Syrian Civil War: News

IN more news... United Terrorist states of Israel is saying will train more terrorist to combat "isis" and Assad. and that 400 military trainers will escort them.. they plan to recruit and train 15,000+ fighters.. is their plans..

http://rt.com/news/223207-pentagon-syria-us-opposition/


Kind of hypocrite how no one in europe in 4 years protest NATO war in Syria and support of terrorist..
groups.. that have killed 200,000 people already in the war.. with about 20,000+ civilians.
but 10 civilians day in france and the entire world united against Terrorism.

Recent Interview days ago with President Assad. with the Czech paper Literarni Noviny.

===================================================


Question 1: Mr. President, I would like to start from the beginning. Less than a decade ago, Syria was building its relations with the west, and you were implementing World Bank-proposed reforms, and Mr. Kerry, until 2010, I believe, used to call you “my dear friend,” and somehow, overnight, everything changed, and you became a dictator and a Hitler and so on. What’s your opinion about that? How can you explain this dramatic change?

President Assad: In fact, I haven’t changed, neither have we changed our policies, values or principles. The problem lies with the West, and it’s not a new problem. It is related to the independence of our country. In fact, this is the problem of the west with many other countries, including Syria. During the period you refer to concerning relations with the West, between 2008 and 2010, relations were good, but in fact they were not based on mutual respect. For instance, France wanted Syria to play a role with Iran concerning the nuclear file. What was required was not to be part of that file, but to convince Iran to take steps which are against its interests. We refused to do that. They also wanted us to take a position against resistance in our region before putting an end to Israeli occupation and aggression against the Palestinians and other neighboring countries. We refused that too. They wanted us to sign the Euro-Association Agreement which was against our interests and was meant to turn our country into an open market for their products while giving us a very small share of their markets. We refused to do that because it is against the interests of the Syrian people.
These are a few examples of that relationship, and that’s why they took that decision. The same is happening now with Russia; two decades ago, Russia was a close friend of the West. Suddenly, Russia became an aggressive country; and the West started to demonize President Putin, and the same propaganda was used in both the Syrian and Russian cases. So, the problem has to do with the independence of these countries. The West wants client states ruled by puppets. This is the core issue with the West. It has nothing to do with democracy, freedom, or supporting the people in the region. An example is what happened in Libya and the continuing killing in Syria with Western support.

Question 2: But in those times, the beginning of the so-called American war on terrorism, Syria used to help the CIA in the rendition programs and interrogating and torturing people. Why did you join that program?
President Assad: You mean before the crisis?
Journalist: Yes.

President Assad: We have been suffering from extremism for more than five decades. And terrorism, in its stark shape, appeared in Syria in the 1970s. At that time we called for international cooperation to fight terrorism. Nobody cared about that then. In the West, they were not aware of this problem. That’s why we have always been ready to help and cooperate with any country that wants to fight terrorism. And for that reason we helped the Americans, and we are always ready to join any country which is sincere about fighting terrorism. We will never change our position in that regard, before, during, or after the crisis. The problem of the west is that it did not understand how to deal with this issue. They believed that fighting terrorism is similar to a computer game, which is not true. Fighting terrorism should be through culture, the economy, and in different fields.


Question 3: Regarding this question of terrorism, you heard about events in France recently, what are your comments about that?

President Assad: When you talk about terrorism, about killing civilians, and regardless of the political position, agreement or disagreement with the people who have been killed, this is a case of terrorism; and we are against killing innocent people anywhere in the world. This is our principle.
We are one of the countries which best understand this issue because we have been suffering from terrorism for the past four years and we lost thousands of innocent lives in Syria. That’s why we sympathize with the families of those victims. However, and at the same time, we want to remind many people in the West that we have been talking about these repercussions since the beginning of the crisis in Syria. We have been saying, you shouldn’t support terrorism and provide it with a political umbrella, because this will reflect on your countries and your people.
They didn’t listen to us. Western politicians were short-sighted and narrow-minded. What happened in France proved that what we said was true. At the same time, this incident brought European policies to account, because they are responsible for what happened in our region, for what happened in France, and maybe what happened earlier in other European countries.



