SANA DAILY HEADLINES ON SYRIA 360°
President al-Assad Receives Congratulatory Cables on Occasion of Eid al Fitr
 |
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – President Bashar al-Assad received on Saturday a cable from First Religious Judge of Damascus Ahmad Armoush saying that the Religious Court in Damascus announced that the Sunday August 19th is the first day of Eid al-Fitr.
President al-Assad received another cable from the Minister of Justice congratulating him on this occasion and offering best wishes on behalf and the judges, lawyers and Justice Ministry workers.
President al-Assad also received a congratulatory cable from Minister of Endowments (Awqaf) Mohammad Abelsattar al-Sayyed, in which he offered congratulations and best wishes on behalf of himself and religious figures and Endowments Ministry workers.
In a similar cable, Grand Mufti of the Republic Dr. Ahamad Badreddin Hassoun offered congratulations and best wishes to President al-Assad and the Syrian people, praying that Eid al-Fitr will herald comfort, blessings and victory.
H. Sabbagh
Terrorists Killed, Weapons Storehouses Destroyed…Border Infiltration Attemtps Foiled
PROVINCES, (SANA)- The Syrian armed forces continued pursuing the terrorists mercenaries who intimidated the civilians in a number of neighborhoods in the city of Aleppo, helped by the citizens who have been informing the authorities of the movement and whereabouts of the terrorists.
A source in Aleppo province on Saturday told SANA reporter that the armed forces confronted an armed terrorist group near the Faculty of Sciences in Aleppo inflicting big losses among the terrorists and arresting others.
The source added that a unit of the army killed and wounded dozens of terrorists near the Radio area in Aleppo city.
The armed forces continued chasing the terrorist groups out of Saif al-Dawleh area inflicting heavy losses upon their members.
The told SANA that the authorities have seized large amounts of weapons and ammunition in the course of their pursuit of the terrorists and dismantled a number of explosive devices.
In Lattakia, the armed forces clashed with an armed terrorist group that tried to blockade Kassab-al-Baseet road and inflicted heavy losses upon the terrorists.
SANA reporter quoted a source in Lattakia as saying that the armed forces cleaned the TV and Radio Broadcast Center in Kassab from the mercenary terrorists.
Qualitative Operations Conducted in Several Areas in Aleppo City
Units from the armed forces conducted qualitative operations in a number of areas in the city of Aleppo where they caused heavy losses to the ranks of the terrorist groups.
The areas included those of al-Andalus school, al-Hayat Hospital, Rahmo Khatab school, al-Hamiyat Hospital and Ahmad Saeed school.
The armed forces have cleared the area of Maysaloun Hospital from the terrorist groups and are continuing chasing down the fleeing terrorists.
Army Unit Clashes with Terrorist Group in North Aleppo, Destroys Ammunition Storehouse
A unit from the armed forces clashed with an armed terrorist group in Rityan village in northern Aleppo killing and injuring its members.
The army unit also destroyed an ammunition storehouse for terrorists in the same village which included a large number of RPG launchers and charges.
The armed forces, on Friday, clashed with an armed terrorist group in Ojet al-Joub area in al- Sulaimanieh neighborhood in Aleppo killing a number of its members.
A source in Aleppo Province told SANA reporter that another unit of the Syrian armed forces clashed with terrorists near al-Huda Mosque in Saif al-Dowla area in Aleppo, killing and injuring a number of them.
The Authorities Pursue Terrorists in Daraa Countryside
The authorities pursued terrorist groups in the town of al-Hrak in Daraa countryside, killing and injuring several of their members.
A source in the province told SANA that among the dead terrorists were Hussein Abdo Quman who is a leader of terrorist groups, Hamza Hasan al-Hariri, Farhan Sluieman al-Salamat, Hamza Yaseen al-Hazimah and Sameer Abdul-Hameed al-Salamat.
Engineering units dismantled an improvised explosive device weighing 60 kilograms and rigged for remote detonation which was planted by terrorists in the Deaf-Mute Institute in Daraa city. No damages or injuries occurred.
Weapons Warehouse Destroyed in Jouret al-Shayah, Homs
Meanwhile, in Homs, the authorities exploded a warehouse of weapons and ammunition for the armed terrorist groups in Jouret al-Shayah neighborhood, killing a big number of terrorists inside it.
Armed Forces Foil Infiltration Attempt by Terrorist Groups through Lebanese Borders
Units of the Syrian armed forces last night foiled an attempt by two terrorist groups to infiltrate into the Syrian lands through Halat and al-Arida sites in Talkalakh, Homs countryside.
