience speaks.

"It is crucial that we speak with one voice. The message that we give to the Syrian regime must be very exact, very precise... The bloodshed in Syria must stop. We demand this."

Amid demands from some for active intervention to assist Syria's opposition, Erdogan said Syrians' right to self-defence should be accepted.

"If the United Nations Security Council refrains from taking on the responsibility, the international community will have no chance but to accept Syrians' right to self-defence," he said.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar's prime minister, said "words needed to be turned into action on the ground", while Nabil el-Araby said it was time for the international community to "bravely address the situation in Syria".

Calling for tighter sanctions and for ways to hold Syrian leaders to account for abuses, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said before the meeting that the US focus in Istanbul would be to "intensify" an array of international sanctions.

"The Syrian government is staying true to form, unfortunately, making a deal and then refusing to implement it," Clinton said. "And as of today, regime forces continue to shell civilians, lay siege to neighbourhoods, and even target places of worship."

Clinton reaffirmed that Washington was looking at sending non-lethal support such as communications gear and medical aid to an increasingly armed opposition

https://twitter.com/#!/LeShaque

I wish they stop inviting friends of Assad to the friends of Syria meetings.
6:32 AM

Meaning Russia and China, both who declined to attend.


https://twitter.com/#!/AngelaLoRosso

@LeShaque I wish they would supply the FSA with weapons and get over it, endless bull**** meeting Assad will not stop killing until removal
6:34 AM

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/...pr-1-2012-1110

Sun, 1 Apr 2012, 11:10 GMT+3

Participants in the second "Friends of Syria" conference agreed to create a working group on sanctions against the regime in Damascus, the French foreign minister said Sunday.

"We have decided to create a working group on sanctions which will meet in Paris within 15 days," Alain Juppe told reporters in Istanbul.

So this is what was accomplished today after all the time they had to prepare themselves for this meeting?
A decision to discuss increasing sanctions...within 15 days?
Good job!




http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/...pr-1-2012-1134

Sun, 1 Apr 2012, 11:34 GMT+3
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime will not fall and attempts to overthrow it by force will aggravate the crisis in the region, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Sunday.

"It has been one year and the regime did not fall, and it will not fall, and why should it fall?" Maliki told a news conference in Baghdad.

"We reject any arming (of Syrian rebels) and the process to overthrow the regime, because this will leave a greater crisis in the region," Maliki said.

**** you too, Maliki....

[visionary]

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/...pr-1-2012-1135

Sun, 1 Apr 2012, 11:35 GMT+3

Participants at a conference on Syria say Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries are creating a multimillion-dollar fund to pay salaries to members of the rebel Free Syrian Army and soldiers who defect from the regime and join opposition ranks.

The plan is the first formal support, though only financial, for Syria's badly overmatched rebels, and offers a solution to the international divide over whether to arm the rebels or support them through only non-lethal or humanitarian means.

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria

17 min 35 sec ago

A communique to be issued later on Sunday by a meeting of mainly Arab and Western governments in Istanbul will give full support to UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's peace mission while stressing that it cannot be open-ended, a western diplomat told Reuters.

The diplomat, who was involved in drafting the communique, said the "Friends of Syria", grouping more than 70 countries, would work on additional measures to protect the Syrian people, while the U.N. Security Council should play an important role in ending the conflict.

"The wording is constructively ambiguous," the diplomat said.

Hmmm....ok.


If the US is going to pressure Turkey on something why don't we pressure them to accept the Kurds with the rest of the Syrian opposition?

https://twitter.com/#!/michaeldweiss

Haitham al-Maleh says Turkish government 'stipulated' Kurdish National Council shouldn't attend Friends of Syria.
8:00 AM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...sis?CMP=twt_gu

Assad running out of time, warn leaders at Syria crisis summit

Britain, the US and Turkey have warned Bashar al-Assad that he is running out of time and that the international community is rapidly losing patience with his regime's failure to end the violence in Syria.

Dozens of countries are meeting in Istanbul on Sunday to push for tighter sanctions and increased diplomatic pressure to further isolate Assad – and to urge the opposition to offer a democratic alternative to his rule.

