Regime forces murder more than 300 civilians in Daraya

Syrian Revolution News Round- up / Day 530– Regime forces stormed the Damascus suburb of Daraya and carried out house-to-house raids and field executions leaving more than 300 civilians dead and 250 more wounded. The death toll is expected to rise as snipers deployed on rooftops were derailing the search operations for more victims. Regime forces also executed 12 civilians in the Daraa suburb of Herak while the indiscriminate shelling that targeted the Deir Azzour suburbs of Mayadin and Boqros left dozens of people dead and many more wounded.

Heavy clashes resumed in the neighbourhood of Kafarsouseh in the capital, while the indiscriminate and fierce shelling renewed in the provincial towns of Erbin, Moadamiya, Thiyabiya, Damir, Yabroud and Zabadani.

In Aleppo, rebel fighters continued repelling the regime’s ground assault as heavy clashes were reported in the neighbourhoods of Saif Adola, and Aarqoub as well as in the vicinity of Aleppo international airport. However, scores of people were killed and many were injured due to the indiscriminate and fierce shelling in the neighbourhoods of Maysar, Suleiman Halabi, Ba’aydin, Sakhour, Hollok, Bustan Pasha, Bab al-Hadid, Masaken Hanano and the provincial towns of Menbej and al-Bab.

The Free Syrian Army said it has secured the defection of 18 officers from various ranks including Major General Mohammad al-Kherat, commander-in-chief of the 7th division of the Syrian army. Meanwhile, the rebels released one of the 11 Shiite Lebanese hostages held in Aleppo since last May.

Reports surfaced today indicating that the Syrian government is negotiating deals with firms in London, Singapore and the Middle East to sell crude oil in return for the fuel it needs to survive in the face of an increasingly fierce rebellion.

Regime forces continued their indiscriminate attacks on the city of Deir Azzour and its provincial town of Boukamal. They also shelled the Idlib suburbs of Jabal Arbaeen, Jabal Zawiya, Ariha, Hazano, Ma’arrat Noman, Sarmin, Ma’arrat Masrin. They resumed the shelling in the old city of Homs and its provincial towns of Talbiseh, Krak Des Chevalier, Rastan and Qsair. Their MIG fighter jets pounded the Hama suburb of Karnaz leaving many civilians dead and wounded. Additionally, they resumed the shelling in the city of Daraa and its provincial towns of Dael, Nahta, Maliha Sharqiya, Maliha Gharbiya, Soura, Bosra, Katiba, Wadi Yarmouk and the Lajat district as well as the Latakia suburb of Jabal Turcoman along with heavy clashes in the Latakia suburb of Kasab.