Syria’s Assad continues to battle his own people (videos)

The propaganda war has been ramped up as the Syrian government attempts to counteract the numerous amateur videos posted on YouTube purporting to show civilians being attacked. State television has been broadcasting footage of men armed with shotguns, staves and knives and one with an AK-47 rifle among demonstrators said to have been taking part in rallies in Hama. This is an obvious attempt to lend credence to Assad’s claim of extremist groups inciting violence but it in no way properly addresses the imbalance between these ragtag groups of citizens and the highly armed troops supported by tanks.

The Irish Times wrote: During demonstrations following Ramadan prayers late on Monday night, 24 people, including 10 in Hama, were slain and 150 wounded, stated Rami Abdul-Rahman of the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Italy has recalled its ambassador and is now urging other European Union countries to do the same however, for the moment; other governments are leaving their diplomats in Damascus to monitor events. The EU has imposed sanctions including travel bans and asset freezes on more than 30 people, including Mr. Assad. Others targeted by these sanctions are Major-General Tawfiq Younes, head of internal security for the intelligence directorate, Mohammad Mufleh, head of military intelligence in Hama, Ayman Jabir, an official responsible for coordinating the militia, and Mohammed Makhlouf, an uncle and close associate of Assad.

The U.N. fiddles while Hama burns

The 15 member U.N. Security Council in New York ended its talks on Tuesday with no conclusive resolution in sight. While international condemnation of the Syrian government’s brutal crackdown seems universal, the council is unable to agree on the wording of a response. Russia, China and others appear pitted against the United States and its EU allies. Russia has been a long time supporter of the Assad regime and is hesitating to speak out against its friend.

The BBC quoted Russian UN envoy Vitaly Churkin as saying that the latest wording put forward by Western members was “detrimental” to peace efforts. “It is no secret that our Western colleagues believe that Damascus and the Syrian government are to blame for everything…” he said on Russian TV.”There are a number of other members of the Security Council, Russia among them, who see the situation as more complicated.” Moscow, he said, believed the Security Council should “do its utmost to encourage all sides in Syria to hold a dialogue” on ending the crisis.

Those opposing the harsher wording of a possible U.N. resolution are worried this may lead to a new international military intervention as in Libya. Various officials from the U.S. and NATO have so far said no to such a military involvement however there are striking similarities between the situation in Libya and the events now occurring in Syria. It is reported that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received Syrian opposition activists on Tuesday, supposedly indicating that the Obama administration is trying to isolate President Assad. However desperate people do desperate things and will Assad, like Gaddafi, declare war on his own country? Pundits are talking about the strong possibility the country degenerate into a civil war.

Wednesday

Reports say that tanks entered the city on Wednesday and have proceeded into the centre to Orontes Square. This square has been the scene of some of the biggest rallies against the Assad regime. Apparently communication has been cut off in the city as well as utilities such as water and electricity. Nevertheless citizens are still managing to get their stories out as the major news outlets are printing first-hand accounts of the residents of Hama plus YouTube is showing a number of videos shot in Hama.

Published on Aug 3, 2011 by Euronews

Syrian tanks shell Hama as UN remains lost for words

Syrian tanks have continued to shell the city of Hama on the third day of an armoured assault to crush protests against President Bashar al-Assad. With the crackdown unrelenting, the international community is still struggling to present a united stance against the repression. The EU has tightened sanctions but Italy has unilaterally recalled its ambassador from Syria.

Published on Aug 2, 2011 by Euronews

Syrian forces tighten grip on Hama

Syrian security forces pushed into the city of Hama on Tuesday, witnesses said, to quell violence the government is blaming on armed gangs. State television broadcast footage purporting to show protesters firing weapons at Syrian troops. Rights campaigners say 134 people have died in Syria over the past three days, 90 of them in Hama. Reports from the country are hard to independently verify since Damascus has severely restricted the movement. The United States and Britain insist military action is not an option.

Uploaded by AlArabiya on Aug 2, 2011

Hama: Holy Month in Killings

Video’s and Images were uploaded on social media which shows black smoke rising from the street and people hiding at the corner of buildings to escape gunfire in Gharb Al-Mashtal. Another video from Al Sabahi roundabout in Hama shows a tank in position and soldiers. A further video filmed in the city of Deir al-Zour shows deserted streets with several military vehicles. Syrian Security forces, dominated by Alawite sect, had besieged the Sunni Muslim city of 700,000 for nearly a month before the August 1 crackdown on the eve of Ramadan.

Uploaded by malconito2003 on Aug 2, 2011

Al-Assad’s gangs threw corpses of protesters in a waterway in Hama city in Syria 31.07.2011

References

These previous articles have various videos collected from YouTube showing the conflict in Hama, Syria over the past few days.

Oye! Times – Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Syria: Day 2 of Ramadan, Day 3 of attack on Hama (videos)

Assad has been quoted as saying that he lays the blame for the protests on foreign-inspired plots adding that extremist religious groups are exercising violence and terrorism.

Oye! Times – Monday, August 1, 2011

Syria faces condemnation but the killing continues

The Telegraph is reporting today that tanks have renewed their assault on the city of Hama. Syrian security forces are supposedly bombarding Hama while reportedly shooting at anyone who ventures out onto the streets and shelling the homes of those who do not. Pacify Hama and the protests at any cost seems to be the order of the day.

Oye! Times – Sunday, July 31, 2011

Syria: 150 killed in pre-Ramadan crackdown (videos)

News outlets are reporting that President Bashar al-Assad has decided to follow in his father’s footsteps by sending in tanks to crush the uprising in the central city of Hama. Hama was the scene of a notorious massacre in 1982 when the Ba’ath regime crushed an Islamist uprising that challenged the rule of the president’s father, Hafez al-Assad. At least 10,000 were killed then.

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