Israeli deputy PM admits to visiting Aleppo secretly

May 29, 2016 By administrator

A screen grab from footage released by the Daily Mail on December 8, 2015 showing Israeli forces treating a Takfiri terrorist they rescued from Syrian territory

Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ayoub Kara has acknowledged to have paid a clandestine visit to Syria’s Aleppo, which is under the control of foreign-backed Takfiri terrorists.

The Syrian army and its allies have been fighting to wrest control of the country’s second city from terrorists who have reportedly received advanced weapons in recent weeks.

Kara did not say when his visit took place, saying “I won’t get into it,” the Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

“Aleppo today is abandoned… Today when you enter it, you won’t even think that it’s Aleppo. It doesn’t even remind you of Aleppo,” he said instead.

Late last month, Syrian officials and locals confiscated a vehicle loaded with Israeli-manufactured weapons in the southern province of Suwayda.

A military source told Syria’s official news agency SANA that the vehicle was traveling from the eastern countryside of Dara’a to the desert region of Badiya.

Anti-personnel landmines, RPG rounds and launchers, B9 shells, 120 mm, 80 mm and 60 mm mortars, grenades and 23 mm machine-gun rounds were among the confiscated weapons.

Syria says Israel and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups operating inside the Arab country.

The Syrian army has frequently said it had seized Israeli-made weapons and advanced military equipment from the foreign-backed militants.

Israel’s Channel 2 television network recently reported that wounded militants are transferred quietly into the occupied territories for medication and that the number has surpassed 2,100 since 2011.

In December 2015, Britain’s English-language tabloid newspaper Daily Mail said Israel has saved the lives of over 2,000 Takfiri militants at the cost of about USD 13 million since 2013.

Source: presstv

Syria: A rocket destroyed a building in the compound of the Armenian maternity “Verjine Gulbenkian” Aleppo

May 27, 2016 By administrator

armenian maternity The “Arévélk” newspaper informs that the night of Wednesday to Thursday, mortar blasts fired at residential neighborhoods in Aleppo were recorded. Rockets fell on the Salah Al Din district, and Khaldiyé Nor Kiugh. On this Armenian quarter of Nor Kiugh (Hay Al Midan) an explosion caused significant damage in motherhood “Verjine Gulbenkian.” The rocket exploded on a house near the hospital for the elderly in the grounds of motherhood “Vergine Gulbenkian.” A building was destroyed. Nevertheless it seems that fortunately no casualties to report. “Arévélk” states that face the bombing, in agreement with the religious leaders of three Armenian churches of Aleppo, the elderly were transported in the buildings of the “Maternity Gulbenkian.”

Krikor Amirzayan

Syrian rebels may have committed war crimes in Aleppo – Amnesty

May 13, 2016 By administrator

Syrian rebels may have committed war crimes in their bombardment of a Kurdish-controlled area of Aleppo, killing dozens of innocent civilians, according to Amnesty International.

The rights watchdog says it has collected eyewitness testimony and videos which suggest that at least 83 civilians – including 30 children – were killed in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood of Aleppo, a city split between government and rebel control. The killings reportedly took place between February and April.

“Armed groups surrounding the Sheikh Maqsoud district…have repeatedly carried out indiscriminate attacks that have struck civilian homes, streets, markets and mosques, killing and injuring civilians and displaying a shameful disregard for human life,” Amnesty said in a Friday statement.

The organization’s deputy Middle East director, Magdalena Mughrabi, said the attacks “may amount to war crimes,” Reuters reported.

“By firing imprecise explosive weapons into civilian neighborhoods the armed groups attacking Sheikh Maqsoud are flagrantly flouting the principle of distinction between civilian and military targets, a cardinal rule of international humanitarian law,” Mughrabi said.

The violence is part of intense fighting in the region between the Kurdish YPG militia – which is backed by the US in the fight against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) – and rebel groups, some of which are backed by foreign countries via Turkey.

The YPG and its allies have been battling insurgents, including some Islamist groups, in the northern Aleppo province for several months. Shellings of Sheikh Maqsoud, which has a large Kurdish population, have intensified since February.

Both sides have accused the other of killing civilians.

Rebels claim the YPG wants to take control of a road which provides access from Turkey to Aleppo’s rebel-held areas. They also say the YPG is working in cahoots with the Syrian government – a claim which the YPG denies.

The YPG currently holds and uninterrupted 400km (250 mile) stretch of territory along the Syria-Turkey border. Turkey, which is fighting Kurdish militants in a controversial operation in the country’s southeast, views any YPG expansion with concern.

