Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: So It's Now a "Civil War"
Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 21:21
James Miller in Ali Hassan, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Bahrain, EA Middle East
and Turkey, Herve Ladsous, Hosni Mubarak, Kieran Dwyer, Middle East and
Iran, NATO, Syria

*LiveStream of the shelling of Homs in Syria*

*See also Syria Document: UN Report on Regime's Abuses of
Children<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/6/13/syria-document-un-report-on-regimes-abuses-of-children.html>
Iraq Latest: At Least 44 Killed as Bombs Target Pilgrims and
Police<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/6/13/iraq-latest-at-least-44-killed-as-bombs-target-pilgrims-and.html>
Tuesday's Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: 109 Killed Amid Reports of
"Children as Human Shields" and a "Plainclothes
Army"<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/6/12/syria-and-beyond-live-coverage-109-killed-amid-reports-of-ch.html>
*
 ------------------------------

2015 GMT: *Syria.* On Monday, I published a
report<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/6/11/syria-opinion-the-vaticans-dangerous-game-on-persecution-pla.html?SSScrollPosition=0>about
the Vatican promoting stories by a Catholic news service,
*Agenzia Fides,* that said the Sunni insurgents in al Qusayr were
threatening the Christians that if they did not leave they would be
specifically targeted. I wrote that these allegations were almost certainly
false, completely unsubstantiated, and that the Church's pro-Assad
narrative was extremely dangerous to Christians in Syria.

Two news items signal that the Vatican has reversed course on this
narrative, even after pushing the anti-opposition rhetoric harder in the
last few days.

The first news, and likely most important, is that the Vatican's ambassador
to Syria, Archbishop Nuncio Mario Zenari, has denied that Christians are
being targeted by Sunnis. Archibishop Zenari said that for all people, "the
descent into hell has
started<http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/43330-vatican-envoy-syria-has-started-descent-into-hell>,"
and even cited UN reports of children being used as human shields.

Archbishop Zenari also signaled that the Church may be in a position to
help negotiate:

"It is the Christians' mission to play the role of a link at all levels,"
he said.

"They're active in very painful situations, such as in Homs where we have
priests, nuns and monks ... who are setting an example and risk their
lives."

Concerning the issue raised in my original article (below), the Archbishop
dismissed claims that Sunnis in the opposition were targeting Christians.

So far, I would say that Christians share the same sad fate as all Syrians
(...) I would not say that they are the object of particular
discriminations, less so persecutions," said Zenari.

The lot of Christians in Syria today does not compare to that in other
countries in the region, he said. "Sometimes it is compared to Iraq, but
you cannot compare this."

There are signs that the bishops on the ground have also dropped some of
the rhetoric, and are currently working with both the Syrian military and
with the Free Syrian Army to negotiate a ceasefire in
Homs<http://www.news.va/en/news/asiasyria-christian-and-sunni-civilians-trapped-in>in
order to evacuate civilians and provide aid to the injured. Bishops of
several denominations are working together, according to the report, and
are hopeful that a temporary ceasefire can be forged.

Initially, only days after coming under fire, *Agenzia Fides* published
more anonymous 
accounts<http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=31707&lan=eng>that
they said confirmed the original story that Christians were being
targeted by Sunnis in Al Qusayr. The Vatican news
feed<http://www.news.va/en>posted a link to the article.

This raises more questions. Has the Vatican has taken a hard turn on its
stance on this issue? Will the Vatican pressure the Bishops in Syria to
change tact as well? And perhaps most importantly, will the Vatican attempt
to mediate a negotiated peace, now that the Vatican is apparently
acknowledging that while Christians in Syria are suffering, their fate is
no different than that of their Sunni countrymen.

The original article may be read
here<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/6/11/syria-opinion-the-vaticans-dangerous-game-on-persecution-pla.html?SSScrollPosition=0>
.

