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Sunday, September 30, 2012
Govt incited violence: Khaleda
'Attack to shield war criminals'
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arrested for Patia violence
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Jamaat fanned communal riot'
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Hate attacks spread to Teknaf in Bangladesh
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Buddhist temples, homes burned, looted in Ramu in Bangladesh
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Sunday, September 23, 2012
Taliban Beheads 17 Afghan Innocents For Dancing
Taliban Beheads 17 Afghan Innocents For Dancing
About Michael John ScottMichael Scott's greatest passion is his web magazine. He loves the company of the many talented writers and is grateful for the new friendships that have blossomed as a result of this next great adventure.
View all posts by Michael John Scott →
Taliban beheads 17 civilians at southern Helmand province.
According to the Associated Press Taliban insurgents ruthlessly beheaded 17 people at a party in southern Helmand, and an Afghan soldier killed two U.S. troops, bringing the two-day death toll Monday to about 30.
No doubt when U.S. and allied forces leave this troubled nation the Taliban may once again seize power from a corrupt government, and the civilian population will fall victim to the bizarre and cruel dictates of the extreme religious.Almost daily attacks by militants and increasingly frequent deadly violence against NATO troops by their Afghan allies highlight an embarrassing failure of Western policy: After nearly 12 years of military intervention, the country is not pacified. Once the United States and other countries pull out their troops, chaos seems almost certain to return and Taliban domination in large parts of the country is hardly implausible.
Helmand was the centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s surge, when he ordered 33,000 additional U.S troops to Afghanistan to help the military with a counterinsurgency plan. That plan hoped to turn the tide in Helmand and neighboring Kandahar and establish the governmental institutions that would allow the Afghan government to take control of the Taliban heartland.
Two years later, however, Helmand is still so lawless that Afghan government officials couldn’t even go to the Taliban-controlled town where the beheadings were reported. Many Afghans in the south, the Taliban’s birthplace and the home of the country’s Pashtun speaking population, are leery of a government that many consider to be corrupt and ineffective.
The problem is compounded by a rapid reduction in American and international aid, which fueled most of the growth in the south in recent years. Afghanistan, one of the world’s 10 poorest countries, has received nearly $60 billion in civilian aid since 2002. Now it stands to receive $16 billion, or about $4 billion a year, in the next four years. By comparison, the U.S. alone spent that much in 2010.
Analysts also say that a public worn down by a war that began just a month after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks no longer cares about Afghanistan, and that the war has slipped off the radar screens and is now considered by many to be over.
“The problem with this attitude is that Afghanistan — or whatever the crisis may be — has a life of its own. Men and women keep dying, and U.S. policies keep accelerating the centrifugal forces that are driving the country toward civil conflict, which may have profound implications for future regional and international security,” said Sarah Chaynes, a senior associate with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, in a commentary published Sunday.
“Choosing to ignore problems is rarely a good way to solve them,” said Chaynes, who spent nearly a decade in Afghanistan and served as an adviser to the U.S. military.
Most of the problems are likely to surface in Helmand and the south, where most of the surge troops will be removed as part of a drawdown that will reduce U.S. forces in Afghanistan from a peak of nearly 103,000 last year to about 68,000 in October. Other nations, including Britain, are also drawing down in the south, and nearly all foreign military forces are to leave the country by the end of 2014.
The forces are to be replaced by Afghan army and police units, but many have questioned the effectiveness of a force that has high desertion rates, is often poorly disciplined, and is supposed to reach a high of about 350,000 at the end of the year.
Another growing concern is the loyalty of the Afghan troops that the U.S. has spent more than $22 billion to train in recent years.
Insider attacks have been a problem for the U.S.-led military coalition for years, but they recently have become a crisis. There have been at least 33 such attacks so far this year, killing 42 coalition members, mostly Americans. Last year, there were 21 attacks, killing 35; and in 2010 there were 11 attacks with 20 deaths.
In the latest such attack, two American soldiers were killed in eastern Laghman province.
There were conflicting reports about whether the attack was intentional or accidental.
In Washington, a U.S. Defense Department official said the Afghan soldier fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the Americans, and that this seemed to indicate that it was an intentional act. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because an investigation is under way, said he was unaware of any indications that the shooting was accidental.
Noman Hatefi, a spokesman for the Afghan army corps in eastern Afghanistan, said a group of U.S. and Afghan soldiers came under an insurgent attack in Laghman province. He said the two Americans were killed when an Afghan soldier fell and accidentally discharged his weapon.
“He didn’t do this intentionally. But then the commander of the (Afghan) unit started shouting at him, ‘What did you do? You killed two NATO soldiers!’ And so he threw down his weapon and started to run,” Hatefi said.
The U.S. troops had already called in air support to help with the insurgent attack and the aircraft fired on the escaping soldier, killing him, Hatefi said.
The chief spokesman for NATO forces in the country said coalition forces were not pulling back from collaborating with the Afghans because of the attacks.
“We are not going to reduce the close relationship with our Afghan partners,” Brig. Gen. Gunter Katz told reporters in the capital.
There were also conflicting reports about the other violence.
In the beheadings, a local government official initially said the victims were civilians at a celebration late Sunday involving music and dancing in Helmand’s Musa Qala district. The official, Neyamatullah Khan, said the Taliban killed the partygoers for flouting the extreme brand of Islam embraced by the militants.
But a provincial government official said later that those killed were caught up in a fight between two Taliban commanders over two women, who were among the dead. Daoud Ahmadi, a spokesman for the provincial government, said shooting broke out during the fight. He said it was unclear whether the music and dancing triggered the violence and whether the dead were all civilians or possibly included some fighters.
Ahmadi said all of the bodies were decapitated, but it was not clear if they had been shot first.
The Taliban denied any responsibility for the attack, which was condemned by President Hamid Karzai, by the head of the U.S.-led NATO coalition, by the U.N. and by the European Union.
“No Talib have killed any civilians. Neither were Taliban commanders fighting each other. We don’t know about this thing. Whether it happened or not, we were not involved,” said Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi.
The Taliban have controlled large parts of Musa Qala, a district encompassing more than 100 villages, since 2001. They enforce the same strict interpretation of Islamic law that was imposed during Taliban rule of Afghanistan from 1996-2001.
U.S. Marines have battled the Taliban since they arrived in the region about two years ago. Although U.S. and foreign forces made significant gains in the south, insurgents still wield significant power in the area, and it is expected to increase as the Marines and other forces withdraw.
As a consequence, many Afghans and international observers have expressed concerns the Taliban will try to re-impose strict Islamic justice. Under the Taliban, all music and film was banned as un-Islamic, and women were barred from leaving their homes without a male relative as an escort.
Another sign that the Taliban may be returning in strength is the attack that killed 10 Afghan soldiers. The attack occurred late Sunday at a checkpoint in Helmand’s Washir district, said provincial spokesman Daoud Ahmadi.
On Monday, a truck bomb in Kandahar, the south’s largest city, killed two civilians and wounded the provincial police chief.
Kandahar provincial spokesman Jawed Faisal said the police chief, Gen. Abdul Raziq, was “slightly injured” but did not provide further details. He said the bomb appeared to have targeted Raziq, one of the most powerful men in Kandahar.
Faisal said 16 civilians were wounded in the blast.
http://madmikesamerica.com/2012/08/taliban-beheads-17-afghan-innocents-for-dancing/
Aussie Prime Minister Julia Gillard to Muslims: Live with our beliefs or get out
Aussie Prime Minister Julia Gillard to Muslims: Live with our beliefs or get out
About Michael John ScottMichael Scott's greatest passion is his web magazine. He loves the company of the many talented writers and is grateful for the new friendships that have blossomed as a result of this next great adventure.
View all posts by Michael John Scott →
MadMike’s Editor in Chief, Holte Ender, received an email from an Australian friend. The text was supposed to be taken from a speech given by newly elected Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.
For example she allegedly said that Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks..Separately, Gillard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying she supported spy agencies monitoring the nation’s mosques.
