39 Dead as Syrian Army Seizes Baba Amr and Rebels Withdraw 'Tactically'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Syrian forces overran the Baba Amr district of powderkeg Homs on Thursday after rebels retreated, potentially marking a turning point in President Bashar al-Assad's bid to crush an increasingly armed uprising.
As rebel fighters pulled back, the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) warned of a "massacre" in the rebel neighborhood by Syrian forces, while aid agencies said they would urgently try to get there to deliver aid and evacuate the wounded.
The SNC, slamming "confusion" among the rebel ranks, said in Paris it would provide leadership to an outgunned and fragmented force and control the flow of arms to fighters on the ground.
The rebels said they had pulled out "tactically" from Baba Amr after nearly two days of an all-out assault by the feared Fourth Armored Division, led by a younger brother of President Bashar al-Assad, Maher, following 27 straight days of relentless shelling of their bastion.
Rebels "have pulled out tactically in order to protect the remaining civilians," said Colonel Riad al-Asaad, the leader of the Free Syrian Army, which is made up mostly of deserters.
The FSA was formed mid-2011 in response to a brutal crackdown by Assad's forces on anti-regime protesters, and now boasts at least 20,000 armed fighters, although the numbers are impossible to verify.
A Syrian security official said in Damascus that the army was in total command of the Homs neighborhood, which had become the symbol of resistance to the regime.
"The Syrian army controls all of Baba Amr. The last pockets of resistance have fallen," the official told Agence France Presse.
State television aired footage it said was filmed inside Baba Amr, including interviews with people it said were residents angry with the rebels.
The SNC urged the international community to act to prevent to protect residents, charging that the Fourth Armored Brigade was conducting "barbaric operations against civilians."
"We urge the international community, Muslim and Arab states to intervene immediately to prevent a potential massacre in the coming hours against tens of thousands of children, women and elderly people," it said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 21 people were killed in Homs on Thursday, including 17 civilians caught up in the battle for control of Baba Amr.
Global campaigning organization, Avaaz, said the 17 were "beheaded or partially beheaded" in the farming area on the outskirts of Baba Amr.
In total, 39 people, including eight loyal soldiers and seven deserters, were killed in violence across Syria on Thursday, the Observatory said.
The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent were preparing to urgently reach the conflict zone, an ICRC spokesman said.
"The ICRC and the SARC will go on Friday to Baba Amr to deliver humanitarian aid and evacuate the wounded," Damascus spokesman Saleh Dabbakeh told AFP.
On the political front, the SNC said its military bureau, announced on Wednesday, would coordinate the flow of weapons to the rebels following mounting calls from Gulf Arab states for arms to be delivered despite U.S. fears that al-Qaida may exploit any further militarization of the crisis.
"The SNC will be this link between those who want to help and the revolutionaries," its leader Burhan Ghalioun told reporters in Paris.
"It is out of the question that arms go into Syria in confusion," he added.
The all-out assault on Homs' defiant neighborhood came as international envoy Kofi Annan said he hopes to go to Damascus with a clear message that the "violence must stop," and the U.N. Human Rights Council called on Syria to allow relief supplies in to besieged protest cities.
Britain announced that it was following the United States in closing its embassy and pulling out its remaining diplomats in response to the "deterioration of the security situation in Damascus."
U.N. political chief B Lynn Pascoe told the Security Council on Tuesday that "well over 7,500" people have been killed since Assad's forces began a crackdown on anti-regime protests that erupted in March last year.
A resolution adopted by the U.N. Human Rights Council on Thursday condemned the "continued widespread and systematic violations of human rights" and called on Damascus allow aid organizations and U.N. agencies to deliver desperately needed supplies.
Russia, Cuba and China voted against the resolution while India, the Philippines and Ecuador abstained.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, lambasted Russia for its failure to produce an aid plan for Syria, despite Moscow's great influence with Assad.
"We are doing everything we can think of to influence the Russians and the Chinese, particularly the Russians: they're the ones with the very deep, long-standing relationship with the Assad family," Clinton told the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Washington.
The Syrian foreign ministry said it was willing to discuss a date for a visit by U.N. humanitarian chief Valerie Amos, after her announcement on Wednesday that she had been turned away prompted an outcry.
