Activists are reporting that the Syrian army has attacked a town that has been a major crossing into Jordan for civilians that are fleeing the country’s civil war. At least 20 government tanks have rolled into Tal Shehab, a Free Syrian Army held town.
The move by the government comes amid reports from Jordan that over 183,000 civilians have entered the country since the start of the war. The Jordanian government reports that as many as 1,000 refugees are daily crossing the border. Continue reading →
Syrian troops have killed at least 19 people in shelling around Syria’s largest city of Aleppo according to activists. Most the people killed in the government assault were women and children.
One opposition activist reported the death toll from the Aleppo attack is 54.
In a surprising statement against a fellow Islamic leader, Egypt’s new President Mohammed Mursi is calling for Syrian President Bashir al-Assad to step down. Continue reading →
The UN has reported that over 100,000 Syrians have fled the country in the wake of the increased fighting between government forces and the Free Syrian Army. The total almost doubled the overall number of civilians fleeing the country’s civil war.
The International Committee of the Red Cross is attempting to negotiate with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to allow humanitarian aid in the country. Al-Assad has previously resisted outside humanitarian assistance into the country claiming that the relief is just a “foreign plot”. Continue reading →
Syrian President Bashir al-Assad made a public address on state run television where he rejected calls for a United Nations buffer zone to provide humanitarian aid to civilians impacted by the country’s civil war.
“Talk of buffer zones firstly is not on the table,” he said. “Secondly it is an unrealistic idea by hostile countries and the enemies of Syria.” Continue reading →
A car bomb exploded in Damascus as a funeral procession passed killing 12 people and injuring 48. The bomb was reportedly placed inside a taxi that drove up to the procession. Reports say that several vehicles and buildings were damaged by the blast.
The attack came amid increased assaults between Syrian troops and Free Syrian Army rebel forces. Continue reading →
Free Syrian Army sources are reporting that the Syrian government massacred 300 people in Darayya on Sunday claiming they were cleansing the area of “terrorist remnants.”
However, video footage being released is showing the bodies of women and children killed by the troops laying in the streets.
The chairman of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria told the BBC this could be a war crime. Continue reading →
The United Nations agency that helps refugees has reported that over 200,000 people have now fled the civil war in Syria.
Over 30,000 have fled to Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan in the last week.
The recent mass exodus is attributed to the increase in government attacks on cities believed to be strongholds of the Free Syrian Army. Activists reported that on Thursday tanks from the government reached the center of Damascus suburb Darayya killing 20 people along the way. Continue reading →
Syrian government forces used heavy artillery and helicopter attacks on rebel positions to kill 41 people in attacks around Damascus throughout Wednesday. The military also shelled rebel areas of Aleppo but no death tolls have been reported for that city.
The battle in Aleppo has been raging for a month and human rights group Amnesty International have reported that civilians are facing a “horrific level” of violence in the city. Continue reading →
Activists report that 60 bodies have been found just outside of Damascus burned beyond recognition with their hands bound behind their back. The bodies were discovered in a trash dump outside Qatana, a Damascus suburb.
The announcement of the massacre came as the United Nations announced an end to its observer mission. Continue reading →
United Nations investigators have concluded the massacre of civilians in Houla, Syria was conducted by government troops and militia connected to the Syrian government.
The UN report states that the violations were authorized by the highest levels of the Syrian government.
In the May 2012 massacre, 108 civilians were killed. As the report was released, at least 30 people were killed when Syrian government warplanes attacked the town of Azaz. Continue reading →