However, the show of solidarity at the Friends of the Syrian People conference has been undermined by the absence of China, Russia and Iran, who disagree with western and Arab allies over how to stop the bloodshed. A peace plan by the UN/Arab League envoy Kofi Annan has so far failed to take hold amid fresh reports of deadly violence.

The Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said the Syrian regime should not be allowed to "manipulate" the plan to win time, indicating that military options might have to be considered if Damascus does not co-operate with Annan's plan and the UN security council fails to unite in opposition to Assad.

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, also expressed scepticism that the Syrian government would observe Annan's plans, which call for an immediate ceasefire and a Syrian-led negotiation process.

"Nearly a week has gone by, and we have to conclude that the regime is adding to its long list of broken promises," she said.

"The world must judge Assad by what he does, not by what he says. And we cannot sit back and wait any longer."

I'm not exactly sure what that last line means....


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...ebel-town.html

Syria eyewitness dispatch: 'I watched as Assad's tanks rolled in to destroy a rebel town'

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...8242310&type=1

2 minutes ago
The Local Coordination Committees in Syria:

The number of martyrs in Syria today has risen to 30 thus far. 8 martyrs were reported in Daraa, 7 in Hama, 5 in Idlib, 5 in Deir Ezzor, 4 in Homs, and 1 in Domair in the Damascus Suburbs

Homs:

[visionary]

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria

3 hours 28 min ago

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Sunday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would be "mistaken" if he thinks he can defeat the opposition against him.

"If Assad continues as he has to fail to end the violence, ... then it is unlikely he is going to ever agree" to implement the peace plan he agreed to with UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, Clinton told a press conference.

"Because it's a clear signal that he wants wait to see whether he has totally suppressed the opposition," Clinton said. "I think he would be mistaken to believe that."

"My reading is that the opposition is gaining in intensity, not losing it," Clinton told a press conference.

3 hours 27 min ago

Shells slammed into the central Syrian city of Homs on Sunday, killing more than two dozen people, activists said, as Syria's government defied cease-fire demands and international efforts to boost the rebels.

Activists said heavy machine gun fire and artillery pounded the districts of Khaldiyeh, Bayada and Safsafa in the battered city, despite world demands on the Syrian regime to end violence that has killed thousands of people in the past year. [AP]

2 hours 27 min ago

Reuters reports:

Syrians on Sunday defied their government's declaration that the year-long revolt against President Bashar al-Assad is over. Video uploaded to the internet appeared to show protests continuing in parts of the country. In the capital Damascus, footage of burning barricades purportedly erected by members of the Free Syrian Army blocked off a road that was identified as Al-Abasein street.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...8242310&type=1

about an hour ago
Local Coordination Committees in Syria

The number of today's Syrian martyrs has risen to 70 so far most of them in Homs and Hama, among them 5 children and 3 women. 21 martyrs fell in Homs, 16 martyrs fell in Hama, 14 fell in Idlib, 9 fell in Daraa, 8 martyrs fell in Deir Ezzor and 1 martyr in each of Qameshli and Dumair in Damascus Suburbs

[visionary]

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...type=3&theater

3 hours ago
Local Coordination Committees in Syria

Sunday has ended with 80 martyrs including 6 children and 4 women. 21 martyrs in each of Idlib, and Homs, 17 martyrs in Hama, 9 martyrs in Daraa, 8 martyrs in Deir Ezzor, 2 martyrs in Aleppo, and a martyr in each of: Qamishli, and Domair in Damascus

http://m.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/a...d&type=article

Syrian rebels in Turkey keep spirits and hopes up as they wait for tide to turn

"We want to go back and join the struggle again," he says. "It might look like a dead end, but we are simply biding our time. The Syrian army has erected many more checkpoints than before, and many [opposition] fighters are currently in Turkey, waiting until we have more weapons."

And he adds: "We also know that there are many more Syrian soldiers who would like to defect, but we tell them to wait a bit longer."

The network of the Syrian opposition in Turkey is well established. In a quiet neighbourhood in this city, the ground floor of a nondescript apartment block now serves as an undercover clinic for Syrian fighters and refugees.

As well as treating patients, it helps smuggle medical supplies into Syria and wounded Syrians into Turkey.

"Using Skype, we are in close contact with the people inside Syria," says Waddah, 38, a pharmacist. "We liaise with the Turkish [military police], tell them where along the border wounded Syrians will cross, and they send an ambulance to take them to a hospital."