01 March 2012, 16:39
211
@Mowaten
Your comments are silly! Take your salafi pathetic excuse elsewhere!
01 March 2012, 23:26
14
The Salafi excuse is a scare tactic that is not going to work. Mowaten is Iranian and they are good at scare tactics.
02 March 2012, 12:25
01
@FT
Comming from someone who calls everyone an "idiot" this comment is precious ya FT...
Thx for the amazing lecture on democracy, apply it to yourself now that you've learned something!
01 March 2012, 17:01
32
wish i was a barber in homs would ve made a fortune the last 2 days
01 March 2012, 17:01
27
The pathetic Assad and his Lebanese dogs may have won a battle but they will lose the war.
01 March 2012, 17:20
23
hahaha..aoun knows something about running in pajamas
anyways, with the disparity in weapons and numbers, no one expected the fsa to last long..seeing they lasted for three weeks, i tell you they will eventually win..just wait and see
01 March 2012, 17:21
13
The war has just started. One small win with all the weapens that the army has over an extended period of time reveals the tight and critical situstion of the army. Sooner or later the army cadres will fall in a state of fatigue and will realise, if not already has done so, that they are killing their own people which would lead to mass desertion and the ultimate disintegration of the army. Then and only then there would be no where for Bashar to go; even his close allies, Iran and Huzbullah, would abandon him and side with the Syrian people a step that will save them the hassles of expounding why they sided with Bashar. These alibis will certainly not be accepted. As a result, the Sunnis in Syria will back the Sunnis in Lebanon and disarm Huzbullah once and for all. Lebanon will be saved and prosperity and peace will be established and norished. I have always predicted this to happen one day and I can't wait to see this materializing soon.
03 March 2012, 10:24
00
i doubt its gona be as rosy.. due to the idiocy of people like mowaten (and they are many) we most likely will see the rise of suni fundamentalism in syria/lebanon to counter hizbustan.. when that day comes people like mowaten would yetra7amu on 7ariri days and would understand that suni/she3i moderation is a top lebanese interest.
01 March 2012, 17:24
24
It is a sad commentary on the world, that it dithers and looks the other way when a murderer has his way. We all run the risk of joining Assad in his crimes as enablers, nations that could stop him but who cannot find it in their own interest to do so.
Its like a person who comes upon another person who is being raped and decide to do nothing because, they have no interest. It is not them being raped, so why get involved.
The whole world needs to wake up from this "me first" mentality and realize that when you let others suffer the loss of life or liberty, free people everywhere are diminished and a terrible force of injustice is let loose on us all.
01 March 2012, 17:27
03
honourable victory for the baathist,i want to know the feelings of these valiant soldiers( ex haramieh of lebanon) ,they won against the enemy
01 March 2012, 17:30
74
Great day for Syrian army, even though i hate Assad, again it must be stressed, he is better then the muslim brotherhood (aka - also known as: the 'Syrian National Council')
01 March 2012, 20:16
02
if the only anti baath are Muslim brotherhood members then why is the Syrian regime arresting and jailing mostly leftist seculars? even if you want to believe only the SANA version of the events they also confirm what I said.
01 March 2012, 17:42
74
bahahaha strategic pullout - what a load of rubbish! this sounds like the Lebanese Forces when they were getting smashed by the Lebanese Army at one point, getting beaten then calling it a strategic pullout hahahahaha.
01 March 2012, 19:22
02
bahahaha cedar yeah and we also recall when the glorious General Michel Aoun made his strategic pullout to the French embassy and he forgot to tell the soldiers he left behind to be murdered by the great Syria army. He probably needed them to keep fighting to delay the heroic Syria army so he can secure his strategic pullout, after all it's hard to do while carrying suitcases full of millions in army salaries cash.
01 March 2012, 20:08
02
Yeah that's so funny, but if memory serves the Lebanese army Aoun's turned into his private militia got stuck in the Metns and had to be supplied from the Syrian controlled area by Hbeika and the Qawmis.
01 March 2012, 17:45
32
Gabby, allouchi, thepatriot, peace, slash, cheikh Imbecile, Dr. Samir Hayek... is the game over or is it on its way to become over? Thankfully for the Druze, only Jumblat and his immediate entourage proved to be dumber than dumb. zamato
01 March 2012, 17:50
47
from all the expected comments above, we can conclude that the pro syro/iranians are having a great day of the murders being committed by this regime, which is extremely sad and a lesson to all of us lebanese not to be sorry for you guys when israel is going to hit you so hard, you will not even be able to run with your tails between your legs (as you said above).
your turn is oming soon, as well as the syrian regime.