SANA reporter quoted a source in Homs as saying that the clashes with the two terrorist groups led to the killing of members of one of the groups while the second group suffered heavy losses.
The source added that the competent authorities destroyed a car equipped with Dushka machinegun and the terrorists inside at al-Buraniya village in al-Qseir countryside.
Authorities Arrest 8 Terrorists, Seize 49 Russian Rifles in Hasaka
In Hasaka, the authorities set an ambush for an armed terrorist group driving a car on Qamishli-Hasaka highway as they were informed that three terrorists were smuggling weapons in a car.
A source told SANA reporter that the three terrorists were arrested and their weapons were seized including 20 Russian rifles.
The authorities also arrested 5 terrorists who were driving a truck in Abu Rassain area in Qamishli.
The source added that 29 Russian rifles and 21 pump-action guns and snipers were seized.
English Bulletin
UNSMIS: UN Won’t Leave Syria
 |
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – Head of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), General Babacar Gaye, said that even though the mandate of the UNSMIS ends on Sunday, the UN will not leave Syrian and will continue working to find a way out of violence.
In a press conference held in Damascus on Saturday, Gaye added that the mission to supervise the ceasefire agreed upon by all sides started on 21 April, highlighting that “Initially, the ceasefire was respected, violence decreased and we were able to do our work throughout the country.”
Gaye said that in the middle of June, violence was reignited, therefore UNSMIS reoriented its efforts to facilitate pauses in fighting to enable humanitarian assistance to be delivered.
He called upon all parties to end violence that is causing suffering to the innocent people of Syria, expressing thanks to the 300 military observers and all UNSMIS personnel for their commitment to the effort of ending violence.
“I would like to thank, on behalf of UNSMIS’s personnel, all our Syrian counterparts for the cooperation and hospitality they have shown. Syria has a proud and rich history. Its future must not be undermine,” he stressed.
He considered that the most important legacy of UNSMIS is that it paved the way for a united agreement by the Security Council for the United Nations to stay in Syria.
He appealed for shifting the mindset from military logic to a mindset of dialogue, adding that this appeal is yet to be followed by acts and operational decisions for both parties.
M. Nassr/ M. Ismael
President al-Assad Sends Letter to Chinese Counterpart on the Situation in Syria
 |
BEIJING, (SANA)_President Bashar al-Assad sent a letter to the Chinese President Hu Jintao on the developments in Syria and the region, delivered by the Presidential Political and Media Advisor, Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban, to Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.
Dr. Shaaban briefed minister Jiechi on the situation in Syria and the efforts exerted by the Syrian government to get out of the crisis through a political national dialogue, away from foreign interference, stressing Syria’s interest in cooperation with friendly countries and international organizations and its commitment to Annan’s six-point plan.
Dr. Shaaban thanked China for its balanced and principled stance in support of the Syrian sovereignty, stressing the importance that all countries follow the lead of Russia and China in their accurate approach of the way out of the crisis.
For his part, the Chinese minister expressed his country’s unswerving rejection of imposing solutions on the Syrian people and foreign interference.
Dr. Shaaban, interviewed by the China Daily, highly appreciated the stances of China and Russia on Syria which are “consistent with the United Nations Charter, international laws and ethical values, and are helpful to the peaceful resolution” to the crisis in Syria.
“We’re happy to see countries like China and Russia, who are not colonizers or deal with people as colonizers,” added Dr. Shaaban criticizing the stances adopted by the west on Syria.
The “most dangerous, rigid and harmful sanctions” issued by the West have affected the health sector and the lives of ordinary Syrian civilians, and the West is worsening the situation by “supporting with arms and money people who are inciting the civil war in Syria” underlined Dr. Shaaban.
Dr. Shaaban reiterated Syria’s commitment to dialogue and to the resigned Kofi Annan’s six-point plan which ‘should be translated into real action, not just talk.
Dr. Shaaban pointed out that the armed terrorist groups continued their attacks against the Syrians not to mention the rejection of opposition to dialogue, saying that these groups are financed by certain powers and are not allowed to talk to the government, which would ‘put not only Syria but the entire region in danger.’
What happened in Libya cannot be repeated in Syria, and China’s principles are helping to avoid civil war, which would cause more casualties, Dr. Shaaban underlined.
Dr. Shaaban added that ‘Opposition groups have the support of regional forces, and officials in those forces are putting their personal careers at stake,’ pointing out that she does not agree with using the word “opposition” to define people “who are carrying arms and emboldened by external powers to kidnap, kill and destroy public institutions”
Dr. Shaaban asserted that ‘opposition groups in Syria have no backing among the Syrian people when being financed by different sources,’ pointing out that some members of the so-called opposition parties have joined the government and parliament over the past year.
