*Freedom Convoy to try to cross Syria border * Hundreds of Syrian and international activists will try to cross into Syria from Turkey and Jordan on Thursday in a bid to take humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, various sources said.
"Our aim is ... to deliver humanitarian aid to the families in the afflicted areas that suffer from daily brutal bombing and totally unacceptable living conditions," said a statement posted on the website of the group called "Freedom Convoy. The group composed of around 1,500 "independent young Syrians" accompanied by peace activists from all over the world intends to cross the border Thursday from Gaziantep in the southeast Turkey and from Ramtha, Jordan. If Syrian authorities refuse to let them cross, activists say they will stage a three-day sit-in protest on both sides of the border, with the participation of Syrian artists. "We think it is a sincere effort to challenge the regime and draw the attention of the international community to the seriousness of the situation on the ground," she added. Qadmani confirmed that 1,500 activists would take part in the convoy. "We know that this is roughly the number of people who will go there," she said. Interviewed by telephone, Freedom Convoy activist Zeyna Adi said the group would try to cross into Syria through Kilis, about 70 kilometers south of Gaziantep, on the road to Aleppo, Syria's second largest city. "We will have at least 500 people in Kilis," said the Syrian who came from Qatar to take part in the convoy. -*AFP/NOW Lebanon* ** 2114 GMT: *Fuel isn't the only thing that is in short supply in Syria.* Due to recent environmental issues, *the wheat harvest is down,* but the Syrian government appears that it may not be able to import the grain that it plans on using to supplement the shortfall: Syria's state grains agency, which traditionally purchases soft milling wheat via international tenders, is finding it difficult to secure food at competitive prices, European traders say. The agency Tuesday said it had rejected all tender offers and made no purchase in an international auction to buy 100,000 metric tons of wheat, citing expensive market prices. According to the Wall Street Journal<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204257504577152812303493678.html>, European traders are unwilling to sell grain without adding a risk premium, adding to Syria's inability to secure good pricing. Compounding Syria's problems, a large refugee population from Iraq. Localized food shortages are already being felt. Regions in particular need of food include Al Hasakah and Al Raqqah in the north and north-east, which suffered as rains slashed Syria's 2011 cereal crop by 11% based on the last five-year average, to 3.95 million tons. 2100 GMT: How bad are things in Syria? Well, Assad has essentially two strongholds, his capital city, Damascus, that has been rocked by bomb blasts and protests over the last few weeks, and the middle class business hub, Aleppo. Well, Aleppo appears to be running out of oil. Widespread, rolling blackouts are reported, especially at night, and there are huge fuel shortages at petrol stations across the city. There are reports of skyrocketing costs, and cars running out of gas<http://alwatan.sy/dindex.php?idn=115427>while waiting in long cues to refuel. On Monday, 1 person was killed and 2 others wounded in a knife fight<http://www.syria-news.com/readnews.php?sy_seq=142560>over fuel. If things are this bad in an Assad stronghold, one can only imagine how bad they have become in hotbeds of dissent. 2005 GMT: In defiance of the violence, large protests have continued across Syria well into the night. This was taken On the eastern outskirts of Damascus, we believe on al Ghouta street<http://maps.google.com/maps?q=%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%BA%D9%88%D8%B7%D8%A9,+damascus,+syria&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=33.503686,36.340799&spn=0.050027,0.090895&hq=%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%BA%D9%88%D8%B7%D8%A9,&hnear=Damascus,+Damascus+Governorate,+Syria&t=h&z=14&vpsrc=6> : *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxYBVT2jbNE&feature=player_embedded*<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxYBVT2jbNE&feature=player_embedded> Palmyra<http://www.citymaphq.com/syrian_arab_republic/muhafazat_hims/palmyra.html>, Homs: *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh3MsNusfkM&feature=player_embedded*<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh3MsNusfkM&feature=player_embedded> A large crowd in Sarmin<http://maps.google.com/maps?q=%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%86,+idlib,+syria&ie=UTF8&hnear=%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%8C+Idlib+District,+Idlib+Governorate,+Syria&gl=us&t=h&z=12&vpsrc=0>, Idlib hold an evening protest. One of the signs reads, "We ask - No Fly Zone" *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jfwPKqebuk&feature=player_embedded*<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jfwPKqebuk&feature=player_embedded> 1937 GMT: Once again, even away from Zahra, Homs, where French journalist Gilles Jacquier and 8 others were killed, it has been a bloody day in Syria. The LCCS reports that, besides the previously mentioned deaths, they have been able to confirm that 24 have been killed<http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=357550774272065&set=a.221856221174855.74557.217848338242310&type=1>across the country, "including five martyrs who died under torture and three defected soldiers. 9 martyrs in Hama, 10 martyrs in Homs, two martyrs in each of Aleppo, Idlib, and a martyr in Lattakia." This number would also not count the 4 soldiers reportedly killed northwest of Damascus (see update at 1814 GMT<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/1/11/syria-bahrain-and-beyond-live-coverage-after-the-speech-the.html#1925> ). 