Syria Update, October 13, 2012 (Institute of Middle Eastern, Islamic and Strategic Studies. By Sherifa Zuhur)
Current death toll: 95.
Revised death toll for Friday: 180
Although the international community is not outraged (apparently) over civilian deaths in Syria, tensions with that country and Turkey have seemingly opened a discussion about international conflict. http://www.egyptindependent.com/opinion/will-turkey-go-war-against-assad-regime
Aleppo province: Fierce clashes were fought in and near the Ummayad mosque of Aleppo today. The opposition shot down a Syrian aircraft used for military operations today in Aleppo province: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnhap_R37ww&feature=player_embedded
The jet had been bombarding the village of Khan al-Asal.
Damascus province: Clashes between the opposition and the Syrian military took place in al-Asali and in the Bor Sa`id area of al-Qadam which was shelled by regime forces. Two burnt bodies were found in a car in al-Qadam. The Syrian opposition captured the air defense base at al-Atibah. A car bomb explosion killed 8 civilians, including a young girl and two women, and 13 others were critically injured. The explosion took place at Al-Nabak on the road fromEight civilians, including a young girl and two women, were killed and 13 others critically injured by a car bomb blast in Al-Nabak on the road linking Damascus to Homs. The opposition took over an air defence base near the town of al-Eteiba following eight hours of clashes with the Syrian military there, killing at least 15 Syrian military troops and 6 opposition fighters. The bodies of two brothers killed in Ein Terma were discovered this morning. They were killed during the Syrian military campaign to retake the area.
Dara`a province: Syrian military shelling of the town of Tams killed at least 3. Clashes were ongoing outside of Ma`ra and also took place on the Damascus-Dara`a highway near the town of Seida.
Deir az-Zur province: Syrian military shelling on the al-Jbeila neighborhood killed an opposition commander. An opposition fighter was killed during clashes in the al-Mwathfin neighbourhood.
Homs province: The Syrian opposition captured the air defense base at Air Foul. Clashes took place there since the morning. Fierce clashes were fought in Bab Houd and Bab al-Turkman. The Syrian military shelled the areas of Old Homs and the neighborhood of al-Khaldiyya. The Syrian military shelled and tried to take over the city of al Quseir killing 2.
Idlib province: The Syria military is attempting to retake the town of Ma`arat al-Nu`man held by the opposition for about a week. Today it shelled the town with warplanes killing three civilians and two other men. About 40 military vehicles wait 10 kilometers outside of the town including 10 tanks, 4 wheel-drive vehicles and buses. The Syrian military executed 8 members of the same family in Heish. Opposition The Syrian military shelled the villages of al-Amriya, Sarmin, Kafar Muzda , Kafar Sanja, Heish, Jbala, Mouqa, Khan Shaukhoun, al-Rekaya and al-Habit. As of yesterday the opposition had captured more than 256 Syrian military troops during the week-long clashes in Khirbet al-Joz.
Borders: More than two dozen Syrians were injured late on Saturday when Syrian military forces opened fire on a group of some 400 refugees attempting to flee to Jordan.
Among the injured were four men who suffered burns and shrapnel wounds after a missile attack on the group.
Syria has announced that it is banning Turkish civilian flights over its territory apparently as a revenge practice after Turkey downed a civilian Syrian Arab Airlines flight which was carrying illegal ammunition into Syria from Russia.
International: U.N-Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi will visit Baghdad on Monday for talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki over the 19-month uprising in Syria.
Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan rebuked the U.N. Security Council for its inaction in Syria likening the situation to that in Bosnia in the 1990’s, specifically Srebenica. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/13/syria-crisis-idUSL5E8LD4O620121013?type=marketsNews
Here are yesterday’s statements regarding the U.N. Security Council
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