| Syria crisis: Assad vows to 'annihilate terrorists' - Friday 29 June 2012 |
| Friday, 29 June 2012 18:30 | |||
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• Dozens killed in new alleged massacre in Douma Here's a roundup of the latest developments: Syria• Activists say dozens have been killed in attacks on opposition strongholds near Damascus. Most of the casualties are said to have been in the town of Douma. Videos posted on the internet appear to show a helicopter gunship firing over Damascus. • Russia has proposed changes to Kofi Annan's plan for a unity government in Syria, according to Reuters. Annan's action group on Syria has been holding preliminary discussions in Geneva today, ahead of the main meeting tomorrow, but latest reports say officials have failed to reach agreement on a draft text. • Video has emerged showing two senior officers captured by the Free Syrian Army. One of the men was reported to have been abducted by an armed gang, according to state media. Another video claimed to show a brigadier general announcing his defection to the opposition. • President Assad, in an interview with Iranian TV, said his country has a duty to "annihilate terrorists" and that Syria won't accept outside interference even from its allies. Egypt• Addressing a huge crowd in Tahrir Square, president-elect Mohamed Morsi recited the words of the presidential oath – in effect pre-empting tomorrow's swearing-in ceremony which, controversially, will take place before the supreme constitutional court rather than the now-dissolved parliament. • Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of the ruling military council, will keep his post as defence minister in a new cabinet to be formed by president-elect Mohamed Morsi, a member of the military council has said. Egypt: Dramatic moment. Morsi has recited the words of the presidential oath to the crowd in Tahrir Square, pre-empting the supreme constitutional court ceremony scheduled for tomorrow. His Tahrir oath is "before God and the people". Egypt: President-elect Morsi has begun speaking in Tahrir Square, a few minutes ahead of schedule. He started by referring to Tahrir as "the square of the revolution, the square of freedom". Al-Jazeera English is live-streaming the speech, with English translation.
Syria: A brief update from Reuters on the talks in Geneva (see 4.42pm):
Syria: Senior officials meeting in Geneva have failed to resolve differences over Kofi Annan's text on Syria – which means the decision will be left for foreign ministers tomorrow, Reuters reports citing diplomatic sources. Egypt: President-elect Mohamed Morsi is due to give his speech in Tahrir Square in about 35 minutes. Sherine Tadros of al-Jazeera has posted a photo of the enormous crowds:
... and the presidential guards are getting ready ...
Syria: Ameer, a Barzeh activist who we spoke to earlier (see 3.11pm) has highlighted more YouTube footage of a helicopter gunship firing over Damascus.
Here's audio of him describing witnessing a helicopter attack over Damascus for the first time. Syria: Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov (pictured) said he regretted that Iran has been excluded from Kofi Annan's crisis talks on Syria this weekend. In a statement on the foreign ministry's website, Lavrov said Iran was excluded because of "insurmountable objections" from the US. Saudi Arabia has also been excluded from the talks, in a move that was thought to be aimed at placating Russian objections. But Lavrov said he also regretted that Saudis would not be taking part. It described the convening of the meeting as a positive move and hoped mechanisms would be agreed on a ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops and rebel forces from cities which could create a "favourable atmosphere" for a political transition. Bahrain: The interior minister, Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, has been visiting Britain and – as always – British officials have been full of praise for the tiny Gulf kingdom. At least, they have if you believe the Bahraini government's account of the minister's visit. Lord Howell, minister of state at the foreign office, allegedly described Bahrain as "a model country" and "the first country to pursue democracy in the region". For good measure, he allegedly made clear that the situation in Bahrain should not be linked to "the so-called Arab Spring". Nigel Evans MP, a deputy speaker of the Commons, and Baroness Scotland, the attorney-general, also allegedly enthused about the "reforms" introduced by King Hamad. These, and other overwhelmingly favourable comments, appear in a report of the minister's visit posted in Arabic on the Bahraini police website. Bahrain's government has achieved some notoriety for making up or distorting quotes to give an impression of international approval for its policies. Previous victims have included Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, Navi Pillay, the UN high commissioner for human rights, William Hague, the British foreign secretary, and Amnesty International. Syria: Ameer, a resident in the northern Damascus suburb of Barzeh, describes witnessing a helicopter gunship firing close to the capital for the first time. Speaking to the Guardian via Skype he said:
He said videos of the incident tallied with what he saw at the time. Ameer added: "There were couple of videos uploaded from Harasta and Douma. That is exactly what I saw."
