Syrian Revolution                                                                الثورة السورية

Day 190: Tuesday, 20 Sep 2011 اليوم ١۹٠: الثلاثاء، ٢٠ أيلول/سبتمبر                        ٢٠١١

Banner in Homs says: "Mother, I am afraid of going to school because of snipers and militiamen (shabbiha)"

Today’s Top Developments • Assad’s forces steal body organs from protesters
• Regime operations continue to escalate against many villages and towns around Syria
• Syria’s economy is suffering as the volume of exports at the two main ports decreased
Today's Top Videos • Children crying in panic after security forces stormed their school
• Student removes and steps on a picture of Assad as part of a nationwide campaign to remove his pictures from schools
Today’s Summary of Events

Many corpses of demonstrators are found missing vital organs with clear surgical cuts and incisions. According to many examining doctors, the organs have been professionally removed from their locations probably to be sold. Many videos of such incisions stretching from below the chest to the abdomen have been appearing in videos of killed civilians in different localities all over Syria; in the north, west, south, and the middle. This is evidence of a planned and systematic illegal organs trading network starting from the top down to the lowest ranks.

Military operations have commenced early in Damascus today, as more than 30 tanks and 60 buses loaded with militiamen invaded Kesweh in the suburb of Damascus along with heavy gunfire. House-to-house arrests and searches started at night. On the other hand, military operations are still underway in Homs in Bab Sbaa under the cover of warplanes. The regime brought in more reinforcements of tanks and armored units while continuously shelling the residential areas. The security presence intensified as well in al-Qosour area, particularly in front of schools, where security officers opened random fire at students injuring dozens.

In the meantime, the army detail at al-Houla checkpoint defected and opened fire at a security forces’ bus, killing and injuring many Assad loyalists. Defections were also reported in Taldo and Kafr Laha, where the mutineers engaged Assad loyalists before escaping and being chased by the regime’s units. In spite of that, demonstrations broke out in the areas of Deir Baalba, Bayda, Khaldiya, Waar, Qosour, Jobar, Ghouta, Inshaat, Jab Jandali, Bab Draib, Bab Sbaa, Hamraa, Qarabees, and Nazheen; and the cities of Qasir, Rastan, Talbisa, Palmyra and Houla. Regime forces opened fire at demonstrators in Bayada, Khaldiya, Bab Amr, and Bab Draib, and shelled the city of Rastan.

Regime operations continued throughout the country, especially in the east in Deir Azzour, the south in Deraa, the West in Lattakia and Banyas, the north in Idlib, and in Damascus and suburbs, in reaction to the demonstrations that are going out.

Economically, the volume of exports has been plummeting in Syria because of the revolution, especially in the ports of Lattakia and Tartous. At these two ports, the volumes dropped by around 40% since the beginning of the demonstrations. Some experts believe that the volume has even dropped more, as the empty space in containers is not taken into consideration. Some of this impact might be attributed to the EU oil sanctions, as Mediterranean companies have started avoiding Syrian ports in fear of sanctions.

At the same time, the Assad regime has filed applications to Jordanian establishments to evaluate and asses its investments in Jordan. The regime is starting to consider withdrawing all its regional investments in fear of a UN resolution that might sanction its assets worldwide. It is noted that the Assad and Makhlouf family have both stolen what is worth hundreds of billions of US dollars from Syria during their rule, causing poverty to spread in a country that was once amongst the leading regional economic powers.