1925 GMT: This video, *which has several graphic moments*, appears to show journalist Gilles Jacquier, and others, investigating the site of an explosion today in Homs. Towards the middle of the video, a large explosion can be heard below, and the rest of the video shows the aftermath of the explosion, as bodies, and the wounded, are loaded into taxi cabs, presumably for transit to hospitals. We cannot be sure, but it appears that Jacquier's body appears several times. Also, he appears to be visible on the stairs, before the explosion. The video is revealing for several reasons. First of all, small devices are held up at several points, which could be the remnants of RPG rockets (we're not sure). Also, it is unclear if the journalists were specifically targeted. They were not in a convoy (the initial reports were that the vehicle they were traveling in was hit, and that does not appear to be the case). They also appear to be away from large crowds. http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?next_url=/watch%3Fv%3Dq0hRhhyiM_4%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded 1810 GMT: There are now multiple reports of protests in Aleppo. According to LCCS<http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=357506767609799&set=a.221856221174855.74557.217848338242310&type=1>and other sources, a "large" protest started near the Hassan Mosque, in the Hamidaniyah district of the city (MAP<http://wikimapia.org/#lat=36.1767519&lon=37.1134901&z=15&l=0&m=b&search=%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AC%D8%AF%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%86>). As we mentioned earlier, any protests in Aleppo are important news. However, it also appears, according to the Local Coordinating Committees, that the security apparatus has arrested a high-profile dissident at the university in Aleppo<http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=357494250944384&set=a.221856221174855.74557.217848338242310&type=1> : Military security department summoned this morning Mustafa Harba, the head of the Student Association in Human Medicine Department in Aleppo University (6th year student). After entering the department his mobile phone was turned off and no news are heard of him since. It is to mentioned that he was summoned to the same department last Sunday 1745 GMT: Dramatic video from Kafar nboutha<http://www.citymaphq.com/syrian_arab_republic/hama/kafer_nboude.html>, Hama, where Syrian security forces have reportedly been attacking the area around the mosque <http://www.facebook.com/LCCSy/posts/281498985240817>, and the Minaret itself, with shells and heavy machine guns. Due to the poor weather, it is hard to see if any gunfire is actually hitting the mosque: *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z6yTlgQrfU&feature=player_embedded*<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z6yTlgQrfU&feature=player_embedded> 1736 GMT: We have an unconfirmed report, from a fairly high-profile activist, that a car bomb has gone off in Aleppo<https://twitter.com/#!/ZainSyr/statuses/157150357351436289> : A car exploded in Saad Allah Al-Jabri and security forces surrounds the area We're not exactly sure where that is, and we will continue to look for details of the event. 1706 GMT: This video reportedly shows protesters greeting the Arab League observers today in the city of Amouda<http://www.citymaphq.com/syrian_arab_republic/muhafazat_al_hasakah/amouda.html>, in the Hasaka governorate: *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4e9hECgRjg&feature=player_embedded*<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4e9hECgRjg&feature=player_embedded> 1644 GMT: The LCCS posts this leaked footage<http://www.facebook.com/LCCSy/posts/332444533447109>, which appears to show plain-clothed men (Shabiha) working alongside Syrian military in Idlib. They appear to make several arrests, and spend much of the video shooting randomly into the city as they smile and intimidate the residents. From their actions and demeanor, they do not appear to be taking any return fire. The video is leaked. From what we've been told by many sources in Syria, soldiers are actually paid by the opposition to hand over videos such as these, though sometimes leaked footage is also taken and released by soldiers who are interested in defection, according to sources. 1621 GMT: Several EA sources have expressed doubt that an opposition attack, especially an RPG attack, would even be possible in the neighborhood where French journalist Gilles Jacquier was killed. Activists post this map<http://syriamap.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/homs_111115_update.jpg>, showing the frequency of protests in Homs, by neighborhood. The neighborhood of Zahra<http://maps.google.com/maps?q=%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1,+homs,+syria&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=34.727117,36.731393&spn=0.011569,0.022724&sll=34.734683,36.721523&sspn=0.011568,0.022724&vpsrc=6&hnear=Al+Zahra,+Hims%E2%80%8E,+Homs,+Homs+Governorate,+Syria&t=h&z=16>is to the east of center, and has been nearly protest free since the start of the protests According to activists, this is where the attack took place<http://twitter.com/KareemLailah/statuses/157126600431906817> : According to sources, the few protests that have occurred in Zahra were mainly comprised of protesters marching into the area from outside, and that in recent weeks, the largely pro-Assad neighborhood<http://twitter.com/ZainSyr/statuses/157126263818031104>has been on total lockdown, and is nearly impossible to enter without running into security forces. Security is always heightened when there is a pro-Assad rally. One source called it a "fortress." To the knowledge of EA, and activists that we've consulted, there has never been an RPG attack on a pro-Assad rally. It is strange, then, that a vehicle full of western journalists was the target of the first attack, especially when security was hypothetically even higher than normal, as the Syrian Information Ministry coordinated this visit. Of course, this is all conjecture, but the convenience of this attack, which matches nearly exactly the narrative that President Bashar has been attempting to convey, is curious. *1603 GMT:** Activists share this video, reportedly showing a sit-in protest in the School of Science at Aleppo University:* ** *Protests on the campus have been steadily becoming larger, and more bold, and have also been spreading to the streets of Aleppo with increasing frequency. Aleppo is Syria's second largest city, long thought to be a stronghold for the regime, so any protest there is a sensitive protest.* *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_hVDh8KeZU&feature=player_embedded*<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_hVDh8KeZU&feature=player_embedded> Dedacted from http://www.enduringamerica.com/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:laamn-unsubscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:laamn-subscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:laamn-dig...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:laamn-ow...@egroups.com?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:la...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/laamn@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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