1809 GMT: *Syria.* The campus of Aleppo University has been repeatedly
raided by police. Many arrests have been made, possibly hundreds over the
course of the last 15 months. Tear gas has been fired, professors detained,
dormitories searched, and the campus was even closed down. Now, for the
last week, artillery shells routinely fly over the campus, fired from
positions in the south of the city towards the northern suburbs, a message
to the students that the regime is strong. Still, after all of that, there
are more protests today on the campus of Aleppo
University<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c2598fca267e2907c&msa=0&ll=36.227104,37.127266&spn=0.193589,0.363579&iwloc=0004c25abb445d0a7e30d>
:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1N7QNJ1u3_g



1744 GMT: *Bahrain.* Ali Hassan, the 11-year-old boy detained for almost a
month for allegedly participating in an illegal assembly, describes his
experience to Al Jazeera English:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2Zh4eUdlbA8



1607 GMT: *Syria.* Today, Russia defended its sales of
weapons<http://news.yahoo.com/russia-defends-weapons-sales-syria-says-u-arming-124020836.html>to
the Assad regime by claiming that they were legal transactions. Russia
also claimed that the United States is engaged in illegal transactions -
namely, the supply of weapons to the insurgent fighters of the Free Syrian
Army:

"We are not violating any international law in performing these contracts,"
said Sergei Lavrov, in response to a question about Clinton's comments at a
news conference during a visit to Iran.

"They are providing arms and weapons to the Syrian opposition that can be
used in fighting against the Damascus government," he said on Iranian state
television, speaking through an interpreter.

1559 GMT: *Egypt.* There is serious concern over a
decree<http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/44786.aspx>,
passed today by the Justice Ministry, that would allow members of the
military police and intelligence forces to arrest non-military citizens:

The decree, drafted earlier this month and announced in the state official
newspaper on Wednesday, is reportedly based on Military Judiciary Law 25 of
1966. According to the ministry, the law will remain in effect until a new
constitution is drafted.

Though the decree still requires parliamentary approval, some are seeing it
as a warning sign that the military may not be willing to relinquish as
much power as its statements suggest.

1532 GMT: *Syria.* A convoy of aid workers with the International Committee
of the Red Cross was hit by an explosive
device<http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/red-cross-aid-workers-injured-syria-blast-16557217#.T9iyHbVYv4R>on
the road between Aleppo and Idlib:

The group says the two Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteers and one ICRC
staff member were traveling with other aid workers from Aleppo to Idlib
when the blast hit their marked vehicles Wednesday.

A spokesman for the ICRC in Geneva says the aid workers were taken to a
medical facility and that their injuries are minor.

*The Guardian* reports that an ICRC spokesman has expressed concern that
the incident may jeopardize the entire humanitarian
mission<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2012/jun/13/syria-civil-war-attack-helicopters-live#block-30>in
Syria, a mission that is already highly constrained:

This kind of incident is completely unacceptable. It comes at a moment when
the ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) are the only organisations
able to deliver assistance on the ground, despite the increasing security
problems.

This incident may put at risk the only humanitarian action taking place in
the country at a moment when the needs are steadily increasing.

The ICRC and the SARC take such incidents extremely seriously. We will
continue our work but we will have to review the situation on the ground
accordingly. The safety of the ICRC and SARC teams is vital for us to be
able to continue to help those in need.

1400 GMT: *Syria.* After the UN cars trying to reach Al Haffeh
(Map<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c2598fca267e2907c&msa=0&ll=35.604835,36.070175&spn=0.195118,0.363579&iwloc=0004c259c8cf71da7a526>)
were shot at (see update
1232<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/6/13/syria-and-beyond-live-coverage-so-its-now-a-civil-war.html#1232>),
the Syrian government is now asking for the UN monitors to return to Al
Haffeh<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2012/jun/13/syria-civil-war-attack-helicopters-live#block-23>now
that the "terrorists have been cleared."

Authorities have restored security and clam to al-Haffeh district after
clearing it from the armed terrorist groups which terrorized citizens and
sabotaged several public and private properties.

The authorities also seized huge amounts of advanced weapons used by armed
terrorist groups, including sniper rifles, explosive devices, RPG launchers
and a large amount of ammunition.

1350 GMT: Syria. Earlier (update
0925<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/6/13/syria-and-beyond-live-coverage-so-its-now-a-civil-war.html#0925>)
we posted video of explosions and smoke in Al Rastan, while a helicopter
flew overhead 
(Map<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c2598fca267e2907c&msa=0&ll=34.938296,36.756821&spn=0.19673,0.363579&iwloc=0004c25a7fa3700612e04>).
Now, we have this disturbing video which reportedly shows the dead,
including two children, in the back of a truck, reportedly killed by
"bombing and missiles," by which we believe the activists mean missile
strikes from aircraft, likely helicopters.

