Tag Archives: Syria

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Obama sanctions on Syrian leaders

The president of the United States of America Barack Obama has placed sanctions on the key political leaders in Syria. Those affected by the sanction include the Syrian leader Assad, his six deputies and some other key government officials for using excessive force against the citizens of that country who are protesting for regime change in the country.

The president announced this just he makes his major policy statements on the revolution that is sweeping the Middle East.

The president has signed the executive order that imposed the sanctions against these selected key leaders of Syria. This was part of the efforts of the US to press pressure on the government of Syria to stop the use of violence to quell the protests in the country.

The US government observed that the Syrian government has used force and harassment and arrest to deal with the protests that is sweeping away the government. The sanctions were later extended to other 10 officials of the Syrian government who are also involved in serious human rights violations in the country.

It will be recalled the US and the other international organization has called on the government not to use excessive force against the people that are protesting against the government.

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Syria opts to dialogue as the protests continue

Syrian government is set to dialogue with the opposition which is spearheading the ongoing protests in the country. This seems to be the only option that is left for the government after the Syrians continue their protests despite the deployment of troops and tanks. This is a conviction that the government is feeling the impact of the protests.

Thousands of Syrians poured to the streets on Friday after the prayers to push forward their demand for regime change in the country. The crackdown on the protesters has continued and it was reported that about six protesters were killed on Friday in different parts of the country. This incident occurred in interior locations in the country. The Syrian government adviser said that the death toll was low because the protests this time around is more peaceful as opposed to the other times when the protests used to be violent. The adviser said that the government recognizes the difference between peaceful protests and armed protests saying that the law enforcement never attacked peaceful protesters.

She said that the protesters are now conducting themselves peacefully and that the government is going to look into the grievances and discuss with them. This is the first time the government is soft pedaling from their hard lined positions on the protests.

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Syrian military increases attck on opposition

The Syrian government has identified its attack against the protesters who are demanding for the regime change in the country. The military is reported to have used heavy weapons such as tank to shell the third largest city in the country causing a huge migration among the population as well as the associated human crisis. The attack was reported as one of the fiercest since the protest started in the country.

It is reported the major targets of the military attack is the town that is known as Homs which is located very close to Lebanon. The rampaging soldiers have earlier subdued the protest in Daraa as well as in Baniyas which is near the Mediterranean coast.

It was reported that the soldiers attacked the city with dozens of armored tanks. The tanks were manned by the army supported by the militiamen. There were about 1.5 million people that are residing in that city. It was reported that about 19 people have already been killed by the soldiers. Homs is a commercial and industrial center and that explains the large number of people that are living in that city. Already hundreds of thousands of people are migrating out the city. Hundreds of thousands others are besieged.

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Syrian govt boasts of controlling uprising

The government in Syria has proclaimed that it has taken control after seven weeks of uprising which seek to topple the government of president Bashar al-Assad.

This statement is a clear indication that the authority in Damascus is committed to using brute force to intimidate its citizen to back out of the revolution which is flushing out the old order in many Arabic states. The crackdown on pro democracy movements in the country has led to the death of hundreds if not thousands of people in the country.

The spokeswoman for the government Bouthaina Shaaban who also doubled as adviser to President Assad said that the government is taking control of the situation in the country and maintained they are prepared to whether the storm that is being generated by the international community over the excessive use of force against the citizens of the country by the government. She said that the uprising is coming to an end saying that they have passed the worst stage of the crises.

Her utterances have not being independently confirmed since the Syrian government has banned foreign journalists from the country since the crises started. It would be recalled the Assad family had been in power in Syria for more than four decades and they appeared to stick to power at all costs.

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Syrian military confront protesters in north

The protest which started in Tunisia and later spread to the other Middle countries is taking its worst toll in Syria where the military of the country is bent on cracking down the protesters. The Syrian army roll its tanks to the Northern city Baniyas on.

It is part of the campaign by the Syrian government to destroy the leaderless opposition movement that wants change in the political structure of the Arabic nation.

Already the heavy use of force by the Syrian military is being criticized by international community and human right organizations world wide. The international condemnation was triggered off by the reported shooting and killing of three women near Baniyas by the soldiers when they joined other demonstrators.

The government responded by severing both land and wireless communication in the city making it impossible for the information regarding the brutalizing of the Syrian citizens from being seeing by the international community.    

It would be recalled that the Syrian soldiers opened fire on its own citizens who were protesting on Friday demanding a change in the leadership of that country. This action by the Syrian army led to the death of not less than 30 unarmed citizens. This act elicited outrage from the international community but the Syrian government has turned deaf ears to the appeal from the international community.

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Syrian crisis poses challenge to Middle-east peace

All the neighbors of Syria including Israel and Iran are of the opinion that the present regime in Syria must end now. The situation in Syria is much more complicated than it appears. All the countries and the happenings in the middle-east have close links with consequences and developments in Syria. All the situations arising out in Middle East due to Hamas, Iran, Lebanon, Israel, America., Iraq, Hezbollah are having some direct or indirect link with Syrian factor.