But despite any disapproval from Turkey, the YPG has been praised for its efforts against IS militants in Syria. The militia has been the most effective partner on the ground in the US-led campaign against IS, seizing large areas from the group last year.

Syria Life testimony Aleppo

April 17, 2016 By administrator

Pierre Le Corf is a very good friend. There are more than a year, with only luggage a computer and a smartphone, this young Breton has undertaken to the World Tour to gather the stories of those whom we never speak, those forgotten and abandoned the humanity, but which are nonetheless men and women with a history. This is a humanitarian goal journey called ” #WeAreSuperheroes. “, An organization dedicated to supporting marginalized communities to develop their self-confidence through the Storytelling. The idea is to achieve a participatory journalism platform.

With little financial means, previously saved, he lived among each other. In his journey, sometimes dangerous, he even took the time to help some to get by.

After collecting more than 500 accounts across the globe, Pierre has recently joined the Middle East, against the advice of his friends, because of the potential danger that locally prevailing there. Thus, after passing through Lebanon, he arrived in Damascus early April, then towards Aleppo where he will meet many Armenian, which he hopes to take evidence in the next days.

Meanwhile, here’s what Peter Corf lived the last two days (Friday, Saturday) in Aleppo.

According to our latest information, in the night from Friday to Saturday, the armed rebel groups launched rocket raids against the Kyugh Nor populated district of Aleppo Armenians. The attacks were mainly civilians.

Jean Eckian

Hell From Above: Russian Aviation to Help Syrian Army Liberate Aleppo

April 10, 2016 By administrator

Moscow and Damascus are elaborating a joint operation to liberate Aleppo from terrorists, the Syrian prime minister said.

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — The Russian Aerospace Forces’ aircraft will help the Syrian army liberate Aleppo from terrorist groups, Syrian Prime Minister Wael Nader Halqi said Sunday as quoted by a Russian lawmaker.

“Halqi told us that Syria and Russia are preparing an operation to liberate Aleppo. Russian aviation will help the Syrian army to attack on the ground,” Russian upper house member Dmitry Sablin told RIA Novosti.

A group of Russian lawmakers is currently visiting the Syrian capital of Damascus.

Moscow commenced an anti-terrorism operation in Syria on September 30 at President Bashar Assad’s request. On March 14, Vladimir Putin ordered to start withdrawing the main part of the Russian air group from Syria. Moscow maintained its presence at the Hmeymin airbase and the Tartus naval facility.

Russia Plays Major Role in Liberating Over 500 Syrian Settlements

“The Syrian people will never forget the assistance provided by the Russian people. First of all, it concerns the decision of [Russian] President Vladimir Putin on the involvement of Russian Aerospace Forces in the operation to support the Syrian army on the ground. More than 500 settlements with a total area of 40,000 square kilometers were liberated thanks to it,” Halqi added.

On March 27, the Syrian army, backed by militias and Russian Aerospace Forces, fully liberated Palmyra, which was under the control of Daesh since May 2015.

Syria has been mired in civil war since March 2011, with government forces loyal to Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, such as Daesh and the Nusra Front. A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force across Syria on February 27. It does not apply to terrorist groups such as Daesh and Nusra Front, both of which are banned in Russia.

Source: sputniknews.com/

Armenian soldier dies in Aleppo

March 21, 2016 By administrator

default An Armenian soldier, Kevork Mgrdichian, was killed in the ongoing battles between the Syrian government army and the Islamic State, according to Arevelk news agency.

The terrorist groups again violated ceasefire and targeted with rocket and mortar shells al-Sheikh Maqsoud and Bab al-Faraj neighborhoods in Aleppo, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.

As a result, four people were killed and seven others were injured.

Peter Oborne: Aleppo Operation ‘Reminiscent of the Liberation of Stalingrad’

February 21, 2016 By administrator

1034824638 In a recent firsthand report based on his travels to Syria’s Aleppo, The Spectator associate editor Peter Oborne wrote that the Syrian Army’s victories in encircling the militant-controlled portions of the city are, in some ways, reminiscent of the liberation of the city of Stalingrad during the Second World War.

Oborne’s piece, published by the conservative British news magazine last week and entitled “Aleppo Notebook: the city’s terrorist besiegers will now be besieged,” was based on the journalist’s recent travels to the city, and his interactions with ordinary Syrians.