Asked how he could fight back he said: "That's the problem that's why I feel useless." We are planning to publish audio of the interview, disguising Ameer's voice, later today. Earlier this week a UN report [pdf] said the use of helicopter gunships was increasing the militarisation of the conflict. It said: "Helicopter gunships and artillery have been used in the shelling of entire neighbourhoods believed to be anti-Government, even during the presence of observers". Syria: US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has backing from an usual quarter - Kafranbel in Syria's north-west Idlib province. The latest message from the banner makers in the town calls for an early election in the US, and claims the Obama is not doing well. This is not the first time placards in the town have expressed support for the Republicans. Last year a Kafranbel banner read "we miss Bush's audacity". Romney has criticised Obama for failing to stand up to Russian backing for Assad. Last week he told Fox News: "This president has not communicated strength and resolve around the world. We need to make it very clear to Moscow that their interference in Syria poses a grave threat to the national interests of America, and to free people around the world." Here's a roundup of developments so far today: Syria• Activists say dozens have been killed in attacks on opposition strongholds near Damascus. Most of the casualties are said to have been in the town of Douma, where video posted on the internet purports to show the shrouded bodies of up 20 members of the same family said to have been stabbed by government militia. • Russia has proposed changes to Kofi Annan's plan for a unity government in Syria, according to Reuters. Annan's action group on Syria is holding preliminary discussions in Geneva today, ahead of the main meeting tomorrow. • Video has emerged showing two senior officers captured by the Free Syrian Army. One of the men was reported to have been abducted by an armed gang, according to state media. Another video claimed to show a brigadier general announcing his defection to the opposition. • President Assad, in an interview with Iranian TV, said his country has a duty to "annihilate terrorists" and that Syria won't accept outside interference even from its allies. • Efforts to evacuate civilians and wounded from Homs failed again when a rescue team could not enter affected areas, the International Committee of the Red Cross said in its latest update. Egypt• Large crowds have gathered in Tahrir Square where president-elect Mohamed Morsi is due to make a speech in a few hours. After much confusion about Morsi's swearing-in ceremony, the official news agency says it will take place tomorrow morning, before the supreme constitutional court. • Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of the ruling military council, will keep his post as defence minister in a new cabinet to be formed by president-elect Mohamed Morsi, a member of the military council has said. Egypt: Large crowds have gathered once again in Tahrir Square to await a speech by president-elect Mohamed Morsi. The video below gives a aerial view of the square during today's midday prayers. Morsi's speech is still several hours away, though. In remarks quoted by AP, his spokesman, Yasser Ali, said the president-elect wants to stand with the thousands who have been in the square for over a week to express concern about the power grabs. "He wants to confirm that people are the source of his power," Ali said. "He wants to show unity with his people over issues of the transition, which is now ending." Syria: Ameer, a resident in the northern Damascus suburb of Barzeh, reported seeing a helicopter gunship attacking an area north of the capital. He tweeted:
Earlier activists posted footage of the wreckage of an attack helicopter that had been bought down in the north-western province of Idlib. It was purported to have been filmed in the countryside around Aleppo. Syria: Reuters has more on the latest alleged massacre in Douma. It says the members of two entire families (not one as mentioned earlier) were killed.
Syria: Iran's Press TV has published a fuller account of the Assad interview. Here are some extracts
Syria: A local activist group in Douma has another unverified account of what it claims was massacre in the town. The Syrian Revolution Coordination Committee of Douma City said a family of 10 was killed after "fierce shelling".
Scores of horrific videos purport to show the victims of the alleged attack. They are impossible to corroborate. Syria: Activists say dozens of people have been killed in attacks on opposition strongholds near Damascus. Most of the casualties were in the town of Douma, where local activists posted video purporting to show the shrouded bodies of up 20 members of the same family said to have stabbed by government militia [warning: graphic content]. The Local Coordination Committees and the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other activists say at least 40 people died in shelling in the area. At least two more were killed Friday morning. Syria: Earlier we mentioned that video purporting to show the capture of Brigadier General Mounir Shleibi and Major General Faraj al-Maqt could not be independently verified (see 9.27am). A reader has pointed out that state media reported the abduction of Faraj al-Maqt, after clashes in the suburbs of Damascus. It gives his rank as lieutenant general. Syria: The opposition blog the Hama echo, has a collection of 15 videos purporting to show the defection of brigadier generals over the last few months. Libya: The Carter Centre – founded by former US president Jimmy Carter – is sending observer teams to Libya to monitor the elections scheduled for 7 July, the Tripoli Post reports. At the invitation of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC), they will observe the electoral process – though not throughout the entire country.