Here is the “speech” in its entirety:
“IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT . . .
Take It Or Leave It.
I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians.The fact is there is no evidence Julia Gillard ever made such a speech. This is a hoax, it is also an example of how the hate groups around the world spread their message. Lies, lies and more lies.
This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.
We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!
Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.
We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.
This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.
If you aren’t happy here then LEAVE. We didn’t force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.”
In the wake of the Tuscon massacre we are seeing more rhetoric from individuals saying Jared Lee Loughner is Jewish, and a liberal because it is possible he read Karl Marx and the famous socialist, Adolf Hitler.
Sarah Palin’s now infamous “Blood Libel” statement has angered Jews and Gentiles alike, but her followers are cheering her on because they want to believe, like Palin does, that her violent imagery played no part in Loughner’s actions.
These examples portray the exception in America, not the normal course of behavior, despite what the mainstream media will have us believe. Regardless, small bombs can make a lot of noise and they can cause a lot of damage. In reality, people like Sarah Palin and her ilk are “small bombs” but in the greater scheme of things they can cause explosions beyond their size and the shrapnel that is broadcast can have serious consequences.
Sadly, the media is out of the control of the people. It is driven by profit and sensationalism drives that profit. Some news outlets such as Fox News, is beyond the pale. Their rhetoric drives hate and encourages violence both through their direct and subliminal messages. Unfortunately they have a huge following, and that following buys their advertising products, which drives up revenue for the empire of Roger Ailes et al. While MSNBC is touted as the left wing version of Fox News it doesn’t come close to the vitriol perpetrated by those at Propaganda Central.
In conclusion there is nothing for it. Those of us with sane and reasoning minds understand poison for what it is. However, we live in a country where over 40% think creationism, not evolution, is responsible for life on earth. So much for those with sane and reasoning minds.
Follow MadMike’sAmerica on Facebook and Twitter, and don’t forget to visit our HOME PAGE.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Ancient site needs saving not destroying
Ancient site needs saving not destroying
September 22, 2012 -- Updated 1123 GMT (1923
HKT)
A
Buddhist statue overlooks a Chinese government-owned mining compound in Logar
province, Afghanistan. Mes Aynak, a 2,600-year-old Buddhist site, could be
destroyed in December to create a massive copper mine.
A
Buddhist statue overlooks a Chinese government-owned mining compound in Logar
province, Afghanistan. Mes Aynak, a 2,600-year-old Buddhist site, could be
destroyed in December to create a massive copper mine.
Locals
from relocated villages near Mes Aynak remove dirt and rocks to expose buried
artifacts.
Locals
from relocated villages near Mes Aynak remove dirt and rocks to expose buried
artifacts.
A
gold-plated Buddha head found at Mes Aynak. A team of international
archaeologists is scrambling to save relics.
A
gold-plated Buddha head found at Mes Aynak. A team of international
archaeologists is scrambling to save relics.
Abdul
Qadeer Temore, lead Afghan archaeologist, works on one of the large standing
Buddha statues.
Abdul
Qadeer Temore, lead Afghan archaeologist, works on one of the large standing
Buddha statues.
People
work at one of the many archaeological excavation sites at Mes Aynak. In 2009,
the mining company gave archaeologists three years to excavate the site.
People
work at one of the many archaeological excavation sites at Mes Aynak. In 2009,
the mining company gave archaeologists three years to excavate the site.
French
specialist Philippe Marquis, director at DAFA, the French archaeology delegation
in Afghanistan, talks with the leader of the local workers at Mes Aynak.
French
specialist Philippe Marquis, director at DAFA, the French archaeology delegation
in Afghanistan, talks with the leader of the local workers at Mes Aynak.
A
five-foot statue of a Buddhist devotee was recovered from Mes Aynak.
HIDE CAPTION
Mining operation
threatens Buddhist icons
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STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Huffman says the ancient site will be destroyed by plans to mine the area
- A Chinese company has permission to create a massive open-pit style copper mine
- Huffman says Mes Aynak is missing link that shows Afghanistan's historic role in Asia
- He says destroying Mes Aynak is equivalent to wiping Machu Picchu off the map
Editor's note: Brent Huffman is a
documentary filmmaker and assistant professor at the Medill School of Journalism
at Northwestern University. He started making a film about the Mes Aynak site in
the summer of 2011 thinking he would be documenting the site before it was
demolished and recording the process of rescue archeology. Now he hopes he can
use his film to
raise awareness to actually save Mes Aynak.
(CNN) -- Please bear with me as I ask you to briefly use
your imagination. Close your eyes. Imagine Machu Picchu at dawn cloaked in fog.
Now imagine the fog slowly lifting to reveal an enormous ancient city perched on
the edge of a mountain.
Picture a sense of mystery being
immersed in thousands of years of history as you walk between antiquated hewn
stone structures. There is tranquility in the wind-blown stillness of the
primeval site. You feel a renewed sense of kinship with the past and with your
ancestors and feel a deep reverence for their lives and accomplishments.
Now imagine the menacing sound of
bulldozers closing in and men at work. Their heavy machinery rattles the ground.
You hear workers rigging dynamite to these massive stone structures. There is a
brief lull and then the deafening blow of multiple explosions as Machu Picchu is
razed to the ground.
Be at ease, Machu Piccu is a
UNESCO protected site. But a very similar 2,600-year-old Buddhist site in Logar
province, Afghanistan isn't so lucky.
Documentary-maker Brent Huffman
This site is called Mes Aynak and
is nothing short of awe-inspiring: a massive walled-in Buddhist city featuring
massive temples, monasteries, and thousands of Buddhist statues that managed to
survive looters and the Taliban. Holding a key position on the Silk Road, Mes
Aynak was also an international hub for traders and pilgrims from all over
Asia.
Hundreds of fragile manuscripts
detailing daily life at the site are still yet to be excavated. Beneath the
Buddhist dwellings is an even older yet-unearthed Bronze age site indicated by
several recent archaeological findings.
Mes Aynak is set for destruction
at the end of December 2012. All of the temples, monasteries, statues as well as
the Bronze age material will all be destroyed by a Chinese government-owned
company called China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC). Six villages and the
mountain range will also be destroyed to create a massive open-pit style copper
mine.
In 2007, MCC outbid competitors
with a $3 billion bid to lease the area for 30 years. MCC plans to extract over
$100 billion worth of copper located directly beneath the Buddhist site.
Ironically, the Buddhists were also mining for copper albeit in a more primitive
fashion.
MCC says they weren't told about
the archaeology site's existence until after the contract was signed. Following
significant international pressure and perhaps sensing an impending PR
nightmare, MCC in 2009 gave archaeologists three years to attempt to excavate
the site.
Archaeologists say they need at
least 30 years to do the job but had no choice but to accept MCCs brief
timetable. Specialists on site are working with extremely limited funding and
the crudest of tools.
There is a magic to Mes Aynak -- an ability to draw in people from around
the world who will risk their lives to save it.
Brent Huffman
Brent Huffman
Afghan archaeologists, who do
the majority of the excavation, don't have access to computers or digital
cameras and have been sleeping on the floor in a wooden shack when staying on
the site overnight.
Today, three teams of international archaeologists led by DAFA, a French
archaeological delegation, scramble to save as many relics as they can.
These experts are performing rushed rescue archeology, which focuses on removing
movable objects and not on preserving structures.
Archaeologists now have less
than four months to do three decades worth of excavation. They are also risking
their lives daily as locals of Logar Province, angry at the loss of their
villages partner with the Taliban to regularly attack both the MCC site and the
archaeology location with rockets and land mines.
In July, a Logar worker
unearthed a landmine that exploded in his face. Later that month, four Afghan
policemen were killed by a landmine on the road leading to the archaeology
site.
I am often asked, "Why save it?
It is, after all, just another remnant of the past, right?" Wrong.
Mes Aynak is the missing link
that shows Afghanistan's interconnectivity throughout Asia on the Silk Road.