The video is graphic, more graphic than we usually post, but scenes like
this are too frequent recently in Syria:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AIUq29dFZAQ



1332 GMT: *Syria.* There are reports of an attack by the Free Syrian Army
against the military air base south of Taftanaz, in Idlib province
(Map<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c2598fca267e2907c&msa=0&ll=35.985091,36.789694&spn=0.048547,0.090895>
).

 edward dark @*edwardedark* <https://twitter.com/edwardedark>

very important video: shows Taftanaz military airport on fire after FSA
attack youtube.com/watch?v=7_sOTGĀ… <http://t.co/falpEiLw>
#*Syria*<https://twitter.com/search/%23Syria>
 13 Jun 12 <https://twitter.com/edwardedark/statuses/212897621688328192>

It's not possible to tell what is on fire (perhaps just the vegetation near
the airport), but an insurgent strike on such an important base could be
significant. We'll keep an eye on this development.

1324 GMT: *Syria.* Homs has been heavily shelled once again today, but so
have the towns of Al Talbiseh and Al Rastan to the north
(Map<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c2598fca267e2907c&msa=0&ll=34.809857,36.825485&spn=0.394074,0.727158>).
This video was reportedly shot near the two towns, allegedly showing a
field hospital filled with injured children:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=X0umnLIsEwI



1311 GMT: *Syria.* It's early (4:10 PM local time), and there are still
reports of heavy violence, but 30 people have already been killed
today<http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=479130835447391&set=a.221856221174855.74557.217848338242310&type=1>,
according to the activist network LCCS:

8 martyrs in Deir Ezzor, 7 in each of Homs and Aleppo, 3 martyrs in Idlib,
2 martyrs in Lattakia and one martyr in each of Daraa, Hama and Damascus
Suburbs.

1250 GMT: *Syria.* Syria has been so filled with violence for days on end,
and EA writers have been so busy trying to document and report that
violence, that another narrative has been nearly forgotten...

The protests continue. In fact, some areas have seen extremely large
protests over the course of the last few days, despite the violence that is
a constant threat to both those who defy Bashar al Assad and anyone who
lives in many cities and towns across the country. The protests are a sure
sign that the opposition is not weakening, and is in fact strengthening.
Also, the sentiment at the protests is clear - the Free Syrian Army is a
friend of the people, and the Syrian military is the enemy. The *Syrian
Uprising 2011 Information
Center*<http://www.facebook.com/syrianuprising/posts/234144890036812>has
this report from a protest at a funeral in Bosra, Daraa (
Map<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c2598fca267e2907c&msa=0&ll=32.699489,37.32605&spn=3.23085,5.817261&iwloc=0004c259ff3c28dc630ca>
):

Bosra is a town of about 30,000 in Daraa province. It is also an UNESCO
site because of the very well-preserved Roman theatre and other ancient
ruins, including early Christian sites and one of the world's oldest
surviving mosques. The video shows the funeral of the martyrs from
yesterday's massacre there, when the town was shelled by Assad's forces.

1232 GMT: *Syria.* The UN has released more official
video<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2012/jun/13/syria-civil-war-attack-helicopters-live#block-21>,
this time showing the bullet holes and other damage done to the UN vehicles
as they tried to reach Al Haffeh
(Map<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c2598fca267e2907c&msa=0&ll=35.578033,35.996017&spn=0.390365,0.727158&iwloc=0004c259c8cf71da7a526>),
a town that was captured by regime military forces today after the
insurgent Free Syrian Army retreated last night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na3bedRFjVE&feature=player_embedded



According to FSA fighters <http://www.cnbc.com/id/47793676> and civilians
who fled to Turkey after leaving Al Haffeh, the city has been continuously
shelled, attacked by helicopters, and burned:

Recovering at a hospital in the Turkish city of Antakya, a wounded Free
Syrian Army fighter described the assault on Haffeh by government forces
and how he was shot trying to rescue the wounded.

"First, helicopters attack the villages, later the tanks attack, and then
at the end soldiers enter the houses, loot them and set fire to them," said
Mohammad, a 25-year-old fighter who had been shot through the shoulder.

At least 50 wounded have been smuggled across the border to Turkey from
Haffeh over the past few days but many more are trapped by fierce fighting
and those that try to escape are fired on by President Bashar al-Assad's
forces, according to rebels in the southern Turkish province of Hatay.

Video taken over the last several days, most of which was taken from
outside the town, seems to confirm these reports.

1212 GMT: *Syria.* James Miller takes over today's coverage from Scott
Lucas, and anticipates another long and bloody day of conflict.

There is already a difference in the patterns from today's reports,
however. Citizens report that Deir Ez Zor has been shelled
(Map<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c2598fca267e2907c&msa=0&ll=35.318487,40.128937&spn=0.783248,1.454315&iwloc=0004c2598fcd43569322b>).
The video below shows smoke rising, and distant explosions. The LCC posts
another video showing smoke rising above the
city<http://www.facebook.com/LCCSy/posts/243644519079261>,
and another depicting the sound of
gunfire<http://www.facebook.com/LCCSy/posts/440095892676860>echoing
through the city.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JvgAhiSy2Cs



While the shelling continues in Talbiseh, Rastan, and Homs, as well as
areas in Idlib, Lattakia, and Daraa, Deir Ez Zor hasn't been heavily
shelled like this. If it continues or intensifies, it could signal that the
regime has grown desperate to reassert control there as well.

1047 GMT: *Syria*. Bankers in Damascus report that the Syrian regime is
risking inflation by putting new banknotes, printed in Russia, into
circulation<http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/13/uk-syria-economy-money-idUKBRE85C0CK20120613>to
pay salaries and finance its deficit.

Four sources told Reuters that the banknotes have been put out in trial
amounts in Damascus and Aleppo. They are not just to replace worn out
currency but to ensure that salaries and other government expenses are paid.

1037 GMT: *Syria*. Insurgents have
withdrawn<http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=408733>from
the besieged town of Al-Haffeh and nearby villages in Lattakia
Province, after shelling and an eight-day siege by regime forces.

THe Free Syrian Army's Military Council described the retreat as a tactical
move "to avoid falling into the regime's civil war trap" and "to avoid a
massacre by regime forces of Al-Haffe's remaining residents", adding that
it had evacuated the injured, dead, women, and children from the area.

The FSA asserted, "The town and villages of Al-Haffe were subjected to
aerial, tank and rocket bombardment, as well as a suffocating siege by
regime forces and thugs," the FSA said, adding that its fighters retreated."

Assad supporters prevent UN observers from entering the Al-Haffeh area on
Tuesday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I73EyNw_Pnw&feature=player_embedded



0937 GMT: *Bahrain*. What does the Bahraini regime gets for its $40,000 per
month to the US public-relations firm Qorvis?

The latest report from
Qorvis<http://www.fara.gov/docs/5483-Supplemental-Statement-20120605-14.pdf>for
the Foreign Agents Registration Unit sets out details of articles
written for the regime and placed into media, payments to Facebooks and
website hosts, meetings set up with high-profile journalists, and requests
for corrections in articles.

0928 GMT:*Syria*. *The Libya Herald*, via *The
Guardian*<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2012/jun/13/syria-civil-war-attack-helicopters-live>,
reports that at least 19 people have been
killed<http://www.libyaherald.com/fighting-in-mizdah-19-dead/>in
fighting between forces from Zintan and members of the Mashasha tribe.

The clash started yesterday when the Mashasha stopped a Zintan military
contingent heading to Sebha at a makeshift road block near Mizdah. Local
tribes chose sides in the conflict.

There has been ongoing tension between the Zintanis, who played a prominent
role in last year's uprising against the Qaddafi regime, and the Mashasha,
who did not support it. Last December, there were clashes in which four
people died.

0925 GMT:*Syria*. We have put a LiveStream of today's shelling of Homs at
the top of the entry --- a clip of attacks on nearby Rastan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2jmUrCOU5Qc



0921 GMT:*Syria*. The spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Liu
Weimin, has said, "China expresses its great
concern<http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=408699>over
the development of the situation in Syria. We believe the situation in
Syria is at a critical juncture. We hope parties in Syria can do everything
they can to protect civilians."

0917 GMT:*Syria*. A "Western diplomat" in Turkey has told *The
Independent*of London that insurgents
are being 
armed<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/exclusive-arab-states-arm-rebels-as-un-talks-of-syrian-civil-war-7845026.html>by
Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The diplomat said the Free Syrian Army received the weapons via Turkey with
the implicit support of the Turkish intelligence agency MIT.

FSA members said they had received multiple shipments including Kalashnikov
assault rifles, BKC machine guns, and rocket-propelled grenades and
anti-tank weaponry from Gulf countries, with Turkey assisting in the
delivery of the weapons. Insurgents said the arms arrived at a Turkish port
via ship and were then driven to the border without interference from
Turkish authorities.

0812 GMT:*Egypt*. Monday was filled with rumours of the grave health and
even death of former President Mubarak --- Sarah El Deeb of the Associated
Press 
summarises<http://news.yahoo.com/lawyer-mubarak-fears-prison-doctors-want-him-dead-182411811.html>
:

*

Hosni Mubarak's condition stabilized Tuesday but his lawyer said the
84-year old former president does not trust his doctors in the prison
hospital and fears they are out to kill him.

There have been conflicting reports about Mubarak's condition since a court
convicted him on June 2 of failing to prevent the killings of protesters in
the uprising that ousted him last year. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Since his arrival at the prison, the 84-year old Mubarak has been suffering
from high blood pressure and breathing difficulties and is diagnosed with
deep depression, according to security officials at Torah prison. On
Monday, doctors used a defibrillator on him twice after they could not find
a pulse.*

 One motivation for the reports may be Mubarak's efforts to be moved back
to a military hospital --- three requests have been turned
down<http://shorouknews.com/news/view.aspx?cdate=13062012&id=90d1572d-e6d0-4c23-b695-431ff35638cb>by
the authorities.

0802 GMT:*Syria*. Amid reports that United Nations observers have been
blocked from getting to locations for investigation, with their vehicles
fired upon, State news agency SANA has hit
back<http://sana.sy/eng/337/2012/06/13/425005.htm>
:

*

A UN observers' car on Tuesday ran over three residents in Lattakia
countryside while they were trying to explain their suffering due to the
acts of the armed terrorist groups.

The civilians are Amer Mohammad Zamzam, Mustafa Hikmat Kamel and Issam
Ma'rouf Mahmoud, two of them are in critical condition.

Mustafa Kamel said that he was among the people who gathered at a point
between al-Sheer and Set-Kheiris villages on Lattakia-Aleppo highway when
members of the UN delegation, who refused to listen to the citizens'
demands, kept on moving across the gathered crowds, causing several bruises
to Kamel's body and creating an atmosphere of panic among people.*

 0755 GMT: *Syria*. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Secretary-General of NATO,
has criticised the Assad regime but insisted, "A foreign military
intervention is not the right
path<http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=408592>in
Syria."

Rasmussen said:

*

I strongly condemn the behavior of the Syrian security forces and the
crackdown on the civilian population. It is absolutely outrageous what we
are witnessing and [there is] no doubt that the regime in Syria is
responsible for violations of the international law.

I strongly urge the Syrian leadership to accommodate the legitimate
aspirations of the Syrian people and introduce freedom and democracy.*

 0500 GMT: *Syria*. We begin with the response of Herve Ladsous, the head
of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, when
asked if Syria
is now in a state of civil
war<http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/06/201261222721181345.html>:
"Yes, I think we can say that."

I am not sure that headline confirmation is significant in itself. However,
it is telling that Ladsous then explained that the regime faces a divided
country: "Clearly what is happening is that the government of Syria lost
some large chunks of territory, several cities to the opposition, and wants
to retake control."

And, although Ladsous did not make this statement, this is the logical
extension. The "cease-fire" under UN envoy Kofi Annan's six-point peace
plan, which never took effect --- despite rhetoric to the contrary --- is
no now officially gone.

As Kieran Dwyer, a spokesman for the UN explained, "What we've seen in the
last five days is a huge upscaling of the military confrontation. [It's by]
both sides, at a huge cost to the civilian population."

The Local Coordination Committees of Syria report that 60 people
died<http://www.lccsyria.org/8917>across the country on Tuesday.

*Protest in the town of Beza'ah in Syria on Tuesday night*
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBHOk0zL9DA&feature=player_embedded*

**

Article originally appeared on EA WorldView (http://www.enduringamerica.com/
).

----------------------


Wed Jun 13, 2012 at 09:22 AM PDT
BREAKING: Russia denies supplying Syria with NEW attack
helicopters<http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/06/13/1099662/-BREAKING-Russia-denies-supplying-Syria-with-NEW-attack-helicopters>

by Clay Claiborne
<http://www.dailykos.com/user/Clay%20Claiborne>Follow<http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/06/13/1099662/-BREAKING-Russia-denies-supplying-Syria-with-NEW-attack-helicopters#?friend_id=125110&is_stream=1>

Yesterday, as video emerged of Syrian helicopters attacking opposition
forces on the ground <http:///>, and the UN reported that Syrian attack
helicopters are being
used<http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/103360/un-says-syrian-helicopters-fire-on-rebel-strongholds>against
civilians, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton charged
that Russia was suppling attack helicopters to
Assad.<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/12/hillary-clinton-russia-attack-helicopters-syria?newsfeed=true>Speaking
yesterday Clinton said:

*"We have confronted the Russians about stopping their continued arms
shipments to Syria, They have, from time to time, said that we shouldn't
worry, [that] everything they're shipping is unrelated to [Syria's] actions
internally. That's patently untrue, and we are concerned about the latest
information we have that there are attack helicopters on the way from
Russia to Syria which will escalate the conflict quite dramatically.*"

 On 
Monday<http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/11/world/meast/syria-unrest/index.html>Syrian
opposition charged that these helicopters were firing
indiscriminately:

Government military forces fired indiscriminately Monday from helicopters
on a town on the outskirts of Jabal Al-Zawiya, inflicting scores of
casualties on civilians and rebel forces, an activist told CNN.
...
*"The regime is escalating the use of violent forces,"* said an activist in
Idlib whom CNN is identifying only as Ahmad for safety reasons. *"We cannot
believe that the world is watching us being killed ... we want military
intervention."*

Today Russia issued it's response, a flat denial. From this morning's Miami
Herald  we 
have:<http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/06/13/1099662/%20http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/13/2847316/russia-denies-sending-attack-helicopters.html#storylink=cpy>

MOSCOW -- Russia's foreign minister has rejected the U.S. claim that Moscow
is sending attack helicopters to Syria.

Russian news agencies reported Wednesday that Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov denied a claim by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
that *"there are attack helicopters on the way from Russia to Syria."*
....
Lavrov says that Russia isn't providing Syria with weapons that can be used
against peaceful demonstrators.

But according to B92
Net<http://www.b92.net/eng/news/world-article.php?yyyy=2012&mm=06&dd=13&nav_id=80735>:


MOSCOW -- Russia has denied it has been delivering new military helicopters
to Syria and stressed it is only repairing the ones delivered 20 years ago.
...
Moscow Defense Brief editor Mikhail Barabanov said Clinton could only have
been referring to *"some Syrian Mi-24 or Mi-17 helicopters that were sent
back to Russia for repairs."*

*So apparently Russia is not sending any new modern attack helicopters to
Syria, but they are sending them refurbished Soviet-era attack helicopters.
I'm sure the Syrians Assad will murder with these helicopters from Russia
will appreciate the distinction. *

-----------------------------------------
South Africa urges UN to deploy troops in Syria

Published Wednesday, June 13, 2012

South Africa's Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on Wednesday said the UN
Security Council should agree to the deployment of a peace force in Syria.

South Africa, currently a Council member, was pushing for the body's five
veto-carrying states to reach a consensus on the war-torn state "because
now peace won't happen of its own."

"So what is required is a peace-making force to be deployed and also to
defend that peace once attained," Motlanthe told parliament.

Slamming the violence as unacceptable, Motlanthe said South Africa will try
to lobby for agreement and added that Syria will be discussed on the
sidelines of the upcoming G20 meeting.

"We are a small fry... We can only use soft power of persuading those with
this real veto power to find each other, to find a common meeting point so
that an intervention is called for."

"We can't sit back and do nothing about it, we've got to keep on knocking
on them because the situation was much much better two weeks ago, it has
spiralled completely out of control now," he said.

"And so I suppose Russia and China and the United States of America and the
other permanent members are now persuaded that something should happen."

Motlanthe warned against unilateral action, as taken in Iraq, saying it was
important for the UN to take responsibility for any intervention which had
to be aimed at bringing peace.

UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous on Tuesday said Syria was in a
full-scale civil war, as the government's forces seek to regain control of
territory lost to the opposition.

*(AFP)*
 ------------------------------
 *Source URL:*
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/south-africa-urges-un-deploy-troops-syria


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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