=============================
full interview.. transcript

https://www.facebook.com/syria24english/posts/796095093759608:0

US to Send 400 Trainers, Hundreds Support Staff to Aid Syrian Opposition

US defense officials have confirmed they are going to send about 400 trainers and hundreds of supporting military personnel to aid Syria's opposition; Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar have agreed to host the training.

MOSCOW, January 16 (Sputnik) – US is going to send 400 military personnel to train Syrian opposition, according to the military news website Defense One.

The trainers will be accompanied by hundreds of supporting military staff, “so-called enabling forces who will deploy alongside the trainers to provide security and other support at the training sites”, the website says.

The training is expected to begin as early as March.

Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have agreed to provide the training grounds, the website ArmyTimes quotes Commander Elissa Smith, a Defense Department spokeswoman as confirming.

Smith did not have information on which particular services the trainers would deliver, but said the number of trainers could fluctuate based on course load, course requirements and other variables.

At least four training sites in those countries are being identified, says Defense One, and the 400 US trainers and their accompanying support forces are going to be split evenly across the sites.

The training cycle is expected to last six to eight weeks.

America's coalition partners are also expected to contribute forces for the effort.

The effort is reportedly aimed to defeat the Islamic State militants who seized large swaths of Syria and Iraq, according to Associated Press. However it remains unclear what particular opposition group in Syria is going to be aided.

The disclosure of the planned troop deployments for the Syria training mission came just days after senior US officials met Syrian opposition and civil society leaders in Istanbul to discuss the program, Reuters reports on Friday.

US Major General Michael Nagata, Combined Joint Interagency Task Force — Syria Director, and US Special Envoy for Syria Daniel Rubinstein led the meeting on the US side.

“These introductory meetings were an important step as we prepare to launch the train-and-equip program later this spring with our international partners," the agency quotes Pentagon spokeswoman Commander Elissa Smith as saying.

George1 wrote:US to Send 400 Trainers, Hundreds Support Staff to Aid Syrian Opposition

US defense officials have confirmed they are going to send about 400 trainers and hundreds of supporting military personnel to aid Syria's opposition; Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar have agreed to host the training.

MOSCOW, January 16 (Sputnik) – US is going to send 400 military personnel to train Syrian opposition, according to the military news website Defense One.

The trainers will be accompanied by hundreds of supporting military staff, “so-called enabling forces who will deploy alongside the trainers to provide security and other support at the training sites”, the website says.

The training is expected to begin as early as March.

Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have agreed to provide the training grounds, the website ArmyTimes quotes Commander Elissa Smith, a Defense Department spokeswoman as confirming.

Smith did not have information on which particular services the trainers would deliver, but said the number of trainers could fluctuate based on course load, course requirements and other variables.

At least four training sites in those countries are being identified, says Defense One, and the 400 US trainers and their accompanying support forces are going to be split evenly across the sites.

The training cycle is expected to last six to eight weeks.

America's coalition partners are also expected to contribute forces for the effort.

The effort is reportedly aimed to defeat the Islamic State militants who seized large swaths of Syria and Iraq, according to Associated Press. However it remains unclear what particular opposition group in Syria is going to be aided.

The disclosure of the planned troop deployments for the Syria training mission came just days after senior US officials met Syrian opposition and civil society leaders in Istanbul to discuss the program, Reuters reports on Friday.

US Major General Michael Nagata, Combined Joint Interagency Task Force — Syria Director, and US Special Envoy for Syria Daniel Rubinstein led the meeting on the US side.

“These introductory meetings were an important step as we prepare to launch the train-and-equip program later this spring with our international partners," the agency quotes Pentagon spokeswoman Commander Elissa Smith as saying.

Russia, Iran and China will respond to this.





Down with Zionist imperialism.