Afghanistan needs to see the value of learning its own cultural history as too
often the country's story is co-opted by the lens of another.
Afghans need to claim their
cultural significance in the world for current and new generations. And the
findings at Mes Aynak will be the key to doing that.
In addition to Mes Aynak's
historical significance, the site is breathtaking to behold in person. I can't
help but feel privileged and honored to have been able to set foot inside its
ancient walls, to have been able to bare witness to massive Buddhas, many of
which are still coated in gold paint overlooking their ancient city.
These statues have miraculously
survived looting, survived the intense heat and cold, and survived over three
decades of continuous war.
There is a magic to Mes Aynak --
an ability to draw in people from around the world who will risk their lives to
save it. I fell in love with this ancient site and will do everything in my
power to try to help save it.
It sickens me to know that in a
short time this site will be destroyed in the same violent and disrespectful way
the Buddha of Bamyan was destroyed. This desecration shows no reverence to
culture or religion.
Imagine someone bulldozing your
grandparents' graves and blowing up their cemetery. How could the world look
away letting such crime happen in the name of capitalism?
Unfortunately, Mes Aynak has
gained some powerful enemies. MCC, The World Bank and Afghan ministries all want
mining to start ASAP.
In my opinion, they want Mes
Aynak to set a precedent -- to be a model for resource extraction of the one
trillion dollars plus of valuable minerals like oil, copper, lithium and iron
buried underneath Afghanistan.
According to archaeologists that
I spoke with, every mining location holds cultural heritage. On every potential
mine lies an ancient site like Mes Aynak. So, even worse than the senseless
destruction of Mes Aynak, is the thought that this kind of cheap destructive
process will be replicated all across Afghanistan.
I often hear talk about mineral extraction being somehow good for
Afghanistan, but I promise you this is not the case.
Given the country's out of
control corruption there are a privileged few who will see any payout from such
endeavors. Afghan citizens have absolutely nothing to gain from this copper mine
or any other international extractive industry.
I believe Chinese will bring in
their own laborers to manage the mine and Afghans will be given only low level
and terribly paid positions working in slave-like conditions.
And I have said nothing about
the environmental devastation. Many mining experts have told me the toxic
pollution from the mine will likely turn Mes Aynak into a site so toxic that in
the future people will be advised against even setting foot on the ground. They
tell me this pollution will be permanent, rivers will be polluted and the toxins
will travel to other areas -- and the locals have never been educated about
these risks to the area.
So not only will Afghanistan
lose an ancient site, a key to unlocking its important history, but the country
will lose the land and everything living on it. And what happens when
Afghanistan needs copper or oil or iron for its own development? Will they have
to buy it back from China at inflated rates?
My fear is that in the future
Afghanistan will consist of hundreds of these gaping toxic craters and the
resources the country needs for its own development will be lost. Afghans will
see no benefit. They will suffer from irreversible environmental devastation and
the permanent loss of invaluable cultural heritage.
So as a final request I want you
to close your eyes once again. Imagine a city-sized toxic crater in the ground
where the majestic Machu Picchu once stood. That sight, unfortunately, is the
future of Mes Aynak unless we do something to stop it.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
anniversary of 11 september attack 'pre-planned'
Arakanese Elder Brutally Murdered in Kyauktaw
http://www.narinjara.com/main/index.php/arakanese-elder-brutally-murdered-in-kyauktaw/
Libya says US consulate attack 'pre-planned'
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/09/201291512714470776.html
What now for US-Libya relations?
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2012/09/20129135477157299.html
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Syria civil war sees deadliest week, UNICEF says
CNN) -- At least 1,600 people were killed in Syria last week, making it
the deadliest week yet in the civil war, a UNICEF spokesman said Sunday.
Free Syrian Army fighters take up positions in a shelled
out building in the Seif El Dawla neighborhood of Aleppo on Sunday, September 2,
as clashes with Syrian government forces continue.
Rebel fighters sit behind a barricade of rocks on an
Aleppo street.
A mortar shell falls toward the Syrian village of Jbatha
Al-khashab, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of Damascus. It's seen from the
Israeli side of the border, in the Golan Heights.
A Free Syrian Army soldier rips a portrait of President
Bashar al-Assad at the Bab Al-Salam border crossing to Turkey on Sunday.
Dozens of Turkish truck drivers on Saturday, July 21,
accused Free Syrian Army rebels of having burned and looted their lorries as
they captured Syria's Bab al-Hawa post, near Aleppo, from government
troops.
Showdown in
Syria
Syria refugee crisis mounting
Gerges: Assad not backing
down
Syrian activist: Three types
of beatings
Patrick McCormick of the U.N.
children's fund said the toll included children, as the government of Bashar
al-Assad fights to suppress an 18-month uprising against its rule.
Nearly 5,000 people died in
August, according to the Center of Documentation of Violation in Syria, which
put the toll for the month at 4,937.
And there appeared to be no letup
in the violence on Sunday, with opposition sources saying at least 144 people
were killed across the country.
Free Syrian Army fighters take up positions in a shelled
out building in the Seif El Dawla neighborhood of Aleppo on Sunday, September 2,
as clashes with Syrian government forces continue.
A Free Syrian Army fighter peeks around the corner of a
building during a shootout with snipers on a street in the El Amreeyeh
neighborhood of Aleppo.
A Free Syrian Army fighter peeks around the corner of a
building during a shootout with snipers on a street in the El Amreeyeh
neighborhood of Aleppo.
Syrian detainees who were arrested for participation in
protests against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime sign their release
papers at the Damascus police leadership building Saturday, September 1.
Syrian detainees who were arrested for participation in
protests against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime sign their release
papers at the Damascus police leadership building Saturday, September 1.
Syrian prisoners wait in line to sign their release papers
at the Damascus central police station on Saturday, as the authorities released
158 people from the facility.
Syrian prisoners wait in line to sign their release papers
at the Damascus central police station on Saturday, as the authorities released
158 people from the facility.
Syrian prisoners congratulate each other as they walk out
of the Damascus central police station.
Syrian prisoners congratulate each other as they walk out
of the Damascus central police station.
A Syrian air force fighter jet launches missiles at El Edaa
district in Syria's northwestern city of Aleppo. Nearly 18 months of violence
have left thousands dead in Syria.
A Syrian air force fighter jet launches missiles at El Edaa
district in Syria's northwestern city of Aleppo. Nearly 18 months of violence
have left thousands dead in Syria.
Smoke rises from the El Edaa district after a Syrian
fighter jet dropped missiles.
Smoke rises from the El Edaa district after a Syrian
fighter jet dropped missiles.
Civilians carry their belongings and flee the El Edaa
district after an airstrike.
Civilians carry their belongings and flee the El Edaa
district after an airstrike.
Escaping civilians drive through the El Amreeyeh
neighborhood in Aleppo.
Escaping civilians drive through the El Amreeyeh
neighborhood in Aleppo.
Free Syrian Army fighters transport explosives on a
motorbike in Aleppo on Friday, August 31.
Free Syrian Army fighters transport explosives on a
motorbike in Aleppo on Friday, August 31.
A boy sits at a window spotted with bullet holes at a
local bakery.
A boy sits at a window spotted with bullet holes at a
local bakery.
Children pass a bagged body outside a hospital in Aleppo
on Thursday, August 30.
Children pass a bagged body outside a hospital in Aleppo
on Thursday, August 30.
Members of the Syrian opposition carry a wounded man
outside a hospital in Aleppo on Thursday, August 30.
Members of the Syrian opposition carry a wounded man
outside a hospital in Aleppo on Thursday, August 30.
A Free Syrian Army fighter walks through a hole in a
damaged house on his way to the El Amreeyeh neighborhood frontline during
clashes with government forces in Aleppo.
A Free Syrian Army fighter walks through a hole in a
damaged house on his way to the El Amreeyeh neighborhood frontline during
clashes with government forces in Aleppo.
