Russian made MIG fighter jets bombard Aleppo suburbs

Syrian Revolution News Round- up / Day 508 – Regime MIG fighter jets bombarded the Aleppo suburbs of Tal Refaat and Kafarnaya following the second consecutive attack by rebels on Manegh military airport. Also in Aleppo, opposition forces continued to repel the regime’s ground assault and to capture more security offices, such as the Ansary police station. Regime forces also shelled the neighbourhoods of Sakhour, Fardous and Kallseh and heavy clashes occurred in the neighbourhood of Forqan and near the Immigration Department in the neighbourhood of Meridian.

At least 30 people were killed in Hama city after regime forces bombarded the neighbourhood of Arbaeen with helicopter gunships and tanks. They then stormed the area. Troops also raided the neighbourhoods of Jarajmeh and Bab Qably, damaging civilian property. Regime forces, backed by 4,500 troops and 12 military tanks, raided the neighbourhood of Tadamon in Damascus in a bid to wipe out remaining rebel fighters there. The neighbourhoods of Qadam and Asaly were also under heavy fire.

The Free Syrian Army condemned and rejected responsibility for the execution of regime loyalists in Aleppo after a video emerged of the reported killings. Meanwhile, the FSA council in Daraa reported that two senior army officials have defected. One official is Ahmed Tlas, head of military procurement at the Ministry of Interior and the second is Mohammad al-Haj Ali, a military academy senior official. The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly denounced the regime’s crackdown. It also adopted the Arab-sponsored resolution that demands Assad to step down and that Syria’s chemical weapons be secured. General Assembly resolutions are not enforceable but carry significant moral weight.

Regime forces continued attacks on the Damascus suburbs of Moadamiya, Yadla, Hamouriay and raided the towns of Bibila and Artouze. It also continued shelling the neighbourhoods of Khaldiya, Jouret Sheyah and the Old City of Homs and its provincial towns of Houleh, Rastan and Qasir. It continued shelling the Daraa suburbs of Heit, Ghariya Sharqiya, Baser Harir, Nahta and Harrah. The city of Deir Azzour was under heavy bombardment, as were its provincial towns of Zghira Jazeera, Mhemeida, Alyia and Khareita. Forces shelled the Akrad Mountain district and the towns of Kart, Ghonaima and Oweinat in the province of Latakia. It also carried out a massive military campaign against the Idlib suburb of Kourein, forcing citizens to evacuate.