Vann7 wrote:

IN more news...  United Terrorist states of Israel is saying will train more terrorist to combat "isis" and Assad. and that 400 military trainers will escort them.. they plan to recruit and train 15,000+ fighters.. is their plans..

http://rt.com/news/223207-pentagon-syria-us-opposition/


Kind of hypocrite how no one in europe in 4 years protest NATO war in Syria and support of terrorist..
groups.. that have killed 200,000 people already in the war.. with about 20,000+ civilians.  
but 10 civilians day in france and the entire world united against Terrorism.  

They where supporting terrorist for the past 4 years now. Its nothing new except they dont pretend as much as before.

George1 wrote:Syria Solution Depends on Nations Stopping Arms Flows: Former US Ambassador

Robert Ford is an example of the Hypocrisy of the american political elite.. Robert Ford helped organize the unrest
in Syria and the author of the "Syrian revolution".. through US AID program..  He visited the rebels fighting in Syria from Turkey too.. and gave weapons to them..

Is as hypocrite as Netanyahu and Turkey foreign minister attending the march anti terrorism in France,
while their country host ISIS fighters and supply them with weapons to fight  in Syria.

The solution to Syria is not that Russia stop helping the legitimate government..
But that United States stop its illegal criminal war against Syria ,that Obama and McCAIn are arrested for treason
for supporting ISIS and the remaining government sanction Turkey and Israel and Saudi arabia for funding ISIS .
The war will end when americans overthrow their government or the entire world pressure OBAMA and US congress and Senate to stop their illegal war in Syria. and their support to Islamic Mercenaries..to destroy their country.

This last one is the more easier ..because hardly americans will do anything. Europe can threaten Obama that if he does not stop its illegal proxy criminal war in Syria and Ukraine ,that they will leave NATO and cut relations.. that will scare the shit of them... because without Europe ,NATO cannot exist and not even US navy will be allowed in the medditerranean sea or baltic ,if no one allows their warships to enter their countries..

Syrian Opposition Groups Unite Over Political Solution to Conflict

Representatives of Syria’s main opposition groups agreed that Syrian conflict can only have a political solution.

A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) and taken in Damascus on March 8, 2014 shows Syrian President Bashar al-Assad addressing members of the ruling Baath party during a meeting marking the 51st anniversary of the party's ascent to power.

CAIRO, January 24 (Sputnik) — Representatives of Syria’s main opposition groups have reached an agreement that the Syrian conflict can only have a political solution, according to a joint statement released on Saturday.

“The purpose of the negotiation process is the transition to a democratic regime and civil sovereign state. The conflict in Syria can only have a national political solution,” the statement read. According to the agreement, the conflict resolution should be based on the Geneva peace talks.

The statement came after Syria’s largest opposition fractions, including the exiled Syrian National Coalition and the National Coordination Committee, held a two-day conference in Cairo.

A civil war broke out in Syria in 2011 following major anti-government protests. Government forces are currently battling a number of comparably moderate opposition rebels, as well as extremist groups such as Islamic State. According to UN estimates, nearly 200,000 people have been killed in the conflict, while millions have been displaced.

Two UN-backed conferences on Syrian conflict resolution were held in Geneva in 2012 and early 2014, failing to yield significant results.

Syrian government representatives and a number of opposition groups are scheduled to meet for talks in Moscow from January 26 to 29 after Russian authorities suggested holding an informal meeting to revive Syrian peace negotiations.

American sanctimonious hypocrisy shows it's ugly face again, with all accusations of U.S. media accusing Assad of using barrel bombs, it turns out that the U.S. pioneered the use of barrel bombs in Vietnam:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_helicopter#Helicopter_bombing_uses

Former US Army 4 start general point fingers at US allies in middle east for creating ISIS..

Wesley Clark: "Our friends and allies funded ISIS to destroy Hezbollah"



Sadly this is just half truth.. he did not mention MCAIN shaking hands with ISIS leader..
and saying in public how he talks to them "all the time " and know them.. We are witnessing the
legalization in the world of Terrorism ,and Crime against 20 millions civilians in Syria.

http://errymath.blogspot.com/2014/10/better-weapons-in-isis-hands.html#.VOyYSiiZjYk

Second Round of Syrian Talks in Moscow May Be Held in April – Diplomat

According to Russian deputy foreign minister, the next meeting of intra-Syrian reconciliation talks members is scheduled to take place in April.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The second round of Syrian reconciliation talks in Moscow may take place in April, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said Friday.