Free Syrian Army fighters take up position during clashes
in the El Amreeyeh neighborhood of Aleppo.
Free Syrian Army fighters take up position during clashes
in the El Amreeyeh neighborhood of Aleppo.
Free Syrian Army fighters run for cover after Syrian
forces fired a mortar in El Amreeyeh.
Free Syrian Army fighters run for cover after Syrian
forces fired a mortar in El Amreeyeh.
A Syrian opposition fighter aims a sniper rifle at
government forces in Aleppo on Wednesday, August 29.
A Syrian opposition fighter aims a sniper rifle at
government forces in Aleppo on Wednesday, August 29.
Syrian opposition fighters swear an oath for the
liberation of Syria in Aleppo on Wednesday.
Syrian opposition fighters swear an oath for the
liberation of Syria in Aleppo on Wednesday.
Free Syrian Army fighters carry a wounded member into a
hospital in Aleppo on Tuesday, August 28.
Free Syrian Army fighters carry a wounded member into a
hospital in Aleppo on Tuesday, August 28.
Free Syrian Army rebels dodge fire from Syrian forces as
they run down a street in Aleppo on Tuesday.
Free Syrian Army rebels dodge fire from Syrian forces as
they run down a street in Aleppo on Tuesday.
A rebel fighter takes cover during clashes Tuesday with
government forces in Aleppo.
A rebel fighter takes cover during clashes Tuesday with
government forces in Aleppo.
An opposition fighter fires at government forces from a
street in Aleppo.
An opposition fighter fires at government forces from a
street in Aleppo.
Residents walk past buildings damaged in what activists
said was an airstrike by the Syrian air force on Kafranbel, near Idlib.
Residents walk past buildings damaged in what activists
said was an airstrike by the Syrian air force on Kafranbel, near Idlib.
Doctors treat a wounded girl at a hospital in Aleppo,
Syria's largest city, on Tuesday.
Doctors treat a wounded girl at a hospital in Aleppo,
Syria's largest city, on Tuesday.
Residents look over the bodies of people killed in the
violence Tuesday.
Residents look over the bodies of people killed in the
violence Tuesday.
Civilians flee the violence from the Damascus suburb of
Kafr Batna.
Civilians flee the violence from the Damascus suburb of
Kafr Batna.
A man reacts as an ambulance arrives with the body of a
Free Syrian Army fighter outside a hospital in Aleppo.
A man reacts as an ambulance arrives with the body of a
Free Syrian Army fighter outside a hospital in Aleppo.
A paramedic and another man cover the body of a Free
Syrian Army fighter outside a hospital in Aleppo.
A paramedic and another man cover the body of a Free
Syrian Army fighter outside a hospital in Aleppo.
Smoke rises in the Damascus suburb of Ain Terma during
clashes between Syrian rebels and pro-government forces.
Smoke rises in the Damascus suburb of Ain Terma during
clashes between Syrian rebels and pro-government forces.
A boy rides a bicycle toward fuel trucks struck by
missiles from fighter jets in the Bab al-Nayrab district of Aleppo, Syria, on
Monday, August 27.
A boy rides a bicycle toward fuel trucks struck by
missiles from fighter jets in the Bab al-Nayrab district of Aleppo, Syria, on
Monday, August 27.
Fuel tankers smoke and smolder after being struck by
missiles in Aleppo on Monday.
Fuel tankers smoke and smolder after being struck by
missiles in Aleppo on Monday.
Syrian army fighters discuss a new tactic to push the
front lines in the Seif El Dawla neighborhood of Aleppo on Monday.
Syrian army fighters discuss a new tactic to push the
front lines in the Seif El Dawla neighborhood of Aleppo on Monday.
A Free Syrian Army sniper takes his position in Seif El
Dawla on Monday.
A Free Syrian Army sniper takes his position in Seif El
Dawla on Monday.
Men arrested for their involvement in anti-regime protests
wait to be released in Damascus on Monday. The official Syrian news agency
reported that authorities released 378 people detained for their participation
in street protests, adding that those freed were never involved in acts of
violence.
Men arrested for their involvement in anti-regime protests
wait to be released in Damascus on Monday. The official Syrian news agency
reported that authorities released 378 people detained for their participation
in street protests, adding that those freed were never involved in acts of
violence.
Free Syrian Army fighters run for cover in the old city of
Aleppo on Monday.
Free Syrian Army fighters run for cover in the old city of
Aleppo on Monday.
A woman sits in her wheelchair next to her house, damaged
by an army air raid, near Homs on Sunday, August 26.
A woman sits in her wheelchair next to her house, damaged
by an army air raid, near Homs on Sunday, August 26.
Rebel fighters run for cover during continued clashes with
government forces in Aleppo on Saturday, August 25.
Rebel fighters run for cover during continued clashes with
government forces in Aleppo on Saturday, August 25.
Rebel fighters fire in the streets against pro-Syrian
government forces.
Rebel fighters fire in the streets against pro-Syrian
government forces.
A street in Aleppo is covered in rubble from heavy
fighting between rebels and Syrian government forces.
A street in Aleppo is covered in rubble from heavy
fighting between rebels and Syrian government forces.
A picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency shows
Syrian soldiers carrying the body of an alleged rebel fighter in Aleppo.
A picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency shows
Syrian soldiers carrying the body of an alleged rebel fighter in Aleppo.
A handout picture released by SANA shows army soldiers
burning a revolution flag in Aleppo.
A handout picture released by SANA shows army soldiers
burning a revolution flag in Aleppo.
A rebel fighter communicates to his commanders during
ongoing fighting in Aleppo's Mashhad neighborhood.
A rebel fighter communicates to his commanders during
ongoing fighting in Aleppo's Mashhad neighborhood.
Residents line up along a street in Aleppo as they wait to
receive free bread.
Residents line up along a street in Aleppo as they wait to
receive free bread.
Displaced Syrian familes sit in a shelter at the border
with Turkey after fleeing their homes from violence.
Displaced Syrian familes sit in a shelter at the border
with Turkey after fleeing their homes from violence.
A Syrian boy whose family has been displaced due to
fighting between rebel fighters and Syrian government forces stands in a field
near the border with Turkey.
A Syrian boy whose family has been displaced due to
fighting between rebel fighters and Syrian government forces stands in a field
near the border with Turkey.
A boy receives treatment for wounds he received during an
airstrike by a regime forces helicopter in Syria's northern city of Aleppo on
Friday, August 24. Government forces blitzed areas in and around Syria's largest
city, activists said, as Western powers sought to tighten the the reins on
embattled President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
A boy receives treatment for wounds he received during an
airstrike by a regime forces helicopter in Syria's northern city of Aleppo on
Friday, August 24. Government forces blitzed areas in and around Syria's largest
city, activists said, as Western powers sought to tighten the the reins on
embattled President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
A Free Syrian Army fighter takes aim at regime forces
during clashes in Aleppo.
A Free Syrian Army fighter takes aim at regime forces
during clashes in Aleppo.
A young boy runs across the street during clashes between
Free Syrian Army fighters and forces loyal to al-Assad.
A young boy runs across the street during clashes between
Free Syrian Army fighters and forces loyal to al-Assad.
A Syrian man reacts outside an operation room as doctors
treat his grandchildren after an airstrike by regime forces.
A Syrian man reacts outside an operation room as doctors
treat his grandchildren after an airstrike by regime forces.
A Syrian boy receives treatment after he was wounded by
shells from a government helicopter that hit his house.
A Syrian boy receives treatment after he was wounded by
shells from a government helicopter that hit his house.
Family and friends look for the bodies of a woman and her
two daughters killed by an airstrike on Sunday, August 19. See more photos from
Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, who has spent a total of about five months covering
different parts of Syria since 2011.
Family and friends look for the bodies of a woman and her
two daughters killed by an airstrike on Sunday, August 19. See more photos from
Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, who has spent a total of about five months covering
different parts of Syria since 2011.
People gather around the bodies of an entire family killed
by the airstrike the day before on Friday, August 17, in front of a hospital.