Dr. Shaaban described her visit to China as to give “the Chinese leadership a real picture of what’s going on in Syria” and coordinate with China to solve the current crisis that has taken thousands of people’s lives.
M. Ismael / Al-Ibrahim
Russia and China Welcomes Appointment of Brahimi as UN Envoy to Syria
 |
MOSCOW/ BEIJING, (SANA)- Russia welcomed the appointment of the former Algerian Foreign Minister, Lakhadr Brahimi, as the UN new envoy to Syria succeeding Kofi Annan.
Russia Today TV quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying in a statement on Saturday that “Moscow welcomed appointing Lakhadr Brahimi as the UN envoy to Syria,” adding that Brahimi is known as a veteran diplomat and someone with a great experience in peace missions.
The statement cited Brahimi’s chairmanship of UN missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Haiti.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said it expects that Brahimi will base his work on the plan of his predecessor Kofi Annan, the agreements reached at the Action Group meeting in Geneva and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
It expressed hope that contacts continue with all the parties in Syria and work goes on for stopping the violence as soon as possible and starting political dialogue, affirming Russia’s readiness for cooperation with the new envoy towards bringing the crisis in Syria to an end.
Meanwhile, Russia expressed hope that Brahimi will participate in the forthcoming meeting of the international Action Group on Syria which was delayed on the request of the Western countries after it was scheduled on Friday.
Russia Today website quoted Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin as saying in statements in New York on Friday that the meeting of the Action Group on Syria was scheduled to discuss a draft statement that set up a certain point of time for all the Syrian sides to end violence and start dialogue.
Churkin pointed out that some members of the group showed readiness to attend the meeting and discuss our document while the Western members said they are not ready citing different pretexts and reasons.
The Action Group on Syria was scheduled to hold a meeting on the ambassadors level at the UN with participation of Russia, China, Britain, US, France, Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the European Union.
China Hopes Lakhdar Brahimi Continues Efforts to Resolve Crisis in Syria through Political Means
China hoped that the new UN Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi continue resolving the crisis in Syria through political means, implement the plan of his predecessor Kofi Annan and Geneva recommendations to push towards a peaceful, just solution.
“China welcomes appointing the Algerian former Foreign Minister as a successor of Annan .. and hopes that he continues solving the crisis in Syria through political way.. Beijing also urges all sides concerned to stop violence,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang said on Saturday.
Xinhua quoted Qin as saying at a press conference in response to a question “China will effectively cooperate and back Brahimi efforts for a political mediation in this regard.
English Bulletin
Lavrov: Imposing No-fly Zone over Syria Is a Violation of Sovereignty and the UN Charter
 |
MOSCOW, (SANA)- Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, stressed Russia’s rejection of imposing a no-fly zone over Syria as it constitutes a violation of the Syrian sovereignty and the UN Charter.
“I’ve heard what representatives of the U.S. military leaderships mentioned of imposing a no-fly zone over Syria, and this is not the first time they propose such an issue which, if it happens, would be a violation of sovereignty and of the UN Charter,” said Lavrov in an interview with Sky News Arabia published on Saturday.
He added that if the aim behind this issue was taking care of the displaced, “then we also want to facilitate their conditions and it’s necessary to agree on this issue according to various mechanisms.”
The Russian Foreign Minister referred in this regard to the recent visit of the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, to Damascus and a number of Syrian areas, highlighting the Syrian government’s agreement on tackling the problems of the displaced.
“However, if they tried to build ‘safe zones’ and no-fly zones for military purpose, then this is unacceptable,” Lavrov stressed.
Commenting on the possibility of working outside the Security Council regarding the Syrian issue, Lavrov said the US has actually announced its intention to do so, describing the U.S. stance as “incomprehensible” especially that it came up a few days after the Geneva meeting, which resulted in forming an action committee that came out with a statement that detailed Annan’s six-point plan.
Lavrov added that the statement was approved at Geneva meeting but was later manipulated by international partners at the Security Council and intentionally misinterpreted to look as if it implied an authorization to overthrow the regime in Syria and even exclude it from negotiations.
He stressed that the statement was approved in simple and clear English and did not include any of that but rather focused on the necessity of stopping violence by all parties and that the Syrian government and opposition present the names of negotiators who are supposed to meet to unanimously reach the formation of a transitional body that includes representatives from both sides based on the agreement of the Syrians themselves.