‘The next meeting is scheduled [to take place] possibly in April, depending on how the situation will unfold,” Gatilov said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov may meet with UN special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura on March 2, Gennady Gatilov said.

“The issue of the meeting with de Mistura is being developed, and it could occur on March 2,” Gatilov said.

Gatilov did not specify what the possible meeting may entail, but said there would be “an exchange of opinions on the first round of intra-Syrian consultations that were held in Moscow.”

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/politics/20150227/1018832855.html#ixzz3SwFZ3ur0

Or maybe he's just playing coy:

Once a top booster, ex-U.S. envoy no longer backs arming Syrian rebels

US Intel Chief: Turkish ‘Permissiveness’ Aiding IS

Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper complained about a “permissive” climate in Turkey that was allowing ISIS to grow and bring in recruits from abroad.
http://news.antiwar.com/2015/02/27/us-intel-chief-turkish-permissiveness-aiding-isis/



For $25    wannabe ISIS militants cross from Turkey into Syria
Turkey's 500-mile border with Syria remains permeable, serving as a "jihadi highway" for wannabe fighters, in the control of Turkish criminal gangs and border guards that can easily be bribed for a rather insignificant sum of money.
Jasim Qalthim, one of many Turkish smugglers, told the Huffington Post that the Turks "could make it [smuggling] harder if they wanted."
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/For-25-wannabe-ISIS-militants-cross-from-Turkey-into-Syria-392475



All It Takes To Cross From Turkey To ISIS-Held Syria Is $25
Despite Turkey’s insistence that it’s doing all it can to secure the 500-mile-long border, smugglers, fighters and refugees say that Turkish criminal gangs and bribed Turkish paramilitary police have created an environment where anyone can cross into Syria, for a price.
“When [the Turks] close one area, they open up another,” Jasim Qalthim, a 30-year-old smuggler in this Turkish border town of Karkemish, told The WorldPost.
Some smugglers “buy” a particular section of the border for a half an hour at a time from an Islamic State “emir,” or prince, who controls the border guards, he says.
www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/26/turkey-syria-smuggling_n_6758672.html



Turkey and US agree to train and arm Syrian rebels in fight against Isis(aka Asad)
Turkey and the United States signed an agreement Thursday to train and arm Syrian rebels fighting the Islamic State group, said the US embassy in Ankara.
www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/19/turkey-us-train-syrian-rebels-fight-isis

hi all, not sure if anyone has read about this in the last 8 days 3 rebel groups defect or laid down there weapons to the Syrian Army, some have joined the National defence forces. Just goes to show evn the Syrian people are starting to realise life wasnt all bad under Assad, and i bet they all regret it all, and wish things were back to how they were before the civil war.
Details of the groups are as follows:

The head of the Rebel Aligned Al-Anfal Brigade, alongside 70 of its fighters, laid down their weapons to the Syrian army they were based in the Southern suburbs of Damascus.

The Liwaa Hateen Brigade from Rif Dimashq Governorate defected to the National Defense Forces. According to a source in Damascus, the rebel group is comprised of as many as 160 fighters that are spread across Yarmouk Camp, Al-Tadamon, and Hajar Al-Aswad.

The Rebel Aligned Liwaa Sham Al-Rasoul brigade surrendered to the Syrian Government-backed National Defense Forces at Beit Sahm area.

links below.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/11/us-mideast-crisis-defections-idUSKBN0M722D20150311

http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/rebel-brigade-defects-to-the-national-defense-forces-in-southern-damascus/

http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/rebel-group-surrenders-and-defects-to-national-defense-forces-at-beit-sahm/

Crew of crashed Syrian helicopter captured by Islamists - media

BEIRUT, March 22. /TASS/. The crew of a Syrian military helicopter that crashed in the northwestern Idlib province has been captured by gunmen of the Jabhat al-Nusra group, Lebanese Daily Star on-line said on Sunday.