The article, together with Oborne’s report for The Daily Mail and a televised interview he had with RT upon his return, triggered a vigorous debate in Britain, the United States and in Europe for its blunt critique of Western governments’ position on Syria.

Against a tidal wave of commentary in the Western media about ‘the Assad regime’ and its battle against ‘moderate rebels’, Oborne shocked readers by openly reporting that during his travels, “again and again I was asked: why is Britain supporting the terrorists?”

Vanessa Beeley: Last week Peter Oborne became the first Western journalist to enter Aleppo following its relief… https://t.co/D5v1pHW9wK

“When I returned to London,” the journalist wrote, “I read in the newspapers that this turn of events [in Aleppo] was regarded as a calamity. Of course, it does depend on your point of view. Government-held Aleppo was under siege from jihadi forces until last year. That was never reported. Now the areas of Aleppo held by the rebels are coming under siege. That is reported in the western press as a catastrophe, and has brought a concerned response from the British Foreign Secretary.”

A week later, the journalist’s ‘Aleppo Notebook’ continues to generate shockwaves, this time in Russia and the former Soviet Union, with social media users picking up on the journalist’s comment that the situation in the jihadist-controlled portions of the city is now reminiscent of the situation in Stalingrad on the eve of its liberation.

“My time in Aleppo coincided with the turning point in the Syrian civil war. Assad’s forces, with the help of Russian air power, cut off the line of supply from the Turkish border to the jihadist forces encircling the government-held areas of the city. Deprived of fresh fighters, guns and ammunition from their Turkish sponsors, Al Nusra and other groups encircling the city are, over the long term, doomed. Islamic State, which sells its oil through Turkey, will start to run short of money. Think of Stalingrad in 1942: the besiegers are now the besieged,” Oborne wrote.

Russian-speaking social media users picked up on the story on Twitter, Facebook, and Russian social media platform VKontakte, with the print media soon to follow; Russian news agency RIA Novosti’s story on the comparison received nearly 75,000 views in less than 24 hours.

And, while some users commented that the scale of the two battles is not comparable, or that the circumstances or details of the two battles were different, others insisted that the comparison, in its spirit, was not only appropriate, but an important way of trying to get across to ordinary Britons who is who in the conflict.

“The comparison with Stalingrad is inappropriate, I agree, but this is a signal through which the journalist is trying to reach British public opinion. Maybe it will help them to understand who is who in this war,” a user named Ivan said, commenting on the RIA Novosti story.

Hopefully, Mr. Oborne’s revelations about Allepoans’ support for the government, about the composition of the jihadist forces occupying part of the city, and about much of the Western media’s shameful support for the militants really will help not just Britons, but people all across Europe and North America understand ‘who is who’ in the war in Syria.

Syria: ARS Medical Clinic, Homes Damaged in Aleppo Attack mostly-Christian populated districts

February 17, 2016 By administrator

The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) medical clinic of Aleppo

ALEPPO — The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) medical clinic of Aleppo suffered substantial damages after an attack by militant opposition groups on Feb. 14, reported the Aleppo-based Armenian news outlet Kantsasar. The attack targeted the mostly-Christian populated districts of Suleymanieh, Nor Kyugh, Telefon Hawaii, and Seyrafi. Kantsasar noted that there were casualties and wounded in this recent attack.

The ARS Central office confirmed the damages to the clinic to the Armenian Weekly. According to our sources, the attack also targeted the Nor Kyugh school area, where two Armenian schools—the Sahagian elementary school and the Djemaran high school—as well as the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church are located, near the medical center. The schools have not been operational for around two years. The church is still in use, even though a part of it is damaged. The recent attack damaged shops and homes in the area.

In a post on their Facebook page, the ARS Central office appealed for support. “Due to the bombardments today in Aleppo, Syria, the Health Center of the ARS Red Cross of Syria has been destroyed as reported today by the Regional Executive. Please continue your support for the vital needs of our sisters and brothers in Syria through your local ARS chapters or on-line,” read a part of the post.

A day earlier, Kamishli-born Syrian Armenian Viken Vosgerichian (b. 1983), was among those killed in another missile attack. According to reports, Vosgerichian was among the volunteers who stood guard in areas heavily populated by Armenians, in order to ensure their safety. He also participated in the distribution of water to the greater community using special water-transporting vehicles. Several other individuals sustained injuries in the attack, and were transported to nearby hospitals, while many buildings—including homes and stores—as well as several vehicles, suffered extensive damages or were destroyed.