Dr Majed, who fled Aleppo in December, nods. "Medical supplies are taken into Syria with the help of the Free Syrian Army [FSA]." Asked if they receive any help from the Syrian National Council, the men laugh. "We do not get anything from them, and we don't expect anything from them either," Waddah says.

https://twitter.com/#!/NMSyria

Several sounds of explosions heard in Zabadani - Damascus Suburb.
5:51 PM

BREAKING: Damascus Suburb: Zabadani: Gunfire in the town now after a defection took place at one of the security checkpoints in the area
6:55 PM

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...8242310&type=1

2 hours ago
Damascus Suburbs: Harasta: Renewed clashes take place between the Free Syrian Army and the regime's army in the Al-Seel and Al-Bustan areas, and there are sounds of heavy gunfire from machine guns

2 hours ago
Aleppo: Two explosions were heard in the city a short time ago[SIZE="3"]

2 hours ago
Homs: Two powerful explosions were heard in Khaldiyeh and were accompanied by low-flying military aircraft over the area

about an hour ago
Daraa: Regime's forces besiege the towns of Musaifra, Kark, Saida and Gharya, in addition to the rest of the surrounding villages which are already under siege. There are confirmed reports that a military operation is going to take place in the eastern part of the province of Daraa

---------- Post added April-1st-2012 at 10:19 PM ----------

https://twitter.com/#!/zaidbenjamin

Urgent: A team from Kofi Annan is expected in Syria within 48 hours to discuss dispatching UN observers mission - Alwatan Newspaper
10:09 PM

Urgent: Syria beefed up its forces along the borders with Turkey - Al-Watan Newspaper
10:07 PM

[visionary]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/02/opinio...html?hpt=hp_c1

Opinion: World must not forget Syria's missing activists

http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c1#...scape-homs.cnn

CNN exclusive: Paul Conroy escapes Homs

Added on April 1, 2012

CNN has exclusive footage shot by Paul Conroy of his escape from Homs, Syria.
He talks to CNN's Nima Elbagir.

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/0...irm/?hpt=wo_c1

Two different views emerged Sunday regarding how strong a hold Syria's president has on his regime.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the sanctions are "beginning to have an effect," though more sanctions need to be implemented by more countries. Clinton told our Jill Dougherty that individual sanctions are "beginning to really wake people up."

"They're looking around thinking, 'For the rest of my life I'm only gonna be able to maybe go to Iran?' That doesn't sound like a great idea," Clinton said in the interview.

But the head of the House Intelligence committee told CNN's Candy Crowley that there are no signs Bashar al-Assad's inner circle is "crumbling."

"Remember, they're having a lot of victory supported by external forces like Iran, like Russia. So they, in their minds, they - this is all a zero-sum game for them. They realize that," Rep. Mike Rogers said in the interview that aired Sunday on State of the Union.

"They don't think the world is coming?" asked Crowley.

"They really don't. They believe that they're winning ... we certainly believe that, through intelligence collection, they believe they're winning this," Rogers, a Republican congressman from Michigan, responded.

The ranking Democrat on the intelligence committee told Crowley in the same interview that Assad has ensured his inner circle is loyal.

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria

2 hours 55 min ago

Syria's government must take the first step toward settling the country's conflict by pulling troops from city streets, Russia's foreign minister has said, raising pressure on an old ally.

While Sergei Lavrov added that the country's opposition forces should quickly follow suit and withdraw too, his statement appeared to reflect Moscow's increasing impatience with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

This is kind of surprising to me. I suppose it's good news....
I can't help thinking he's up to something though.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middle...=MasterAccount

Syria agrees to April 10 deadline on crisis

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has agreed to an April 10 deadline to start implementing a peace plan proposed by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, the envoy has told the UN Security Council.

The partial implementation of his plan would include a full cessation of hostilities within 48 hours of the deadline, diplomats at a closed briefing by Annan told the AFP news agency on Monday.

Annan appealed to the 15-member council to support the deadline, the diplomats said.