According to Daily Star, Islamists captured four of the crew and one more man was killed by armed men in a neighbouring village.

Earlier on Sunday, SANA news agency reported a crash of a Syrian military helicopter in the Idlib province, said on Sunday. According to SANA, the accident was caused by a technical malfunction. "The search operation to rescue the helicopter’s crew in underway," the news agency quoted a Syrian military source. Damascus has not yet officially confirmed the seizure of the crew.

On January 18, thirty-five men - the crew and servicemen of the Syrian army - were killed in the crash of a Syrian military helicopter in Idlib. The crash was caused by bad weather. The pilot was trying an emergency landing in thick fog at the Abu al-Duhur airport 50 kilometres east of the city of Idlib, the administrative centre of the province. The helicopter was carrying munitions and foods for servicemen deployed at a military base.

ISIL Launches Offensive on Syrian Army in Homs

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20150323/1019897631.html#ixzz3VEMqV5Vt

Syrian rebel groups congratulate Netanyahu on his election victory




Various Syrian rebel group leaders have sent congratulatory messages to newly re-elected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to an Israeli Druse who has acted as a go-between with Israel.

“We extend to you and the great leadership of the Israeli people our warmest congratulations and blessings in the democratic wedding witnessed by the State of Israel,” wrote one opposition political activist, Musa Al-Nabhan, in a letter sent to Mendi Safadi and shared with The Jerusalem Post.

Specifically, Nabhan addressed his congratulations to Netanyahu as well as newly elected Druse Likud MK Ayoub Kara, adding, “We hope that your government will continue to provide the necessary support to the Syrian people, which are fond of you and looking to build the best of relations on all levels.”

Nabhan also thanked Kara and Safadi for their efforts.

Safadi served as former deputy minister Ayoub Kara’s chief of staff and has independently met with members of the liberal and democratic Syrian opposition who oppose the Islamists and want friendly relations with Israel.

Safadi also met with Syrian rebel leaders last week and has previously met with them in Europe and has traveled in the region, met with activists, and relayed messages from them to the Prime Minister’s Office.

He was responsible for relaying the congratulatory letters from the Syrian opposition to then President-elect Reuven Rivlin.

Safadi told the Post that he had received two official letters and numerous other calls, including from officers in the western-backed Free Syrian Army.

Another letter from The Revolutionary Assembly for the Future of Syria, addressed Netanyahu, saying, “We received with great hope and joy the news of your victory...and hope that you will continue, along with advisor Mr. Mendi Safadi, to support the Syrian revolution.”

Safadi said that the rebels thanked Israel for its humanitarian support.

"If the West implemented a strategy with the Free Syrian Army in all parts of Syria similar to that which was implemented in aid and military support to the Kurds in Kobani, Islamic State and al-Qaida’s Nusra Front would be swiftly removed from the battlefield,” argued Safadi.

Regarding reports that Israel has treated Nusra Front fighters in its hospitals, Safadi says that these rumors originated from sources close to the Syrian regime, which is trying to defame Israel by linking it to the jihadists.

“Israel unequivocally does not come under any contact of any kind with the Nusra Front or any other Islamist group since it is clear to everyone that these are a source of danger for the security of the state,” he added.


http://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Syrian-rebel-groups-congratulate-Netanyahu-on-his-election-victory-394565

Syria claims shooting down of US drone over Latakia





The Syrian military says it has shot down a US drone near the city of Latakia, a stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad in north-west Syria.

US officials have said they lost contact with a drone but that it is unclear if it was shot down.
If confirmed it would be the first time Syrian forces have attacked a US aircraft since the start of coalition strikes against Islamic State (IS).

Syria has not been participating in the raids on IS.
The country's state-run Sana news agency described the unmanned surveillance plane as "hostile", without giving further details. The Pentagon said it was looking into the incident.

An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft - it is not clear what model has been shot down

The Pentagon said they lost contact with an MQ-1 Predator drone over north-west Syria

In a BBC interview last month, President Assad said "general messages" were provided to the Syrians about the coalition strikes via a third party.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31932233

Pics: