Syrian Revolution                                                                الثورة السورية

EU Bans Export of Refined Oil Products to Syria and Assad Receives A New Shipment of Russian Weapons

Friday, 2 Dec 2011                           

Massive demonstrations calling for a buffer-zone in Idlib

Top Stories

• EU added several governmental oil trade, technology, and oil-field discovery entities to its sanctions list.

• UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called on the international community to take quick and effective measures to protect the Syrian people.

• SRCC sources confirmed the arrival of a new shipment of Russian weapons to the port of Lattakia.

 
Top Videos

• Saraqeb, Idlib: Lifeless body of fallen hero Milad, seconds before his death

• Bab Dreib, Homs: Assad’s forces raid the town supported by military tanks

• Taftanaz, Homs: Mass demonstration in front of the military forces accompanied with tanks and snipers

 
Summary of Events
The EU reinforced its sanctions against the Syrian oil sector today when it added several governmental oil trading and oil-field discovery entities to its sanctions list. The new sanctions will target the General Petroleum Corporation (GPC), Syria Trading Oil (Sytrol), and 9 more entities and 12 regime figures. Royal Dutch Shell announced it will pull out of the GPC joint venture Al Furat Petroleum Company, and added it will suspend all its activities in Syria. The EU has imposed sanctions on the Syrian oil sector in September, but those were only partially applied due to pressures from Italy. The new European sanctions come within the framework of new joint-efforts and coordination between the EU, US, and Arab League, to pressure the Assad regime.
 
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called on the international community to take quick and effective measures to protect the Syrian people, warning of the prospects of Syria slipping into a civil war. Pillay said that a full-scale civil war will erupt in Syria if Assad’s atrocities against the Syrian people continue.
 
US Vice-President Joe Biden called on Assad to step down; as he confirmed that the US stance on Syria is clear in demanding Assad to step down and to stop atrocities committed against the Syrian people. Biden added that stability in Syria is important for the region, therefore the US stresses the need for change.
 
Assad forces killed at least 18 civilians today, most in Idlib and Homs, and arrested at least 31 in Jassem in Daraa. Massive demonstrations broke out from over 165 areas in Syria today. Meanwhile, SRCC sources confirmed the arrival of a new shipment of Russian weapons to the port of Lattakia. Transportation of the weapons started three days ago.
 
In Homs, security forces opened heavy fire and shelled the neighbourhood of Baba Amr after the defection of around 19 soldiers and two officers, while Tal Kalakh was shelled with artillery and rockets. Four Lebanese citizens at the border-city of Akkar in Wadi Khaled were injured due to their proximity of the border-town of Tal Kalakh. The Lebanese army sent forces to secure the area, but retreated after the shelling intensified. As usual, demonstrations broke in all the neighbourhoods, cities, and towns of Homs, and were fired at by security forces.

 

New Round of US and EU Sanctions Against Assad Regime While Crackdown Intensifies Lattakia

  Thursday, 1 Dec 2011                        

Student demonstrations intensify in Binsh, Idlib as most men were arbitarily arrested

Top Stories

• EU and US announced a new round of sanctions on Assad regime figures and companies.

• UK accused Iran of aiding the Assad regime in its crackdown of peaceful demonstrations.

• A report claimed the defection of the Mayor of Lattakia Abdul Qader Muhammad Abdo al-Sheikh and his brother who is a Captain in the police force.

 
Top Videos

• Baba Amr, Homs: Assad’s forces open fire at civilian houses using military tanks

• Bab Sebaa, Homs: Protesters try relentlessly to save fallen hero Khaled Marouh who was shot dead by Assad’s forces

• Bab Sebaa, Homs: Leaked video shows Assad’s forces while opening fire at protesters from a checkpoint

 
Summary of Events
 
The EU announced today a new round of sanctions on Assad regime figures and companies, as the regime continues to intensify its crackdown on peaceful protestors. The sanctions include 11 companies and 12 personalities. The US Treasury followed in suit and added new companies and regime members, including the Bashar Assad’s uncle Muhammad Makhlouf and General Aws Aslan to its blacklist.
 
UK FCO accused Iran of aiding the Assad regime in its crackdown of peaceful demonstrations. The FCO announced it will demand more sanctions on the Iranian regime to further its economic isolation. This new development is a consequence of the recent Iranian attack on the British Embassy in Tehran after an IAEA report warned of the dangers of Iran’s nuclear program.
 
Security forces killed at least 21 civilians today, of which fourteen were in Hama, five in Homs, and two in Idlib. At the same time, many Syrian cities witnessed a general strike, including Hama which had an almost total response rate. The general strike came in protest to the kidnapping of three girls, as Assad’s militiamen have been kidnapping and raping women and underage girls all over Syria.
 
Security forces conducted a search and an arrest campaign in Jassem in Daraa. More than a hundred have been arrested, while autos were burnt and stores and shops were robbed. On top of that, and in addition to the prohibition of heating fuel, security forces in some besieged areas in Homs, Deir Azzour, Lattakia, Hama, and Idlib, systematically damaged and burnt blankets and winter clothes during their house to house arrests. Parents are using cardboards and newspapers as jackets and blankets for their children.
 
In Lattakia, a report claimed the defection of the Mayor of Lattakia Abdul Qader Muhammad Abdo al-Sheikh and his brother who is a Captain in the police force. They are claimed to be at a safe house in Turkey at the moment. The city of Lattaki had been suffering many undocumented assassinations and arrests as it was one of the first cities to witness massive demonstrations. Few male residents are able to demonstrate since thousands have been arrested and killed based only on their stated sect on their ID cards. Therefore, most demonstrations in Lattakia nowadays are being conducted by teens and children – that doesn’t stop the regime from arresting the demonstrators and opening live fire at them.
 
Today in Lattakia, demonstrations broke out from the secondary and primary schools of Qodsiya, Adnan Malki, Yousef Naddaf, a girls school in Mashrou Slaybe, The Nursing School, and a primary school at the Batta zone, where at least 20 students under 11 years old have been arrested. The Baath school for girls was also besieged today, and at least 11 girls under the age of 14 were arrested. Security forces hid its tanks in the children’s Baath camps in newly dug ditches and bunkers. Checkpoints and roadblocks were erected and fortified at the entrances of Masbah al Shaab, Ain Tamra, Bustan Samka, Hay Qosur, Hammami, Nazlet Raml, Shalehat Janubi, Souq Juma, Siwar, Masmakeh Jadeede, and Mahatta Shahn. Each checkpoint is manned by at least 20 soldiers and equipped with heavy machineguns, sniper rifles, and RPG launchers. Many checkpoints include prebuilt cement booths. Meanwhile, 12 soldiers defected in Mahatta Qitar with their full gear. Several recon airplanes circulated the skies soon after.
 
The Baath Command, in cooperation with the Aleppo chamber of Industry, issued a decree calling for the protection and arming of Aleppean merchants as a leading businessman who was financing and supporting the shabbiha militiamen was assassinated last week in Aleppo.