The Syrian government would start by halting the movement of troops into cities, withdraw heavy weapons from cities and start to pull back troops.

https://twitter.com/#!/Bambuser_Alert

LIVE NOW: Anti Assad regime protests in the streets of Derzor- Jbella http://bambuser.com/v/2522164
12:11 PM

https://twitter.com/#!/Turk4Syria

Kofi Annan says Assad has agreed to April 10 deadline, but violence will end 48 hours later. Who cares, right? 48 hours, 96 hours, 1 year...
12:15 PM

Sept 2011 - Erdogan: "Assad has agreed to stop violence within 14 days" April 2012 - Annan: "Assad has agreed to stop violence on 12 April."
12:16 PM

Shelling of Khaldiya Homs



http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...8242310&type=1

28 minutes ago
Local Coordination Committees:

The number of Syrian martyrs has risen to 62 including many women and children. In Homs city, there were 39 martyrs (13 of them in Deir Baalba neighborhood), 12 in Idlib, 5 in Aleppo and 6 in Hama including 4 from the FSA

Fast update:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...17848338242310

Local Coordination Committees in Syria:

The number of Syrian martyrs has risen to 65 including many women and children. In Homs city, there were 40 martyrs (13 of them in Deir Baalba neighborhood), 14 in Idlib, 5 in Aleppo and 6 in Hama including 4 from the FSA
about a minute ago

---------- Post added April-2nd-2012 at 12:51 PM ----------

Wow!

Keep in mind though that this death toll includes bodies of people who were probably not killed today, but only just discovered.
On the other hand it doesn't make them any less dead.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...17848338242310

Local Coordination Committees in Syria:

The number of today's martyrs has risen to 140 including many women and children. 115 martyrs in Homs including 75 unidentified corpses that were found in Homs Hospital, 14 martyrs in Idlib, 6 martyrs in Hama including 4 soldiers of the Free Syrian Army, and 5 martyrs in Aleppo
9 minutes ago

The way things are going, I'm thinking the overall number of dead will be something like 13-14,000 by the time this deadline is reached.
One things that worries me is that withdrawing troops and artillery doesn't mean that the security forces won't keep killing and arresting people.
(that is assuming that they actually follow through on their promise)

[visionary]

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria

8 hours 8 min ago

US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice told reporters that several council members had "expressed concern that the government of Syria not use the next days to intensify the violence and expressed some skepticism about the bona fides of the government in this regard".

7 hours 59 min ago

The Associated Press reports:

The Syrian government sent troops backed by tanks into rebellious areas Monday, hunting down activists and torching their homes and bulldozing others, opposition groups said.

Activists said fierce clashes were taking place in the central region of Homs, after which rebels took control of the national hospital in the Jouret al-Shayah district. Human rights groups and the opposition have accused government forces of abusing and torturing wounded activists in the hospital in previous months.

The Local Coordination Committees and the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebels found around 70 unidentified bodies in the hospital refrigerators, apparently belonging to people killed in earlier fighting.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...type=3&theater

Local Coordination Committees in Syria:

Monday drew to an end with 150 martyrs in Syria, among them several women and children, 120 were martyred in Homs among them 75 unidentified bodies were found in Homsa Hospital, 16 martyrs in Idlib, 6 martyrs in Hama including 4 Free Syrian Army soldiers and 5 martyrs in Aleppo

Qamishli: Security forces attacked the town of Tal Ahmed Bano Sabee' amid a raid and arbitrary arrest campaign and firing into the air to terrorize residents, in addition to beating men, women and children from Revolution activists' families
4 hours ago

Deir Ezzor: Heavy clashes are reported between the Free Syrian Army and the regime's army near the residential project in Deir Atiq and Al-Furat University
4 hours ago

Damascus Suburbs: Deir Al-Asafir: A number of explosions were heard in town, but it is not clear where they took place
2 hours ago

Idlib: Khan Sheikhoun: A powerful explosion was heard in the city
about an hour ago

[visionary]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/03/world/...html?hpt=hp_t3

Despite a promise by the Syrian government to withdraw its forces from population centers, the military pounded opposition-held northern towns and clashed with defectors, activists said Tuesday.

The Syrian army shelled Binnish, Taftanaz and Taoum and its helicopters fired on fleeing civilians Tuesday, said the Binnish Coordination Committee, an opposition group.

"This is the most intense fighting we have witnessed thus far in Binnish since the beginning of the revolution," said Basher, an opposition activist. "We haven't seen this much random shelling on Binnish and the surrounding areas. They are using helicopters and randomly firing on civilians in the cities."

