The Weekly Brief on Syria
The Week Ending 12 Feb 2012

Top Stories


Assad’s forces broke into the city of Zabadani in the suburbs of Damascus after agreeing with the revolutionaries on a ceasefire and retreated in return for the regime allowing food, medical supplies, and heating fuel into the city. The agreement was reached after the city was heavily bombarded with rockets and artillery for a week killing at least a hundred. Assad’s forces were not able to pass through hundreds of revolutionaries who flocked from all over the Qalamoun mountains areas to hold the defence lines. Hundreds of families evacuated to nearby cities fearing the regime’ wrath and vengeance.

Countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council decided to withdraw their Ambassadors from Syria and asked Syrian Ambassadors to leave immediately. The GCC statement said that this decision was taken as a result of the regime’s continued attempts to abort all initiatives aimed at diffusing the Syrian crisis. The Egyptian parliament has also announced the suspension of all ties with the Syrian parliament. Meanwhile, France and Spain recalled their ambassadors from Syria, while the US shut down its Embassy in Damascus.

Uprising Developments



The Iranian Republican Guard dispatched 15,000 elite troops of the Quds Special Forces that are specialized in guerrilla warfare to Damascus. The regiment was dispatched with Qasem Suleiman as the commander of the Quds regiment. Participation of Iranian and Hezbollah troops in atrocities against the Syrian people has been documented since the beginning of the revolution, even though all of these troops were under the command of the Fourth Regiment as well as the Air Force and Military Intelligence Divisions.

New explosions targeted the Military Intelligence building in New Aleppo and the Internal Security forces in Arqoub in the city of Aleppo last Friday. According to state-run media, 25 people were killed in this attack. While the regime accused terrorist organizations of suicide attacks on these locations, no group claimed responsibility and the nature of the attacks were not divulged. The explosions took place while massive demonstrations went out in what was called the Friday of “Russia kills our children”.

Economy


Switzerland added 34 names to its list of 108-names of sanctioned Syrian officials found to be contributors to the regime’s crimes against humanity. The names included the Minister of Finance Mohamad Jelailati and Minister of Economy Mohamad al-Shaar. Switzerland also added 19 names of institutions to be sanctioned; those included al-Watan newspaper, The Studies and Research Centre, and some oil companies and banks. The European Union will also be imposing a new round of sanctions on the Assad regime.

Internally, the regime suspended the offering of loans indefinitely in all public banks. On behalf of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Finance issued a confidential statement ordering all public banks to stop offering loans to preserve currency liquidity.

International Reactions



The Arab League called upon the United Nations to dispatch a joint peacekeeping mission to Syria after the regime intensified its security campaign against civilians. The League also decided to end the observers’ mission as well as cut off all diplomatic ties and implement additional economic sanctions, after hundreds were killed in the regime’s latest crackdown during the past week.

Syrian Press Focus

The regime’s media campaign was directed in line with the intensified security and military campaign in Syria, as news focused on what the regime deemed as terrorist organizations. According to official media, many areas in the city of Homs witnessed a massive deployment of armed gangs in large numbers. Those terrorists allegedly fired at passersby and prohibited residents from leaving their houses. In reality, the regime heavily bombarded the neighbourhoods of the city. Furthermore, a news item covered an allegation of finding a make-shift explosives factory in the neighbourhood of Baba Amr, and many underground tunnels linking the neighbourhood to nearby areas. The regime also circulated interviews with whom it claimed to be the resident so Zabadani who were thankful for the regime’s forces entry to their city. In reality, hundreds of families left the city fearing the regime’s wrath and vengeance.