Lavrov dismissed the statements of Washington and other capitals on the death of Geneva meeting as “irresponsible”, describing the Geneva meeting as the most important meeting reached on Syria with the participation of the Western countries, the US, the Europeans, Russia, China, the Arab countries and Turkey.
“Now to say that the statement is dead means that there are some parties who are looking for an excuse to announce the absence of prospects for a settlement through peaceful means and resort to a military action, the thing which makes us very concerned as it is a way towards a big catastrophe in the region,” he added.
On the work group on Syria at the UN Security Council on the level of permanent representatives that Russia invited to, Lavrov said ”We actually wanted to hold a meeting in New York for the permanent representatives of all countries who attended Geneva meeting, in addition to Saudi Arabia and Iran, to say that the negotiations in Geneva were fair and constructive… the US representative pretended that she did not understand what was the meeting all about…If they are trying to dodge the issue, it means that they were either not sincere in Geneva or they changed their minds, and they have to say that straightaway.”
Lavrov stressed Russia’s commitment to a firm line in solving crises, which is the importance of reaching collective decisions implemented unanimously, as was the case with Annan’s plan when Russia committed to urging all sides to implement it.
”We don’t want to come up with initiatives that cause a stir like establishing a no-fly zone or safe areas…We want to recognize the essence of the conflict,” Lavrov said.
Lavrov said that one of the salient points in Geneva statement underlined the importance of ending violence by all sides as the West is shirking the agreement and violating the commitments, demanding that the Syrian government ends military acts unilaterally.
Lavrov said that were the Syrian government to pull the military vehicles out of the cities, the opposition won’t lay down arms, but would try take over the cities, adding ”It is not logical from a military or political perspectives, and we they speak about the importance of disarming one side, it is obviously not about calming the situation or saving civilian lives.”
Lavrov stressed the importance of coming to the negotiating table to solve the crisis in Syria and that the Syrians agree about their future, pointing out to the role of foreign countries and their calls for arming the opposition and inciting it to reject dialogue with the regime, which add fuel to the fire.”
Lavrov underlined the importance that the Syrian people determine their own future and that the role of foreign players be restricted to helping the Syrian people come to the negotiating table.”
Speaking about the mission of the new UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, Lavrov said “There is a plan to divide the mission into military and political groups of observers, and a third group that helps carry out humanitarian projects and delivering aid,” adding that he believes the mission will focus on the political measures and contacts that help jump-start a political dialogue.”
Lavrov also underlined the importance of admitting that ceasefire must be observed by the opposition, not only the government, as victims are falling by the opposition’s gunfire. H. Said/M. Ismael
Syrian Ministerial Delegation to Russia: Moscow Takes Clear Stances in the Interests of the Syrians
 |
MOSCOW, (SANA) – Minister of State for National Reconciliation Affairs Dr. Ali Haidar on Saturday said that the Russian stances boosted the possibility of reaching a political solution for the crisis in Syria through preventing foreign interference.
In statements to SANA upon the arrival of the Syrian delegation to Moscow, Minister Haidar stressed that Moscow is taking clear stances to achieve the interests of the Syrian people, and that this delegation’s visit to Moscow will focus on finding ideas to reach tangible results to get Syria out of the crisis through political work based on dialogue.
He said that his Ministry announced that ten thousand Syrians are ready to volunteer to help the UN mission, adding “We knew that the problem wasn’t technical but political.”
Haidar stressed that the USA, UK and France want to say that the crisis in Syria can’t be solved except through a military act, while Syria’s true friends say that the solution is a political one.
For his part, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection Dr. Qadri Jamil said that national reconciliation is a basic goal of the Syrian government.
Minister Jamil said that the visit aims at discussing the comprehensive political process and national reconciliation, in addition to following up on the economic issues related to the previous visit which took place three weeks ago.
M. Nassr / H. Sabbagh
Shaaban: China’s Principled Stance Protects Countries from wars’ catastrophe
 |
BIEJING, (SANA)-Presidential Political and Media Advisor Buthaina Shaaban underlined that Chain’s principled stance, based on the UN charter, and its rejection of any foreign intervention in the countries’ internal affairs protect the states from the wars’ disasters.
Dr. Shaaban was speaking at a meeting with a number of Chinese researchers and academics interested in the Middle East affairs, presenting an explanation on the current events in Syria.
She briefed the researchers on the continuous efforts Syria exerts in cooperation with the friendly countries to come out of the crisis through a national dialogue that paves the way for a political solution.
The Chinese academics underlined that Syria has the right to combat terrorism and defend its sovereignty, regretting the negative role of some media that instigate violence and the West exploitation of the human rights’ mottos.
