#Assad

Time to reconsider ‘Life after Al Assad’

By Mustapha Karkouti

'Al Assad is Forever' — the English translation of ‘Al Assad Ila Al Abad’, the most favoured slogan of the Syrian regime for almost four decades — is quickly disappearing or being painted over on the walls of various cities and towns, including in the capital Damascus and the regime’s strongholds, the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous.

Piles of Hezbollah mercenaries' bodies returned to Lebanon in pick-up trucks as Qalamoun battle continues

May 10, 2015

Hezbollah's al Manar TV has been tirelessly broadcasting triumphal reports of its 'victories' in the Qalamoun region of Damascus province in coordination with Assad's forces. The Tehran-backed militia's media arm hasn't, however, been reporting the less than dignified return to Lebanon of the heaped bodies of Hezbollah mercenaries, killed there while fighting for Assad and Tehran, in the backs of pick-up trucks, as shown in this photograph taken by activists in the area.

Photo from Ahmed Mansour

Mounting anger, more mourning in Latakia, with dozens more regime troops killed in fighting

May 08, 2015

Latakia, 08-05-2015: Mourning is continuing among the ranks of Assad’s supporters in Latakia and anti-regime sentiments are mounting as the number of bodies of local regime troops being returned after being killed in fighting on various fronts across Syria continues to increase due to the victories by rebel forces who continue to make great progress across the country despite the massive odds against them.

Manufacturing victory with tyranny

If Iran and Hezbollah cannot stop fighting Syrians, then someone should do something to stop them. This is something to consider before the 30 June deadline, because no one will be able to stop an Iran so emboldened by success in the nuclear deal. The manufacture of victory will be more aggressive than ever.

US Unhappy at Prospect of Real Action Against Assad by Saudi-Turkish Alliance

May 07, 2015

Casting aside U.S. concerns about aiding extremist groups, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have converged on an aggressive new strategy to bring down Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The two countries — one a democracy, the other a conservative kingdom — have for years been at odds over how to deal with Assad, their common enemy. But mutual frustration with what they consider American indecision has brought the two together in a strategic alliance that is driving recent rebel gains in northern Syria, and has helped strengthen a new coalition of anti-Assad insurgents, Turkish officials say.

Hezbollah opens Latakia office, recruiting dozens of regime officers

May 06, 2015

06-05-2015: The Tehran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah has officially opened an office on March 8th Street in Latakia in one of the regime stronghold city’s most affluent neighbourhoods, already recruiting dozens of regime officers, troops and Alawite supporters of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

A source close to the regime’s ‘Desert Hawks Brigade,’ led by Ayman Jaber, a relative of Assad, confirmed in a statement to Souria.net that “Hezbollah is currently working on rehabilitating the military units in the Syrian leadership and in the Shiite community in particular.”

Assad stages PR rally, tells besieged regime troops help's on its way

May 06, 2015

Syrian dictator Bashar Assad said on Wednesday that troops from the regime's depleted forces would head to the outskirts of a town liberated by rebel forces to help besieged regime soldiers, attempting to justify recent 'setbacks' in the regime's military fortunes as part of normal warfare.

Rebel forces last month captured the town of Jisr al-Shughour in Idlib province, and are making steady progress towards the regime's coastal heartland of Latakia.

Assad issued Hariri’s death sentence in 2004: Jumblatt

May 06, 2015

The Syrian regime likely decided to execute Rafik Hariri after a tense meeting between the former prime minister and Bashar Assad in August 2004, Walid Jumblatt told the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Tuesday.

“I think that when [Hariri] visited Bashar Assad on Aug. 26, 2004, the death sentence was made then,” Jumblatt told the court.

But for months after the fateful meeting, Hariri thought that diplomacy could mend his fraught relationship with Damascus.

Hezbollah’s teen military recruits

Hezbollah mourned last week the death of a teenager killed “on jihadist duty” in Syria. The party’s Al-Manar television reported last Tuesday that “Hezbollah bid farewell to the mujahid martyr Mashhur Fahd Shamseddine.” Neither Hezbollah nor media outlets associated with the party made any reference to the boy’s age. Hezbollah only announced that he had died in a tragic accident while performing his jihadist duty. However, Arabic-language newspapers reported Shamseddine was only 15.

Hezbollah offensive in Qalamoun protects Assad, not Lebanon: Hariri

May 05, 2015

Lebanon‬, 05-05-2015: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri attacked Hezbollah Tuesday over its preparations for an anticipated large-scale battle in Syria's Qalamoun region against Nusra-led rebels, saying the fight is meant to protect the Syrian government, and not Lebanon.

“Media channels and some leaders in Lebanon have been ringing the bells for the Qalamoun hills battle, while the Syrian regime is silent,” Hariri said in a statement released by his media office.

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