Crossfire and shelling in Taftanaz killed at least 10 people, an activist group in Binnish said.

Those towns are up in Idlib province.
The army has been afraid to do more than shell and raid the outskirts of some of them.




http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria

43 min 9 sec ago

An advance team from the UN peacekeeping department is expected in Damascus within 48 hours to discuss deployment of observers to monitor a ceasefire in Syria, the spokesman for international mediator Kofi Annan has said.

28 min 9 sec ago

Saudi and Qatari newspapers on Tuesday lashed out at Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki over his implicit criticism of Saudi Arabia and Qatar for their calls to arm Syrian rebels.

"Gulf (states) should boycott Maliki and his government," wrote Tariq al-Homayed, the editor of Asharq al-Awsat, calling for the "punishment of all who stand with the tyrant of Damascus, first and foremost Maliki's government."

"Boycott him to prevent the emergence of a new Saddam or another Bashar," wrote Homayed in the Saudi owned pan-Arab daily, referring to the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and Syria's embattled President Bashar al Assad.

26 min 8 sec ago

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said fighting was taking place in various parts of the country including in the southern province of Deraa, in northwest Idlib province, in central Homs and near the capital.

In Deraa fighting erupted overnight in the town of Inkhel after rebels attacked army checkpoints.

In the same region, dozens of troop carriers arrived in the town of Dael, where the army carried out raids and arrests the day before.

In Damascus province, fighting was reported in the towns of Douma and in Zabadani, where the army was carrying out arrests and raiding homes.

The Observatory said dozens of troop carriers had arrived in Zabadani early in the morning.

In central Homs, three civilians were killed in shelling of the city's Bayyada neighbourhood while regime forces backed by tanks were said to be moving on the region of Hula.

Wow, and still Zabadani struggles on despite being shelled and raided into submission months ago.


https://twitter.com/#!/columlynch

UN Monitoring mission fr Syria. 8 observers will arrive this week; 25 after April 10; followed by another 100, then another 100. Total #233
4:51 PM

Um...I fail to see how this is different than the failed Arab League monitoring mission....







https://twitter.com/#!/Bambuser_Alert

LIVE NOW: Big demo in Derzor City http://bambuser.com/v/2524078
10:13 AM

Shelling in Hama
http://bambuser.com/v/2523608

[visionary]

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria

15 min 37 sec ago

Syrian troops have began pulling out from some calm cities and headed back to their bases a week ahead of a deadline to implement an international ceasefire plan, a government official said.

The claim could not immediately be verified and activists near the capital Damascus denied troops were leaving their area.

They said the day government forces withdraw from streets, Syria will witness massive protests that will overthrow the government.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...type=3&theater

Local Coordination Committees in Syria:

The number of Syrian martyrs today has risen to 20 including 3 women and 2 mentally ill people. 7 martyrs in Idlib (5 of them are in Taftanaz), 10 martyrs in Homs, 2 martyrs in Daraa, and 1 martyr in Damascus Suburbs

Syrian tanks pour into Inkhil Daraa


FSA blow up a tank in Idlib


Helicopter attacking Tafatanaz, Idlib

[visionary]

https://twitter.com/#!/NMSyria

BREAKING: Car explosion rocks Mazzeh - Damascus. Explosion took place in the Sheik Sa'ad area near the government bakery.
2:14 PM

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...type=3&theater

Hama: Kafr Nabouda: The regime's army wages a security campaign resulting in the shelling of two activists' homes with tanks
about an hour ago

Homs: A very huge explosion was heard in Wa'er neighborhood most probably as a result of several missiles shelled the district
24 minutes ago

https://twitter.com/#!/British_Syrian

The twitter campaign for Noura Al-Jizawi is still on. Join them and spread the word about Noura's story... http://fb.me/1Lc26a9eu
3:59 PM

https://twitter.com/#!/tweets4peace

For me, it's not just Freedom4Noura, she has contact with every city across Syria--her arrest will slowly dismantle citizen journo network
4:03 PM

For me, if I can save 1 life after Nouras arrest I will, she was so involved in everything, regime will get a lot from her.
4:05 PM