People gather around the bodies of an entire family killed
by the airstrike the day before on Friday, August 17, in front of a hospital.
Two children are treated for shrapnel wounds at a hospital
on Thursday, August 16.
Two children are treated for shrapnel wounds at a hospital
on Thursday, August 16.
Members of the Free Syrian Army clash with Syrian army
soldiers in Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district on August 22.
Members of the Free Syrian Army clash with Syrian army
soldiers in Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district on August 22.
A Syrian rebel fighter holds a handmade bomb in the Saif
al-Dawla district in the center of Aleppo on August 22.
A Syrian rebel fighter holds a handmade bomb in the Saif
al-Dawla district in the center of Aleppo on August 22.
Syrian rebels run for cover during heavy fighting in the
Saif al-Dawla district in the center of Aleppo on August 22.
Syrian rebels run for cover during heavy fighting in the
Saif al-Dawla district in the center of Aleppo on August 22.
Members of the Free Syrian Army take up positions as smoke
rises in the background during clashes with Syrian army soldiers on August 22.
Members of the Free Syrian Army take up positions as smoke
rises in the background during clashes with Syrian army soldiers on August 22.
A member of the Free Syrian Army aims his rifle as he uses
doors as a shield on August 22.
A member of the Free Syrian Army aims his rifle as he uses
doors as a shield on August 22.
Members of the Free Syrian Army take cover during clashes
with Syrian Army soldiers on August 22.
Members of the Free Syrian Army take cover during clashes
with Syrian Army soldiers on August 22.
A Syrian rebel fires towards a pro-government sniper in
the Said al-Dawla district of Aleppo on August 22.
A Syrian rebel fires towards a pro-government sniper in
the Said al-Dawla district of Aleppo on August 22.
Smoke rises from Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district after
what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar
al-Assad on August 21.
Smoke rises from Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district after
what activists say was shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar
al-Assad on August 21.
Mourning relatives gather at the funeral of a Free Syrian
Army fighter killed during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood of
central Aleppo on August 21.
Mourning relatives gather at the funeral of a Free Syrian
Army fighter killed during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood of
central Aleppo on August 21.
Syrian rebel fighters stand around a cache of homemade
missiles which they say they will use on forces loyal to president Bashar
al-Assad in Aleppo on August 21.
Syrian rebel fighters stand around a cache of homemade
missiles which they say they will use on forces loyal to president Bashar
al-Assad in Aleppo on August 21.
The father of Amar Ali Amero, a Free Syrian Army fighter
who was reportedly killed by a sniper in the Salaheddine neighborhood of central
Aleppo, mourns during his funeral in Azaz, north of Aleppo, on August 21.
The father of Amar Ali Amero, a Free Syrian Army fighter
who was reportedly killed by a sniper in the Salaheddine neighborhood of central
Aleppo, mourns during his funeral in Azaz, north of Aleppo, on August 21.
People pray during the funeral of the Free Syrian Army
fighter, Amar Ali Amero on August 21.
People pray during the funeral of the Free Syrian Army
fighter, Amar Ali Amero on August 21.
A Member of the Free Syrian Army fires during clashes with
Syrian army soldiers in Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district, on August 20.
A Member of the Free Syrian Army fires during clashes with
Syrian army soldiers in Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district, on August 20.
A skirmish in the street of Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla
district between members of the Free Syrian Army and Syrian army soldiers on
August 20.
A skirmish in the street of Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla
district between members of the Free Syrian Army and Syrian army soldiers on
August 20.
A man cries near the graves of his two children killed
during a recent Syrian Air Force air strike in Azaz on August 20.
A man cries near the graves of his two children killed
during a recent Syrian Air Force air strike in Azaz on August 20.
Members of the Free Syrian Army prepare their weapons in
Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district on Monday, August 20.
Members of the Free Syrian Army prepare their weapons in
Aleppo's Saif al-Dawla district on Monday, August 20.
Syrian bakers work in the northern city of Aleppo on
Sunday, August 19, the first day of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy
fasting month of Ramadan.
Syrian bakers work in the northern city of Aleppo on
Sunday, August 19, the first day of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy
fasting month of Ramadan.
In this image provided by Syria's national news agency,
SANA, President Bashar al-Assad, center, is greeted by a cleric while attending
Eid al-Fitr prayers at al-Hamad mosque in Damascus on Sunday, August 19.
In this image provided by Syria's national news agency,
SANA, President Bashar al-Assad, center, is greeted by a cleric while attending
Eid al-Fitr prayers at al-Hamad mosque in Damascus on Sunday, August 19.
Members of the Free Syrian Army and residents try to
extinguish a fire that they say was caused by shelling by forces loyal to
al-Assad in the Damascus suburb of Saqba on Friday, August 17.
Members of the Free Syrian Army and residents try to
extinguish a fire that they say was caused by shelling by forces loyal to
al-Assad in the Damascus suburb of Saqba on Friday, August 17.
A Free Syrian Army fighter takes aim during clashes in
Aleppo on Friday, August 17. For days, the northern Syrian city has been at the
center of some of the worst fighting in the 18-month-old conflict.
A Free Syrian Army fighter takes aim during clashes in
Aleppo on Friday, August 17. For days, the northern Syrian city has been at the
center of some of the worst fighting in the 18-month-old conflict.
A rebel fighter makes his way through a hole in a wall
during fighting Friday in Aleppo, Syria's largest city.
A rebel fighter makes his way through a hole in a wall
during fighting Friday in Aleppo, Syria's largest city.
A rebel climbs some stairs in a building during clashes in
central Aleppo's Salaheddine neighborhood.
A rebel climbs some stairs in a building during clashes in
central Aleppo's Salaheddine neighborhood.
A rebel fighter runs for cover as a Syrian army tank shell
hits a nearby building Friday in Aleppo. The opposition accuses Syrian forces of
shelling flashpoint neighborhoods in Aleppo where rebels are making a stand.
A rebel fighter runs for cover as a Syrian army tank shell
hits a nearby building Friday in Aleppo. The opposition accuses Syrian forces of
shelling flashpoint neighborhoods in Aleppo where rebels are making a stand.
Free Syrian Army fighters dress a mannequin to look like a
fighter to draw gunfire away from them Friday in Aleppo.
Free Syrian Army fighters dress a mannequin to look like a
fighter to draw gunfire away from them Friday in Aleppo.
Free Syrian Army fighters rest Friday in Aleppo during a
lull in fighting.
Free Syrian Army fighters rest Friday in Aleppo during a
lull in fighting.
A fighter with the rebel Free Syrian Army secures a street
Friday in the Damascus suburb of Saqba. Fighting raged unabated Friday across
Syria, while diplomats struggled to find a political solution.
A fighter with the rebel Free Syrian Army secures a street
Friday in the Damascus suburb of Saqba. Fighting raged unabated Friday across
Syria, while diplomats struggled to find a political solution.
Members of the Free Syrian Army try to secure a street
Friday in Saqba.
Members of the Free Syrian Army try to secure a street
Friday in Saqba.
The Free Syrian Army takes charge of a street in
Saqba.
The Free Syrian Army takes charge of a street in
Saqba.
A rebel holds a rocket-propelled grenade Friday in the
Damascus suburb.
A rebel holds a rocket-propelled grenade Friday in the
Damascus suburb.
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an anti-aircraft gun at a
Syrian air force helicopter in Aleppo on Thursday, August 16.
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an anti-aircraft gun at a
Syrian air force helicopter in Aleppo on Thursday, August 16.
Free Syrian Army fighters carry the body of a fellow
fighter during clashes Thursday in Aleppo. Government forces are pounding
Syria's largest city in a siege that's become the focal point of the civil
war.
Free Syrian Army fighters carry the body of a fellow
fighter during clashes Thursday in Aleppo. Government forces are pounding
Syria's largest city in a siege that's become the focal point of the civil
war.