03 March 2012, 10:27
00
Nazi people who dont see beyond their nose..they do not see that the rise of suni fundamentalism would fall out of control and we might very well see a civil war that burns us all. These idiots think that they can prevail over the vast majority of arabs/muslims. The conversion of Syria into another afghanistan (well in the works unless the world intervenes) would potentially throw the minorities including the she3a into the laps of israel for protection.
01 March 2012, 17:54
64
Please don't forget the shouf area. Pulled their heavy weapons and left the people under Jumblat's mercy. Let's not forget the Sabra and Shatilla massacres.
01 March 2012, 17:54
25
What utter nonsense, the problems in Syria finished over four months ago General Michel Aoun said so. Everyone know, as the magnificent, glorious, Michel Hayek like, General predicted the whole thing ended between November 8 2011 and November 14 2011. Why is Naharnet still trying to mislead people that's and beat this dead horse is beyond me.
01 March 2012, 18:01
13
democracy now in all the arab world and democracy for lebanese political parties
02 March 2012, 03:18
03
good you can keep assad for urself lol but please leave whatever western democracy you currently live in and move to iran/syria/north korea, your choice.
01 March 2012, 18:41
21
don t boast too much... your friend bashar is slowly sinking... and your M8 with him
01 March 2012, 18:46
14
as geha pointed out, those M8 guys rejoicing for the syrian s army entrance into this neighborhood only shows how much they have respect for people standing up against dictatorship and who want freedom...
it shows only the way of thinking of M8 = dictators are the ones they prefer, no wonder they praise bashar and nasrallah who are of course democrats for them!
01 March 2012, 19:59
01
This Syrian army in amazing, took them only a month to take back one neighborhood.. Jerusalem lookout the all conquering Syrian army is headed your way surrender now before it's too late.
01 March 2012, 20:18
13
I want to visit syria to urinate on Bashar Assad's body after they hang him. That is why I am now drinking lots of water.
01 March 2012, 20:45
01
Tactical withdrawal is what the Lebanese army did in the She7ar el Gharbi in the mid eighties.
03 March 2012, 02:25
00
the resistance in lebanon did many tactical withdrawls in 06 and we saw the israeli tanks enter lebanon, what's the big deal? this is typical guerrila warfare.
01 March 2012, 21:02
12
mowaten lol.. you idiot.. israel calls the southern lebanese terrorists and you call the free syrians salafists.(just to show you how zionist you are). How many times did we read about the syrian army siezing rastan? dar3a? douma? zabadani? etc.. are these areas really under government control?? assad can attack, just like israel can attack lebanon, but like israel he can not occupy. Idiots like you also thought the revolution was over the first time he sent his tanks to dar3a. The revolution is far from over and again occupation will fail and your regime will fall.
01 March 2012, 21:06
12
a month of constant bombing and killing of a thousand people and more injured trying to take over a sector of a city with few hundred fighters lol. Let us see how this army will fair once these guys start getting some good weapons to fight back. Mowaten here is pro-occupation though, and he calls syrians salafis just like israel calls southern lebanese terrorists lol
01 March 2012, 21:08
12
flame, remember when the tanks were sent to dar3a las year and your idiot aoun was preaching us of the "next tuesday", have you read how many times they attacked rastan, douma, zabadani etc.. the prob for the regime is that it can attack but cant occupy, there is no military solution for the regime dude, you should have known this by now really..its been a year lol.
01 March 2012, 21:09
13
eh ..how humane of them kater khairun..amazing people the syrian regime thugs..hek "ashraf nas" and angels lol
01 March 2012, 21:54
15
It is okay FSA, you lasted a good amount of time with much, much inferior weaponry, this shows your courage. Inshallah you will win this war against the Israeli agent Bashar al Assad.
01 March 2012, 22:01
01
mowaten, you better change your icon and show your real face instead of hijacking the lebanese flag. holding up 24 days agains 7000 men and none stop shelling is by itself a victory in a place that was and still is governed by terror. go learn straggly and stay off the web you filthy najess.