Plz warn activists in Syria, so far 7 females and 5 males were caught since Noura's arrest, warn people so we can keep moving
4:07 PM

https://twitter.com/#!/British_Syrian

Rastan: a child is found in a building that has been shelled to rubble. http://fb.me/YJ8GOFZ3

https://twitter.com/#!/tweets4peace

761 documented females killed by Assad forces [up to 31/03/2012] - how many more?
11422 documented males killed by Assad forces [up to 31/03/2012] - how many more?
4:20 PM

The shelling and burning of homes and schools continued today in Homs and Idlib destroying the basics of society.
4:28 PM

So the current total is something like 12,413, if we add in numbers from the last couple of days, but not including today.



https://twitter.com/#!/ArabSpringFF

Assad's forces shelled the Aleppo way area in Hama very heavily today with anti-aircraft weapons. The heaviest shelling I have ever heard.
4:30 PM

A relative of mine got injured from this random shooting by regime thugs today. Why do they shoot randomly at windows? It's terrorism.
4:40 PM

There might be good news from Baba Amr soon. Stay tuned ......
4:52 PM

Baba Amr martyrs battalion of the FSA say they are attacking Assad's troops in the neighbourhood and v. heavy clashes ongoing.
4:56 PM

Tanks in Homs yesterday


---------- Post added April-3rd-2012 at 05:18 PM ----------

At first I was thinking, "Wait...why are they updating this with the same number of deaths?'
Then I sadly realized that this was just from one town....

Idlib: Taftanaz: The number of martyrs in the town today has reached 20 including a woman and 2 handicap men.

The martyrs are: Fatima Ma'sous, 70 years old and her husband Ali Ma'sous, Mohamad Ali Al-Akhen, 2 brothers had mental problem who are Osama and Khaled Darwish Al-ali, Thaer and Ahmad Imad Shelli, Mohamad Turki Bakdash, Hussein Ali Ghazal, Ali Ahmad Ghazal, Nasser Ghazi Ghazal, AbdulMuttaleb Ghazal, Wael Abdulrahman Ghazal, Ayman Walid Hamoud Ghazal, Mohamad Mustafa Bakdash, Imad Amasha, Mahmud Abdulhamid Shaaban, Omar Abdulwahab Ghazal and Ibrahim Abdulwahab Ghazal
32 seconds ago

(I only count 19 names though, maybe one is unidentified?)



https://twitter.com/#!/ArabSpringFF

There is a massacre today in Taftanaz, it's being shelled with heavy artillery there are 20 martyrs so far.
5:14 PM

It's a crazy night in Syria. Gunfire, shelling, explosions and deaths everywhere. So many areas are being shelled at this moment.
5:17 PM

The nightly shelling on Homs has begun. Khaldiyah, Qusoor and Qarabis neighbourhoods being shelled.
5:42 PM

[visionary]

https://twitter.com/#!/MaryamSaleh_

URGENT: Homs: al-Waar has been encircled by security forces and shabiha. It is now besieged. via @MulhamJundi
6:02 PM

An impt video that shows 2 shells falling on al-Wadi al-Sayeh (Hamediye) in Homs, majority Christian http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycMfdZG9wf4
6:15 PM

Today in Homs: 15 martyrs and lots and lots of destruction http://fb.me/VMMqWLol
5:56 PM

https://twitter.com/#!/ArabSpringFF

There are explosions and heavy gunfire still coming out of Baba Amr near Jobar area.
6:41 PM

https://twitter.com/#!/IbnOmar2005

A child shot by a sniper in the eye. This is Syria. This is every single day. Where is the UN?
6:43 PM

https://twitter.com/#!/AlexanderPageSY

BREAKING: regime forces have just stormed the area by AbuBakr Mosque in Banyas and are now setting residents cars on fire
6:41 PM

BREAKING: Clashes right now in the BabaAmr area of Homs, this comes after FSA attack military checkpoints
6:51 PM

BREAKING: regime military in the hundreds now storming the Madamiyah area of Damascus moving from Al Rawda St. to Hurreya Sq.
7:22 PM

BREAKING: regime forces now storming Madamiyah suburb of Damascus 100s of soldiers in the Baladiyeh sq. moving towards rawda St.
7:25 PM

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...17848338242310

The Local Coordination Committees in Syria:

Tuesday came to a close with the fall of 74 martyrs, among them 33 from Idlib, of whom 20 were martyred in a new massacre committed by the regime in Taftanaz. Another 21 martyrs fell in Homs, among them 2 women. In Aleppo, 6 martyrs were reported; 5 in Hama; 4 in Daraa; 2 in the Damascus Suburbs; 1 in Deir Ezzor; 1 in Hasakeh; and 1 in Lattakia
33 minutes ago

[visionary]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/04/world/...html?hpt=wo_c1

Violence rages in Syria despite high-level diplomacy

Clashes, shelling and raids erupted across Syria on Wednesday as high-level diplomats worked to foster peace in the restive country.

Syrian activist groups report government-instigated violence in the provinces of Homs, Idlib, the Damascus countryside and Deir Ezzor. At least 48 people have been killed on Wednesday across Syria, the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria said.

Military aircraft renewed their shelling on the opposition-held city of Taftanaz, dissidents in the nearby city of Binnish said Wednesday. Both are in Idlib province.

"The residents of Binnish are fleeing," an activist said, but people in Taftanaz "are not able to flee because they are surrounded by the Syrian army."

The LCC count has six dead in Idlib, but one activist in Binnish is reporting at least 20 deaths in Taftanaz.

https://twitter.com/#!/ArabSpringFF

Storming of Hama began in the very early morning, you could hear the sound of tanks and armored vehicles moving everywhere.
2:17 AM

The heavy army deployment in Hama is part of their fear campaign. Also, what sort of withdrawal does an army send MORE troops? A good sign about this storming of Hama is that they have not turned off communications yet. This means bad things won't happen immediately.
2:31 AM

I have a bad feeling about what's happening now. It's a massive military campaign planned on Hama, but it's been preparing for hours.
2:50 AM

Raids are beginning on the outskirts of Hama and will move towards the center. There's snipers in several places. Syria must go now
2:57 AM

Regime forces are carrying out random arrests in Hama and destroying peoples property. Saw a thug smashing car windows walking in the street
6:54 AM

You can still walk around Hama without being shot, but there is searches, raids and random arrests. 1000x better than situation in Homs.
6:59 AM

https://twitter.com/#!/BigAlBrand

Seems like we're up next. People in my street are panicking and fleeing the neighborhood. Shelling is getting closer.
10:46 AM

I can see missiles hitting buildings and smoke coming up since yesterday. It's not a good view.
10:47 AM

An injured child was just rushed into my neighbor's house to be treated with what we have. It's a horrible feeling when you can't help a kid
10:52 AM

A bunch of unarmed young men are watching the streets to warn everyone in case the attack takes place soon. Brave Homsis.
10:56 AM

My area never saw battle in the past year. No FSA near us. Nobody owns a gun here. We don't even have a Sattelite phone.
10:59 AM

thank you, but I'd rather die than become a refugee. I'm stubborn and very proud.
11:01 AM

Syria, Homs, Ghouta
11:01 AM

https://twitter.com/#!/ArabSpringFF

Homs: Heavy shelling is reported in Al-Ghouta, and a number of wounded fell after the regime shelled Ibrahim Al-Moussly Street.
11:09 AM

Two shells fell on Ghouta, Homs a few minutes ago. 8 injuries and the death of Mohammed Rifai Jandali.
11:17 AM

Homs: Ghouta: Mohammed Jandali 17 years old was killed by shelling and young lady Aaba Sharaf al-Din, 16 years old was shot dead by a sniper
11:24 AM

9 shells have fell on Ghouta neighbourhood with in half an hour.
11:41 AM

So apparently withdrawing, means shelling and shooting unarmed teenagers to death.
I wish I could say I'm shocked.


https://twitter.com/#!/Samsomhoms

Shelling this afternoon spread to Ghouta in the west of Homs , decreasing number of Sunni neighborhoods not yet shelled to 3
11:31 AM

No armed presence in Ghouta yet regime started shelling it this afternoon. 100s of families have fled to Ghouta recently
11:33 AM

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/liveblog/Syria

10 hours 51 min ago

Abdelbasset Saroot, the former Syria international goalkeeper, said on Tuesday his country's athletes do not want to compete in this year's London Olympics because "they don't want to play for a flag that they have no pride or faith in".

