SYRIA : Russia evacuates its citizens

Syrian Revolution News Round- up / Day 679 – More than 69 regime soldiers killed, Russia evacuates its citizens

 At least 30 pro-regime militiamen were killed and dozens more were injured in a suicide car bomb attack that targeted the headquarters of the pro-regime popular committees in the mainly Alawite town of Salamiya of the eastern suburb of Hama. There have been civilians among the deaths which could rise to more than 50.  

The National Coalition for the Revolutionary Forces and Opposition ended its monthly meeting that was held in Istanbul and attended by more than 60 members. Members discussed the formation of an interim government to conduct business in the liberated areas. They agreed on the need to form a capable interim government as soon as possible due to the local and international developments.  The General Assembly of coalition agreed to form a committee to communicate with political and revolutionary forces inside Syria, and with international organizations and governments to assure support for the interim government. The chair of this committee is Ahmed Maaz Al-Khateeb, president of the National Coalition Syrian, and includes George Sabra, Mustafa Sabbagh, Professor Bourhan Galion, Dr. Ahmed Syed Yusuf and Ahmed Al-Jerba. The Committee was asked to complete its mission within 10 days and send a report to the General Assembly. A decision to form the interim government will be made then. The Russian government said on Monday that it will send two planes to Lebanon to evacuate Russian citizens from Syria. The Emergency Situations Ministry said two of its planes will fly to Beirut on Tuesday to carry more than 100 Russians from Syria.The rebels stormed the Zaidani military checkpoint south of ldlib city where they continued their major offensive for the second day. Meanwhile, the rebels destroyed three military tanks and one armored vehicle as they ambushed a reinforcement convoy heading towards the town of Ma’arrat al-Numan, where they also continued their attacks on the camps of Wady al-Dayf and Hamdiya.  

Regime forces carried out more than 21 air raids on civilian areas across the country, using cluster, phosphorus, therbombaric and explosive bombs, causing extensive material damage and leaving many people dead and wounded. The continued violence left at least 199 people dead today. Regime forces and loyalist militiamen killed at least 112 people, including 11 children and ten women. Fighting also erupted on various fronts between the rebels and regime forces, leaving at least 25 rebel fighters and 36 regime soldiers dead.

Fighting also continued between the rebels and Kurdish Popular Protection Units in the Hasaka suburb of Ras al-Ayn, killing at least 21 fighters from both sides.

Regime forces and loyalists militias accompanied by Hezbollah fighters, continued their major onslaught on the neighbourhoods of Jobar and Sultaniya as well as the village of Kafara’aya in Homs, leaving at least 25 people dead including women and children.

In Damascus and its suburbs, regime forces killed at least 30 people, seven of whom were executed in the provincial town of Artouz, while dozens more were killed and injured due to the indiscriminate shelling in the provincial towns of Hamouriya, Daraya, Hazerma, Irbin and Moadamiyat al-Sham. Meanwhile, dozens of civilians and rebel fighters were killed due to the heavy clashes and shelling that took place in various places around Aleppo, Daraa, Deir Azzour, Raqa, Idlib, Hama and Qunaitera. Just few days since it increased prices of heating fuel by 40%, Syrian authorities increased prices of gasoline, wheat and flour. A decree issued by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Protection under which the price of Octane 95 was increased by 0.9% per litre, i.e. 60 SYP. Wheat price was increased from US$419 to US$434 per ton while the price of flour used for making bread was increased from US$321 to US$337