01 March 2012, 22:08
01
it is the official beginning of civil war in syria ,it's lebanon 1975,very sad for the syrian people to be in the intersection of different power struggle: iranian..saudi.. american.. russian.. israelis.
and it is very dangerous for lebanon because the regime in damascus will not accept anymore from lebanon to be in the middle, but to clearly take sides which is impossible in lebanon without a strife: for ex just reread frangieh and geagea..it's very clear
01 March 2012, 23:13
01
I wonder if the Syrian Army had too fight a real Army how long would they last? hahahahaha
01 March 2012, 23:28
20
I guess they "tactically" withdrew to Lebanon, and from here they will tactically go back to where they came from: Libya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, France, UK.... wherever.
02 March 2012, 03:19
12
The regime has one loyal alawi regiment and it is needed in all the country combined, bab amr will fall back in rebel hands in due course as the troops would eventualy leave to go on their killing spree elsewhere. remember how many times, dar3a, douma, rastan, zabadani were attacked and "liberated" lol.
02 March 2012, 09:23
04
I feel like I'm watching the new episodes of "Bab el 7ara" ... a few good men fought to death to protect their neighborhood against the occupier. This shows the true grit of the Syrian ppl who we respect and support ... they have been under the Assaad occupation just like the Lebs were during the past 30 odd years ... I just hope they are more successful in getting rid of them than we were as they still occupy us through their dummy polititians and Hezb ... Allah ma3kon ya shabeb ... shiddo el himmeh
02 March 2012, 10:56
20
Rigolez bien, mais ils arrivent (les salafistes) au Liban. J'aimerai bien voir la tête de certains quand un abruti Salafiste déclarera un émirat à Akkar ou ailleurs. Il y a eu un précédent à Nahr Al Bered. Certains veulent nous replonger dans une autre guerre.
02 March 2012, 12:33
01
Again a great comment! The army is shelling without regard to civilian, children, women, or babies. The only reason why they do not enter the villages is because once in the streets, the soldiers desert and cannot be controled anymore. Since when has the assad regime had any regard or pitty for human life. Lala land ya FT... lala land...
02 March 2012, 12:42
02
pffff....
Muslim brotherhood behind the syrian revolution,
Feltman behind the Cedar Revolution,
Hariri arming the syrian rebels,
Al quaeda in North Lebanon,
Salafis in Baba Amr,
What else ya FT?
02 March 2012, 15:46
00
Let us face the reality of this situation.
By the US failing to make a decision to give assistence to the SNC, the US has made its decision. It is a tactical decision to allow the Assad Regime to survive and remain in power. Strategically, the US sees a weakened chastised Assad Regime in power in Syria as superior than the SNC which may include salafists, Qaida and other fundamentalists.
As the thinking goes, Assad will become more pliable to US demands regarding Iran, Iraq and Hezbollah if Assad's survival was dependent upon the US not lifting its hand against him in his hour of greatest peril.
02 March 2012, 15:47
00
It is a fool's mission however. Assad, if he survives, will have nothing but contempt for the US and will be much more beholding to Iran and Russia, who have helped him, than to the US or the West. The US is whistling past the graveyard, and engaging in rationalizations for its failure to act when its interests were assaulted in Bab Amer.
Strategy should always determine tactics. In this case, strategy is being sacrificed to a ver poor tactic.
03 March 2012, 02:30
01
bubbaman, do you support the syrian people against the tyranny of bashar? that is the 1 million dollar question. If you do not, it means that all your islamic resistance bragging is a sheer hypocrisy and isalmism and shee3ism (the resistance of hussein against opression) is also hypocrisy.
03 March 2012, 10:21
00
ha ha ha bla bla bla bo bo bo.. as if israel is against the syrian regime..yeah right, nkashaftu man, you are in the same bed with israel when it comes to fighting sunis, l3ab ghayra and go see how your boss fayez karam got only two years in jail, a pat on the wrist, for treason with israel. and ilak 3ein lecture us in wataneye..oom fr`ena
03 March 2012, 13:23
00
I support what is going on there,hopefully it will take another 29 years.
The lebanese should be trying to smuggle as much weapons as possible just to keep it going and not for a side to win.
Chill out all of you and stop arguing.
Just sit back and watch.