However, there are encouraging signs regarding women's participation in the poll:
Syria: The Syrian government has deployed around 170 tanks near the Turkish border, a commander from the Free Syrian Army told Reuters.
Meanwhile, a video has emerged purporting to show a brigadier general responsible for a tank division, announcing his defection, according to journalist Zaid Benjamin:
Egypt: Mohamed Morsi will be sworn in as president of Egypt at the supreme constitutional court on Saturday morning, the official news agency has announced. The swearing-in procedure became a matter of dispute because the court had earlier dissolved parliament (where an Egyptian president would normally be sworn in). There were objections that by agreeing to hold the ceremony at the court, Morsi would be accepting the court's controversial decision to dissolve parliament. Morsi is due to deliver his first presidential speech at Cairo university after the ceremony, Ahram Online reports. He is also expected to address a rally in Tahrir Square today, after Friday prayers. Yesterday, Morsi met leaders of the Egyptian Islamic movement at the presidential palace. Syria: Russia has proposed changes to Kofi Annan's plan for a unity government, according to Reuters.
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov are due to meet in St Petersburg today in a bid to iron out deep differences over the transition plan, according to AP.
Syria: Our favourite reader, Brown Moses, has been going through a video purporting to show two senior military commanders captured by the Free Syrian Army. Brigadier General Mounir Shleibi of the Palestine Intelligence Branch and Major General Faraj al-Maqt of Syrian Central Command. Both men had black eyes. The video can't be independently verified, but as Brown Moses notes "the makers of the video have gone to great lengths to ensure both men can be clearly identified, filming close up of their ID documents." Earlier this week state media claimed that a man had been abducted and portrayed as a defected colonel by an armed group.
In March Human Rights Watch accused armed opposition groups of committing a series of human rights abuses including kidnap and torture. Syria: While Robert Fisk reckons Assad could have another two years, Reem Maghribi, former editorial director of Syria's only English-language daily, predicts that he will fall within six to 12 months. She told Bloggingheads TV that the regime will be removed without outside help. The Syrian opposition want arms from the outside world, but not military intervention, she pointed out. She said Nato air strikes would be impractical because potential military targets are so close to civilian areas. "The opposition can do it on their own slowly but surely," she said. (all times BST) Welcome to Middle East Live. Here's a roundup on the latest developments and analysis: Syria• Kofi Annan's action group on Syria is to gather in Geneva today as a leaked copy of his principles for political transition were published. A copy of the document, published by UN Report, does not mention Bashar al-Assad but hints at his removal. It says:
• President Assad said his country has a duty to "annihilate terrorists" and that Syria won't accept outside interference even from its allies. In an interview recorded with Iranian TV he said: "The responsibility of the Syrian government is to protect all of our residents. You have a responsibility to annihilate terrorists in any corner of the country."And in what appeared to be a reference to Russia he said: "We will not accept any non-Syrian, non-national model, whether it comes from big countries or friendly countries. No one knows how to solve Syria's problems as well as we do." • Hopes of a political solution to the Syrian crisis suffered a fresh blow when Russia insisted it would not endorse an internationally backed plan for a political transition that would require President Bashar al-Assad to surrender power. Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said in Moscow: "We will not support and cannot support any meddling from outside or any imposition of recipes. This also concerns the fate of the president of the country, Bashar al-Assad." • The US and Russia are putting together a deal to allow Assad to remain leader for at least two more years, because of anxiety about oil routes via Syria, a source told the Independent's Robert Fisk. The unnamed source, said to be close to the negotiations, is quoted as saying:
• But a deal to oust Assad would suit US and Russian interests, writes Simon Tisdall.
• No one can imagine how a transition would work, argues Syrian watcher Joshua Landis. Writing on his blog Syria Comment he says:
• Efforts to evacuate civilians and wounded from Homs failed again when a rescue team could not enter affected areas, the International Committee of the Red Cross said in its latest update. Beatrice Megevand-Roggo, head of ICRC operations for the Near and Middle East, said an agreed pause in the fighting failed to be met. Egypt• Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the ruling military council, will keep his post as defence minister in a new cabinet to be formed by president-elect Mohamed Morsi, a member of the military council has said. Major-General Mohamed Assar said: "What is wrong with that? He is the head of the supreme council of the armed forces, the defence minister and the commander of the armed forces." Bahrain• Prominent human rights activist, Zainab al-Khawaja, has been injured after police fired a tear-gas canister at her leg, according to witnesses. She was fired on at close range, said Yousef al-Muhafedha, a member of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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