Kantsasar also reported that water has been scarce in the city in recent months, and that electricity has been almost non-existent since Oct. 23, 2015, forcing Aleppo residents to purchase water and a few hours of energy from those who own generators.

The Feb. 13 attack comes less than two weeks after Aleppo’s Armenian-populated Nor Kyugh district was attacked by missiles on Feb. 3, according to a report by Perio News. One of the missiles in that attack hit an area between the St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church and the Sahagian Armenian School of Aleppo, while another landed near an Armenian nursing home. According to the Perio News report, while some people sustained injuries, there were no casualties in that attack.

Just over two weeks before that attack, on the morning of Jan. 17, the Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church in Aleppo’s Munshieh district was severely damaged after militant groups launched a missile attack on several Aleppo neighborhoods, including Munshieh, Azizieh, and Saad Jabri. According to Kantsasar, the church was hit a few hours after Sunday Mass.

The ARS of Eastern USA continues to collect donations for Syrian-Armenian relief. To make an online donation, visit http://arseastusa.org/donate, or mail checks to The Armenian Relief Society of Eastern USA, Inc., 80 Bigelow Avenue, Suite 200, Watertown, MA 02472.

The ARS Eastern USA a 501(c)(3) is charitable organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Terrorist State of Turkey Heavy Shelling Residential Areas in Aleppo & Kurd position

February 16, 2016 By administrator

The Turkish artillery has been massively shelling Syrian troops and patriotic opposition in border areas since last week, with over 100 volleys registered in the Aleppo province, the Russian Defense Ministry’s spokesperson told journalists on Tuesday.

“Since last week, Turkey’s heavy artillery has been shelling Syrian troops and patriotic opposition in border areas. According to reconnaissance, the Turkish artillery has fired more than 100 volleys at border residential areas in the Aleppo province,” Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

On Saturday, Turkish forces began shelling the positions of Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria’s Aleppo region.

Turkish forces bombed a village and an airbase that were recently captured by Kurds, Al Mayadeen TV reported Saturday. Prior to being captured by the YPG, the village and the airbase belonged to al-Nusra Front terrorist organization.

On Saturday, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu claimed Turkish forces shelled Kurds’ positions in northern Syria as a retaliatory measure within rules of engagement. Syria’s Foreign Ministry branded the shelling as direct support of the terrorists on Sunday.

Kurdish fighters, alongside the Syrian Armed Forces, have been fighting against terrorists in the north of the country.

Syria: Kurds in Aleppo despite advancing Turkish artillery

February 16, 2016 By administrator

arton122171-480x321 Kurdish forces in Syria progressed Monday in the northern province of Aleppo, despite three days of bombing Turkish artillery, reported the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (OSDH).

“The fighting raged since Sunday in a western district of Tall Rifaat between the Democratic Forces for Syria (SDS) and the rebels,” he told AFP Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Observatory. The SDS is a coalition led by the YPG, main Kurdish militia including Syria and the Syrian Arab fighters.

“At least 26 rebels were killed in the fighting,” according to the Observatory, which has a wide network of sources across Syria.

Tall Rifaat is one of the last three rebel strongholds in the northern province of Aleppo. This small town that has escaped the control of the army in 2012 was held by Islamist insurgents backed by Turkey, including Ahrar al-Sham, Liwa al-Fateh and Jabha Chamiyé.

On Sunday, 350 fighters of another Islamist faction, al-Sham Faylaq, came from Turkey to come to reinforce the rebels Tall Rifaat, according to OSDH.

The Turkish artillery continued to hit Monday for the third consecutive day the road west of Tall Rifaat to try to cut off reinforcements FDS.

But despite these attacks, the coalition led by the Kurds managed to seize Kfarnaya Monday, two km south of Tall Rifaat, according to OSDH.

In this battle of Aleppo, the Kurds, who have aligned themselves with either the regime or the rebels, mainly want to join their regions and achieve their ultimate goal of independence.

In the complex conflict in Syria, where the territory is divided up between the regime of Bashar al-Assad, rebels, jihadists and Kurds, they found themselves at the forefront of the fight against the Islamic State of ultraradicaux (EI) .

Taking Kafrnaya, Kurdish forces and their Arab allies “are no longer just 8 km from the territory of EI in the province of Aleppo,” said Abdel Rahman.

In this province also divided between the various belligerents, rebels suffered setback after setback since the beginning of the offensive of the army of the regime supported by the Russian strikes. They now find themselves caught between the EI, the Kurds and the regime.

AFP