In an interview with ITV News, 20-year-old Saroot said: "I personally know the majority of the athletes don't want to take part and they are only going (out of) fear (for) their families - the regime repercussions if they don't comply."

Saroot, whose country failed to qualify for this summer's Olympic soccer tournament after a 2-1 defeat by Uzbekistan last month, is a supporter of the anti-government protests in Syria.

"My message as a footballer, athlete and activist first of all is that we are seeing a real massacre here and the world isn't speaking except of numbers and death tolls.

"These are real people, this is a massacre because people are being butchered, people in the world have forgotten about the humanitarian crisis - houses are being demolished."

http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/r...JQKQa0.twitter

BEIRUT, April 4 (Reuters) - Syria's Red Crescent distribution centre in the city of Homs, centre of an anti-government uprising, was burned to the ground on Wednesday, activists and a source close to the group said.

There were conflicting reports about what caused the fire.

Some activists said the building burst into flames after shelling on the neighbourhood of Qarabees, which has seen intense clashes between the army and rebels during the year-long uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.

However a source close to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said unknown saboteurs set fire to the building, which had been a warehouse for a government company before being donated to the Red Crescent as an aid distribution centre.

"Somebody set fire to that building. People knew what that building was, and what was in it," the source said. "Sadly, the Red Crescent was supposed to do an aid distribution today."

Was anyone in the building? This seems rather strange.
Keep in mind that the Syrian Red Crescent is somewhat controlled by the government.
They aren't trusted by the people there and have been accused of aiding in torture and arrests of the wounded.
On the other hand I don't really see any direct benefit in burning the building....
So either it was hit by accident in the shelling, some people did it in anger or as a protest, or perhaps one side burnt it to blame the other.
It seems a bit odd that there weren't guards or people near it at the time though....



http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...17848338242310

Idlib: Taftanaz: The regime's army committed another massacre, which led to a number of martyrs and wounded. It is not possible to count the casualties because most of them are under rubble. In addition to the continuous shelling, all communications have been cut off. The humanitarian situation is dire due to the lack of medical supplies
7 minutes ago

So far there's been at least 30 killed there in two days.
Remember that this is a small town in a more rural area of Syria.
So even a few deaths are huge blows to the commmunity.
Not to mention the terror and destruction they are dealing with.

[visionary]

https://twitter.com/#!/abuhatem

So they decided to just destroy all of Homs - Ghouta, Baba Amro, Bab Sibaa, Khaldiyeh, Karam al-Zaytoon, Hamidiyeh, etc. etc.
12:21 PM

https://twitter.com/#!/ArabSpringFF

I think tonight's shelling on Hama with anti-aircraft guns is going to be much worse because lots of anti-air guns came in today.
12:15 PM

Hama last night. This is what I mean when I say extremely heavy gunfire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59JRKmQVPbg
12:21 PM

https://twitter.com/#!/ArabSpringFF

Formation of the Knights of Aleppo Battalion of the FSA inside Aleppo city.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7ya3_NeMrk
12:55 PM

1 month old girl in Khalidiyah starving, extremely thin, injured and close to death
1:38 PM

Why is the regime trying to destroy Taftanaz? They protest meters away from his tanks, not afraid of his thugs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUZd0GAqaXs
3:12 PM

Hama: Big demo in the Aleppo way area despite the huge regime army presence all over the city http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc7sj...ature=youtu.be
3:24 PM

The FSA repelled the regime army attack on Deir Balba in Homs.
3:28 PM

Amazing defiance. Big protest in Khaldiyah, Homs, despite the heavy shelling on the neighbourhood. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmQZkZPiXBw
5:00 PM

Taftanaz, Idlib

Aleppo Way, Hama

Khaldiya, Homs



http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...17848338242310

The Local Coordination Committees:

Wednesday drew to a close with 61 martyrs, including 8 children and 4 women. 26 martyrs were reported in Homs, 10 in Idlib, 16 in the Damascus Suburbs, 4 in Daraa, 3 in Hama, and 2 in the Aleppo suburbs. It is important to note than this overall number does include the martyrs of Taftanaz in Idlib, whose exact number is unknown because of the tight siege the regime has imposed on the town
4 hours ago

I think the current overall death toll is about 12,548 (adding the last few days' numbers to the recent total from the end of March)