A grief-stricken woman clutches her dead baby while her
husband's body is covered up following a regime airstrike on Azaz, a town near
Aleppo, on Wednesday, August 15.
A grief-stricken woman clutches her dead baby while her
husband's body is covered up following a regime airstrike on Azaz, a town near
Aleppo, on Wednesday, August 15.
Syrians search for people trapped under the rubble after
the airstrike Wednesday in Azaz, near Aleppo.
Syrians search for people trapped under the rubble after
the airstrike Wednesday in Azaz, near Aleppo.
A man removes his belongings from his destroyed car at the
airstrike site.
A man removes his belongings from his destroyed car at the
airstrike site.
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an AK-47 rifle in Aleppo
on Wednesday, August 15.
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an AK-47 rifle in Aleppo
on Wednesday, August 15.
Syrians carry the body of a woman after an airstrike in
Azaaz.
Syrians carry the body of a woman after an airstrike in
Azaaz.
A Syrian man reacts after an airstrike in Azaaz.
A Syrian man reacts after an airstrike in Azaaz.
Syrians flee Azaaz following the airstrike.
Syrians flee Azaaz following the airstrike.
A Syrian youth holds the arm of someone trapped under
rubble after an airstrike in the town of Azaaz, on the outskirts of Aleppo.
A Syrian youth holds the arm of someone trapped under
rubble after an airstrike in the town of Azaaz, on the outskirts of Aleppo.
Black smoke billows into the air after a bomb exploded at
a military site car park near a hotel used by United Nations monitors in
Damascus. The explosion Wedesday wounded three people, Syrian state television
said.
Black smoke billows into the air after a bomb exploded at
a military site car park near a hotel used by United Nations monitors in
Damascus. The explosion Wedesday wounded three people, Syrian state television
said.
Firefighters work at the scene of a bomb explosion in
central Damascus. The bomb was planted under a diesel tanker.
Firefighters work at the scene of a bomb explosion in
central Damascus. The bomb was planted under a diesel tanker.
A man carries the body of a boy after a Syrian Air Force
strike on Azaz, some 29 miles north of Aleppo.
A man carries the body of a boy after a Syrian Air Force
strike on Azaz, some 29 miles north of Aleppo.
A man sits in front of tombstone workshop in
Aleppo.
A man sits in front of tombstone workshop in
Aleppo.
Jordanian security guards patrol the entrance of the
Zaatari refugee camp, located outside the northern Mafraq, Jordan, which borders
Syria. Refugees face the hardships of sweltering heat, dust, lack of electricity
and at times sexual harassment in this UN-run desert tent camp.
Jordanian security guards patrol the entrance of the
Zaatari refugee camp, located outside the northern Mafraq, Jordan, which borders
Syria. Refugees face the hardships of sweltering heat, dust, lack of electricity
and at times sexual harassment in this UN-run desert tent camp.
Jordanian security officers detain a Syrian man after he
tried to escape from the Zaatari refugee camp in Mafraq.
Jordanian security officers detain a Syrian man after he
tried to escape from the Zaatari refugee camp in Mafraq.
A Free Syrian Army fighter learns that his commander has
been killed by a tank shell in Aleppo on Tuesday, August 14. Opposition
activists say shelling in dissident strongholds has exacerbated the humanitarian
crisis in the country.
A Free Syrian Army fighter learns that his commander has
been killed by a tank shell in Aleppo on Tuesday, August 14. Opposition
activists say shelling in dissident strongholds has exacerbated the humanitarian
crisis in the country.
Free Syrian Army fighters look at the body of their
commander killed by a tank shell Tuesday in Aleppo.
Free Syrian Army fighters look at the body of their
commander killed by a tank shell Tuesday in Aleppo.
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires his rifle in Aleppo on
Tuesday.
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires his rifle in Aleppo on
Tuesday.
Syrian rebels fire toward a sniper in Aleppo on Monday,
August 13, as fighting continues against Syrian government forces.
Syrian rebels fire toward a sniper in Aleppo on Monday,
August 13, as fighting continues against Syrian government forces.
A rebel fighter fires at government forces Monday in
Aleppo's Salaheddin neighborhood.
A rebel fighter fires at government forces Monday in
Aleppo's Salaheddin neighborhood.
A Syrian rebel climbs a staircase in Aleppo's Salaheddin
district as the opposition battles the regime.
A Syrian rebel climbs a staircase in Aleppo's Salaheddin
district as the opposition battles the regime.
A man gives bags of bread to customers at a bakery run by
the opposition Free Syrian Army in Aleppo, Syria's largest city.
A man gives bags of bread to customers at a bakery run by
the opposition Free Syrian Army in Aleppo, Syria's largest city.
Rebels covered in dust and debris emerge from a building
hit by an army tank shell Monday in Aleppo's Salaheddin area.
Rebels covered in dust and debris emerge from a building
hit by an army tank shell Monday in Aleppo's Salaheddin area.
A rebel fighter gestures toward others after emerging
from a shelled building during fighting Monday with government forces.
A rebel fighter gestures toward others after emerging
from a shelled building during fighting Monday with government forces.
A Free Syrian Army sniper looks through the sight on his
rifle from a house in Aleppo on Monday.
A Free Syrian Army sniper looks through the sight on his
rifle from a house in Aleppo on Monday.
Free Syrian Army fighters walk down a debris-covered
street Monday in central Aleppo's Salaheddine neighborhood.
Free Syrian Army fighters walk down a debris-covered
street Monday in central Aleppo's Salaheddine neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an RPG as a Syrian army
tank shell hits a building across a street during heavy fighting in central
Aleppo on Saturday, August 11.
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an RPG as a Syrian army
tank shell hits a building across a street during heavy fighting in central
Aleppo on Saturday, August 11.
A Free Syrian Army fighter sits on a window sill as he
holds an AK-47 rifle in central Aleppo.
A Free Syrian Army fighter sits on a window sill as he
holds an AK-47 rifle in central Aleppo.
A Free Syrian Army fighter aims his rifle during heavy
fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter aims his rifle during heavy
fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an RPG after a Syrian
army tank shell hit a building during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine
neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter fires an RPG after a Syrian
army tank shell hit a building during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine
neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter tries to fix his jammed rifle
during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter tries to fix his jammed rifle
during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter runs for cover during heavy
fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter runs for cover during heavy
fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.
Free Syrian Army fighters walk through a damaged building
during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.
Free Syrian Army fighters walk through a damaged building
during heavy fighting in the Salaheddine neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter aims an RPG as he waits for
Syrian army tanks in the Salaheddine neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter aims an RPG as he waits for
Syrian army tanks in the Salaheddine neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter walks on an empty street in
the Salaheddine neighborhood.
A Free Syrian Army fighter walks on an empty street in
the Salaheddine neighborhood.
Free Syrian Army members check a confiscated cache of
weapons found on a truck that was searched at a checkpoint in Dana.
Free Syrian Army members check a confiscated cache of
weapons found on a truck that was searched at a checkpoint in Dana.
A rebel fighter fires an anti-aircraft gun during a
regime airstrike on Tel Rafat, a village north of Aleppo, on Thursday, August 9.
The Syrian government and rebel groups have been battling for control of Aleppo,
a key front in the conflict that has morphed into a civil war.
A rebel fighter fires an anti-aircraft gun during a
regime airstrike on Tel Rafat, a village north of Aleppo, on Thursday, August 9.
The Syrian government and rebel groups have been battling for control of Aleppo,
a key front in the conflict that has morphed into a civil war.
A Syrian air force fighter plane fires during an
airstrike Thursday in Tel Rafat, north of Aleppo. Forces loyal to the regime
have been shelling Aleppo, Syria's largest city.
A Syrian air force fighter plane fires during an
airstrike Thursday in Tel Rafat, north of Aleppo. Forces loyal to the regime
have been shelling Aleppo, Syria's largest city.
A truck burns after apparently being hit by rockets
during an airstrike on Tel Rafat.