Shaaban answered questions raised by the researchers, stressing that the Syrian people’s support to their government and army will inevitably lead to victory.
H.Zain/ Mazen Eyon
Armed Forces Pursue Terrorists in a Number of Aleppo Neighborhoods, Explode an Ammunition Warehouse
ALEPPO/ HOMS, (SANA)- The Syrian armed forces continued pursuing the terrorists mercenaries who intimidated the civilians in a number of neighborhoods in the city of Aleppo.
A source in Aleppo Province on Saturday told SANA reporter that the armed forces confronted an armed terrorist group near the Faculty of Sciences in Aleppo inflicting big losses among the terrorists and arresting others.
The source added that a unit of the army killed and wounded dozens of terrorists near the Radio area in Aleppo city.
The armed forces, on Friday, clashed with an armed terrorist group in Ojet al-Joub area in al- Sulaimanieh neighborhood in Aleppo killing a number of its members.
A source in Aleppo Province told SANA reporter that another unit of the Syrian armed forces clashed with terrorists near al-Huda Mosque in Saif al-Dowla area in Aleppo, killing and injuring a number of them.
Meanwhile, in Homs, the authorities exploded a warehouse of weapons and ammunition for the armed terrorist groups in Jouret al-Shayah neighborhood, killing a big number of terrorists inside it.
H. Zain/ Mazen
Milliyet Newspaper: Camps Training Gunmen to Fight in Syria under Turkish Intelligence’s Knowledge
 |
ANKARA, (SANA)-The Turkish Milliyet newspaper revealed that al- Qaeda has established secret camps inside the Syrian territories near the border with Turkey to train and arm al-Qaeda militants to be sent to fight against the Syrian army.
The newspaper mentioned in an article published on Saturday that Osman Karahan, a Turkish leader of al-Qaeda in Turkey, is the one charged with these camps as he is responsible for providing the trainees with weapons and military equipment from various sources.
The article said that the Turkish intelligence services had had knowledge of the movement of Karahan and his group in Antakya and at these camps which have been hosting gunmen from different Arab nationalities.
Milliyet pointed out that Karahan and other al-Qaeda members had been wanted by the Turkish security and judiciary after their escape from prison.
The Turkish newspaper highlighted that Karahan was later killed inside Syria during clashes with the Syrian army along with two other al-Qaeda members, Metin Ekinci and Baki Yigit.
H. Said
75 Detainees in Homs Released
 |
HOMS, (SANA)- The authorities on Friday released 75 detainees in the city of Homs who got involved in the events taking place in the country but whose hands are clear of the Syrians’ blood.
The release process took place in the presence of a delegation of the UN international observers and Sheikh Habib Fandi, member of the National Reconciliation Committee.
Homs Governor, Ahmad Munir Mohammad, called on all those who have taken up arms to hand over their weapons and turn themselves in to the authorities, stressing that all those who do so will be released immediately .
H. Said
Health Ministry: News on Outbreak of Diarrhea in Damascus Countryside baseless
 |
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The Ministry of Health on Saturday refuted the news reports claiming that there is an outbreak of diarrhea in Damascus Countryside.
In a statement, the Ministry stressed that the disease is within the normal average for this time of the year, adding that these reports are part of the misleading campaign led by media outlets infamous for distorting facts.
The Ministry added that it detected a limited cases in Halboun area in Damascus Countryside and made the needed laboratory tests, highlighting that all patient persons are recovering.
The Ministry stressed that the cases are below average for this time of the year and the last five years.
M. Nassr/ M. Ismael
Al-Shara’s Office: Vice-President Never Thought of Leaving Homeland to any Direction
 |
DAMASCUS, (SANA)-Vice-President Farouk al-Shara has never at any moment thought of leaving the homeland to whatever direction, the Office of the Vice-President said in a press statement on Saturday.
The press release, which SANA got a copy of, said al-Shara has been working, since the start of the crisis in Syria, particularly since the convening of the consultative meeting which was held in Damascus on July 10, 2011 according to a presidential decree, with all different parties to end the bloodshed with the view of launching a political process in the framework of a comprehensive dialogue to achieve a national reconciliation that maintains the country’s territorial integrity, regional safety and national independence far from any foreign military intervention.
The release stressed al-Shara’s welcome of the appointment of Lakhadar Brahimi as the UN new envoy to Syria and support for his commitment to obtaining a unified stance by the Security Council to carry out his difficult mission without obstacles.
H. Zain/ Mazen/H. Said
Posted on August 18, 2012 by Administrator
0