The role of Syrian people makes the situation even more complex. There is a fraction of people who thinks that the Present is providing the stability and security to the regime,. If the President is ousted, then the whole of Syria would be lost in uncertainty like Iraq and Afghanistan. People of Syria still remember the situation in Iraq where the country is lost in political uncertainty. The neighbors are worried about situation in Syria.

The Israel has her own dilemma.  Israel has concerns of getting off the bath party rule. Israel’s fear is that the Bath party rule may end up and more radical govt. Also Israel is closely examining the developments in Syria especially when the army will take over the epicenter of revolt Deraa.

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EU to support US sanctions on Syria

US Treasury will provide the names of the Syrian most powerful man and other officials against whom the financial and other sanctions will be imposed following death of 453 civilians in clashes between govt. backed army and anti-govt. protesters, special UN HRC session on Syria.

The statement issued by an EU executive confirms that EU members will discuss the possibility of slapping sanctions against Syria; other options will also be discussed in a meeting being held on Friday 29 Apr 2011.

Michael Mann, at European commission briefing also confirmed the scheduled meeting. In case EU members agreed for sanctions, there is a great possibility of imposing travel restrictions on key Syrian officials and freezing heir financial assets in foreign countries. The Syrian observatory for Human Rights confirmed having the names of 453 citizens killed in clashes.

In further developments against Syria, Germany supported the imposing of sanctions on Syria and demand that Damascus to punish those who are responsible for the human loss in clashes.

Steffen Seibert, German Government Spokes man stated at a news briefing. He further asserted that the sanctions would include travel restrictions on Syrian leader and officials, freezing of their financial assets in other countries and stopping all the economic aid being provided by the European countries.

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Syrian security forces kill 20 anti-government protesters

Entire Syria is in chaos and bloody turmoil. Hundreds of demonstrators have been injured and many of them were killed during clashes with security forces on Friday. The pro-government forces shot bullets and used tear gas to scatter people.

The mass protests against the autocratic ruler–  President Bashar al-Assad has turned into fierce struggle now in all parts of Syria and the government is adopting every mean to crush and suppress the rebellions.

Though Syrian government announced many concessions to the rebellions including lifting state of emergency, the protests continued demanding more political freedom. The demonstrators are insistent on their demand for ouster of the Ba’ath party government. Damascus and many other cities witnessed escalating violence and security forces opened guns to control the protesters.

According to some reliable sources, around 25 protesters lost their lives in Friday clashes with the pro-government forces out of which six were from Izraa and rest from Damascus and other cities.This can be considered as the bloodiest day of Syrian crisis from the day demonstrations against President Assad began.

In last few weeks of unrest in Syria, more than 220 people have died so far. Despite this, the protests are intensifying day-by-day and spreading fast in all parts of Syria. The Syrian protests are considered an impact of the recent upsurge in different countries in the Middle East and other nations against autocratic rulers.

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US flays Syrian president Assad for failure to implement reforms

US flays Syrian president Assad for failure to implement reforms

The US administration severely criticizes Bashar al-Assad, Syrian president over inability to address the demands of anti-government protesters.

US President Barack Obama stated that his counterpart lacked capacity to run the administration or do anything to calm down people of Syria. The Syrian government has continuously violated human rights in order to suppress the anti-government demonstrators. Despite promising to appease the protesters, Assad has yet not done anything over meeting the demands of people.

The Syrian president has been close with Iran and supported extremist groups — Hamas and Hezbollah. He also opposed Israel continuously but despite isolating Syria, the United States could not interfere much to stop Assad, neither it could give any financial or political pressure on Syria to force it for a bilateral talk with opponents. Assad and his family has ruled over Syria for more than 40 years so far.

US State Department spokesman Mark Toner stated that only the people of Syria could judge their president and his ability to lead the country forward to meet their aspirations. If Assad fails to bring social and economic reforms in Syria, only people can decide whether they want him to continue.

Instead of caring for protesters’ demand, Syrian president faulted them of conspiring and raising dissent among people. Despite his officials’ suggestions Assad retained emergency law to crush his opponents.

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Demonstrators protest against Syrian regime

Demonstrators protest against Syrian regime

Syrians witnessed an intense upsurge of feelings against the autocratic government with thousands of demonstraters marching in the capital ciry roaring slogans against the President Bashar al-Assad. Many of the protesters have been killed and injured during fierce clashes with the government supporting security forces in Syria.

Surprisingly, the demonstrations speeded up after the Syrian president tried to lure and appease them with some economic and political concessions.

The international community involving security forces from the United States, Israel and Europe affirm that Assad’s government is losing control over the regime.

The unrest among Syrian people has a great potential of turning into a wide scale violent rebel to force Mr Assad to step down from president’s post.

The international community fears over the possibilities of another unrest in the Middle East following Syrian crisis.

The political crisis stated in the last week amidst rebels everywhere in the Middle East—following Egypt, Southern Syrian towns have witnessed violent confrontations among government security forces and protesters and in the capital city Damascus.

Last Friday thousands of protesters came into streets asking fo reforms and grieved over the death of people during violence clashes with security forces. If the same situation continues, Syria might face regional repercussions. Being a key factor in the Middle East politics, Syria influences Iran, Lebanon and Palestine, It supports Hezbollah and Hamas and this way creates a pain to the United States, which has always boasted to be the big brother, and crusader of anti-terrorism campaign.