A truck burns after apparently being hit by rockets
during an airstrike on Tel Rafat.
Men carry the body of a boy killed in an airstrike in the
village of Tel Rafat.
Men carry the body of a boy killed in an airstrike in the
village of Tel Rafat.
A boy's body is uncovered in the rubble of a house
demolished during the recent clashes in Tel Rafat.
A boy's body is uncovered in the rubble of a house
demolished during the recent clashes in Tel Rafat.
A man steps on a carpeted image of Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad in Anadan, northwest of Aleppo, on Wednesday, August 8. The
fighting has taken a toll on al-Assad's regime, which has been hit by
assassinations and political and military defections.
A man steps on a carpeted image of Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad in Anadan, northwest of Aleppo, on Wednesday, August 8. The
fighting has taken a toll on al-Assad's regime, which has been hit by
assassinations and political and military defections.
Residents sift through rubble Wednesday searching for
bodies under a collapsed house destroyed in an airstrike.
Residents sift through rubble Wednesday searching for
bodies under a collapsed house destroyed in an airstrike.
Syrian refugees bathe Wednesday at Al Zaatri U.N. camp in
the Mafraq, Jordan, near the border with Syria. The recent shelling has led
thousands of residents to flee Syria.
Syrian refugees bathe Wednesday at Al Zaatri U.N. camp in
the Mafraq, Jordan, near the border with Syria. The recent shelling has led
thousands of residents to flee Syria.
Syrian refugees cook a meal at Al Zaatari camp in Mafraq,
Jordan.
Syrian refugees cook a meal at Al Zaatari camp in Mafraq,
Jordan.
A Syrian rebel prepares his weapon as a group of Free
Syrian Army fighters head toward the fighting with Syrian Army soldiers in the
Salah ad-Din neighborhood of central Aleppo on Sunday, August 5.
A Syrian rebel prepares his weapon as a group of Free
Syrian Army fighters head toward the fighting with Syrian Army soldiers in the
Salah ad-Din neighborhood of central Aleppo on Sunday, August 5.
Syrians evacuate a civilian wounded in shelling in the
northern city of Aleppo on Saturday, August 4. Syria's armed forces pounded
Aleppo's rebel-held Salah ad-Din district with air and ground fire as violence
also raged in the Shaar and Sukkari districts, according to reporters in the
area and a rebel commander.
Syrians evacuate a civilian wounded in shelling in the
northern city of Aleppo on Saturday, August 4. Syria's armed forces pounded
Aleppo's rebel-held Salah ad-Din district with air and ground fire as violence
also raged in the Shaar and Sukkari districts, according to reporters in the
area and a rebel commander.
A vehicle burns as Syrians walk through debris from
clashes between Syrian armed forces and rebels in the northern city of Aleppo on
Saturday, August 4.
A vehicle burns as Syrians walk through debris from
clashes between Syrian armed forces and rebels in the northern city of Aleppo on
Saturday, August 4.
A boy plays on the gun of a destroyed Syrian army tank
partially covered in the rubble of the destroyed Azaz mosques, north of the
restive city of Aleppo, on Thursday, August 2.
A boy plays on the gun of a destroyed Syrian army tank
partially covered in the rubble of the destroyed Azaz mosques, north of the
restive city of Aleppo, on Thursday, August 2.
Smoke rises from Al-Safsaf in Homs on Friday, August 3.
Smoke rises from Al-Safsaf in Homs on Friday, August 3.
A boy plays with an AK-47 rifle owned by his father in
Azaz, some 29 miles north of Aleppo on Friday, August 3.
A boy plays with an AK-47 rifle owned by his father in
Azaz, some 29 miles north of Aleppo on Friday, August 3.
Syrians climb on an abandoned Syrian army tank north of
Aleppo on Thursday, August 2.
Syrians climb on an abandoned Syrian army tank north of
Aleppo on Thursday, August 2.
A man looks at a destroyed Syrian army compound in Azaz,
29 miles north of Aleppo on Friday, August 3.
A man looks at a destroyed Syrian army compound in Azaz,
29 miles north of Aleppo on Friday, August 3.
A Syrian refugee walks at the Al Zaatri refugee camp in
the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria, on Friday, August
3.
A Syrian refugee walks at the Al Zaatri refugee camp in
the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria, on Friday, August
3.
People and a member of the Free Syrian Army commute on
Wednesday, August 1, past a building on the outskirts of Idlib that was hit by
rocket fire Tuesday night by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. Unrest
spread across other volatile regions of the country as al-Assad's forces shelled
targets and launched raids in and around Damascus, Homs, Daraa and Deir
Ezzor.
People and a member of the Free Syrian Army commute on
Wednesday, August 1, past a building on the outskirts of Idlib that was hit by
rocket fire Tuesday night by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. Unrest
spread across other volatile regions of the country as al-Assad's forces shelled
targets and launched raids in and around Damascus, Homs, Daraa and Deir
Ezzor.
A woman and child on Wednesday walk through rubble of a
building destroyed by shelling from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad in Aleppo.
A woman and child on Wednesday walk through rubble of a
building destroyed by shelling from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad in Aleppo.
Demonstrators hold an opposition flag during a protest
Wednesday against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.
Demonstrators hold an opposition flag during a protest
Wednesday against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.
Syrian girls on Wednesday walk past a Syrian army tank
captured two days earlier by rebel fighters at a checkpoint in the village of
Anadan. The strategic checkpoint secures the rebel fighters free movement
between the northern city of Aleppo and Turkey.
Syrian girls on Wednesday walk past a Syrian army tank
captured two days earlier by rebel fighters at a checkpoint in the village of
Anadan. The strategic checkpoint secures the rebel fighters free movement
between the northern city of Aleppo and Turkey.
Rebel Free Syrian Army fighters capture a policeman who
they allege is a "Shabiha" or pro-regime militiaman, on Tuesday, July 31, as the
rebels overrun a police station in Aleppo.
Rebel Free Syrian Army fighters capture a policeman who
they allege is a "Shabiha" or pro-regime militiaman, on Tuesday, July 31, as the
rebels overrun a police station in Aleppo.
Rebel fighters load an anti-aircraft machine gun on an
armored vehicle in Atareb, east of Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo, on
Tuesday, July 31.
Rebel fighters load an anti-aircraft machine gun on an
armored vehicle in Atareb, east of Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo, on
Tuesday, July 31.
Syrian boys run near a building hit by bullets and fire
in Atareb.
Syrian boys run near a building hit by bullets and fire
in Atareb.
A member of the Free Syrian Army fires at forces loyal to
President Bashar Al-Assad in a district of Aleppo called Salah Edinne on
Tuesday.
A member of the Free Syrian Army fires at forces loyal to
President Bashar Al-Assad in a district of Aleppo called Salah Edinne on
Tuesday.
A member of the Free Syrian Army carries an injured
civilian to safety in Aleppo's district of Salah Edinne on Tuesday.
A member of the Free Syrian Army carries an injured
civilian to safety in Aleppo's district of Salah Edinne on Tuesday.
Members of the Free Syrian Army learn that a tank
belonging to forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad is heading to the
area.
Members of the Free Syrian Army learn that a tank
belonging to forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad is heading to the
area.
A Syrian boy carries bags of bread as people wait outside
a bakery near Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo.
A Syrian boy carries bags of bread as people wait outside
a bakery near Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo.
A photo released by Syrian Arab News Agency depicts
damaged buildings in Homs on Monday, July 30.
A photo released by Syrian Arab News Agency depicts
damaged buildings in Homs on Monday, July 30.
A Free Syrian Army fighter takes position Sunday, July
29, in Aleppo as people flee shelling. Intense clashes have been under way for
more than a week between the regime and rebels in Aleppo, Syria's commercial and
cultural center.
A Free Syrian Army fighter takes position Sunday, July
29, in Aleppo as people flee shelling. Intense clashes have been under way for
more than a week between the regime and rebels in Aleppo, Syria's commercial and
cultural center.
Parts of Syria's largest city saw the fiercest clashes
yet in the country's 16-month crisis on Saturday, July 28. About 200,000 people
have fled fighting in Aleppo and surrounding areas in the past two days, a U.N.
official says.
Parts of Syria's largest city saw the fiercest clashes
yet in the country's 16-month crisis on Saturday, July 28. About 200,000 people
have fled fighting in Aleppo and surrounding areas in the past two days, a U.N.
official says.
Fighting leaves vehicles damaged Saturday in the
southwestern city of Daraa.
Fighting leaves vehicles damaged Saturday in the
southwestern city of Daraa.
Syrians carry the body of a man allegedly killed in the
bombardment of Sukari, southwest of Aleppo, by Syrian regime forces on July
27.
Syrians carry the body of a man allegedly killed in the
bombardment of Sukari, southwest of Aleppo, by Syrian regime forces on July
27.
Destruction appears widespread in Homs on Friday, July
27, in a handout photo from the Syrian opposition Shaam News Network.
Destruction appears widespread in Homs on Friday, July
27, in a handout photo from the Syrian opposition Shaam News Network.
A Syrian opposition fighter takes aim during clashes with
forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on Wednesday, July 25.
A Syrian opposition fighter takes aim during clashes with
forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on Wednesday, July 25.
Family and friends mourn over the body of Usame Mircan,
who they say was killed by a Syrian government sniper in Aleppo on
Wednesday.
Family and friends mourn over the body of Usame Mircan,
who they say was killed by a Syrian government sniper in Aleppo on
Wednesday.
Usame Mircan's mother grieves after he was killed during
fighting in Aleppo.
Usame Mircan's mother grieves after he was killed during
fighting in Aleppo.
The bodies of men killed during clashes between Syrian
rebel fighters and goverment forces lie on the Aleppo street on Thursday, July
26.
The bodies of men killed during clashes between Syrian
rebel fighters and goverment forces lie on the Aleppo street on Thursday, July
26.
Fighters from the Syrian opposition rest at a former
primary school in Aleppo on Wednesday.
Fighters from the Syrian opposition rest at a former
primary school in Aleppo on Wednesday.
Residents take cover as fighters from the Syrian
opposition clash with forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on
Wednesday.
Residents take cover as fighters from the Syrian
opposition clash with forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on
Wednesday.
Syrian rebels guard a checkpoint in Aleppo on
Wednesday.
Syrian rebels guard a checkpoint in Aleppo on
Wednesday.
A damaged portrait of President Bashar al-Assad sits
among piles of debris at a checkpoint manned by Syrian rebels in Aleppo on
Wednesday.
A damaged portrait of President Bashar al-Assad sits
among piles of debris at a checkpoint manned by Syrian rebels in Aleppo on
Wednesday.
Syrian rebels drive through Selehattin near Aleppo during
clashes with government forces on Monday, July 23.
Syrian rebels drive through Selehattin near Aleppo during
clashes with government forces on Monday, July 23.
A Syrian rebel runs through the streets of Selehattin
during an attack on a municipal building. The rebel Free Syrian Army says it is
attempting to "liberate" several districts of Aleppo.
A Syrian rebel runs through the streets of Selehattin
during an attack on a municipal building. The rebel Free Syrian Army says it is
attempting to "liberate" several districts of Aleppo.
Syrian rebels work to find snipers during clashes Monday
between the opposition and government forces in Selehattin.
Syrian rebels work to find snipers during clashes Monday
between the opposition and government forces in Selehattin.
Syrian rebels make their way down a street Monday in
Selehattin near Aleppo. If they gain control of Aleppo, it would mark a pivotal
point in the Syrian crisis.
Syrian rebels make their way down a street Monday in
Selehattin near Aleppo. If they gain control of Aleppo, it would mark a pivotal
point in the Syrian crisis.
Syrian rebels take cover behind sandbags during fighting
Monday at the entrance to the city of Selehattin.
Syrian rebels take cover behind sandbags during fighting
Monday at the entrance to the city of Selehattin.
On Sunday, July 22, a Syrian refugee looks out from a bus
as he arrives at a refugee camp in Turkey opposite the Syrian commercial
crossing point Bab al-Hawa.
On Sunday, July 22, a Syrian refugee looks out from a bus
as he arrives at a refugee camp in Turkey opposite the Syrian commercial
crossing point Bab al-Hawa.
Syrian refugees flee from a refugee camp nicknamed
"Container City" on the Turkish-Syrian border in Kilis province, southern
Turkey, on Sunday.
Syrian refugees flee from a refugee camp nicknamed
"Container City" on the Turkish-Syrian border in Kilis province, southern
Turkey, on Sunday.
Smoke from artillery shelling rises above Jbatha
Al-khashab.
Smoke from artillery shelling rises above Jbatha
Al-khashab.
An armed Syrian rebel wearing the jersey of FC Barcelona
rests with comrades near the northern city of Aleppo on Sunday. The rebel Free
Syrian Army announced the start of the battle to "liberate" Aleppo, Syria's
commercial hub and a traditional bastion of President Bashar al-Assad's
regime.
An armed Syrian rebel wearing the jersey of FC Barcelona
rests with comrades near the northern city of Aleppo on Sunday. The rebel Free
Syrian Army announced the start of the battle to "liberate" Aleppo, Syria's
commercial hub and a traditional bastion of President Bashar al-Assad's
regime.
In this photo released by the Shaam News Network, a truck
burns after shelling in the Erbeen suburb of Damascus on Saturday, July
21.
In this photo released by the Shaam News Network, a truck
burns after shelling in the Erbeen suburb of Damascus on Saturday, July
21.
Refugees fleeing the violence in Syria arrive by bus in
Baghdad, Iraq, on Saturday.
Refugees fleeing the violence in Syria arrive by bus in
Baghdad, Iraq, on Saturday.
Turkish soldiers stand guard at the Cilvegozu border gate
in Reyhanly that connects to Syria's Bab al-Hawa post. An estimated 120,000
people have fled Syria to Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.
Turkish soldiers stand guard at the Cilvegozu border gate
in Reyhanly that connects to Syria's Bab al-Hawa post. An estimated 120,000
people have fled Syria to Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.
Burned-out trucks at the Bab al-Hawa Syrian border post
with Turkey on Friday, July 20. Syrian rebels seized control of the post after a
fierce battle with Syrian troops, an AFP photographer at the scene
reported.
Burned-out trucks at the Bab al-Hawa Syrian border post
with Turkey on Friday, July 20. Syrian rebels seized control of the post after a
fierce battle with Syrian troops, an AFP photographer at the scene
reported.
Syrian soldiers celebrate in the al-Midan area in
Damascus on Friday. Syrian regime forces routed rebel fighters from the Damascus
neighbourhood of Midan, Syrian state television reported, saying troops had
"cleaned" the district of "terrorists."
Syrian soldiers celebrate in the al-Midan area in
Damascus on Friday. Syrian regime forces routed rebel fighters from the Damascus
neighbourhood of Midan, Syrian state television reported, saying troops had
"cleaned" the district of "terrorists."
Journalists are shown a dead body on a government tour of
the al-Midan area in Damascus on Friday.
Journalists are shown a dead body on a government tour of
the al-Midan area in Damascus on Friday.
Members of Syria security forces rest in the al-Midan
area in Damascus on Friday.
Members of Syria security forces rest in the al-Midan
area in Damascus on Friday.
Syrian army soldiers hang their national flag in a
partially destroyed neighborhood in the al-Midan area in Damascus.
Syrian army soldiers hang their national flag in a
partially destroyed neighborhood in the al-Midan area in Damascus.
Smoke hangs in the air in a partially destroyed
neighborhood in the al-Midan area in Damascus.
Smoke hangs in the air in a partially destroyed
neighborhood in the al-Midan area in Damascus.
Members of Syria security forces pose for photographers
in the al-Midan area in Damascus after driving out the rebel fighters.
Members of Syria security forces pose for photographers
in the al-Midan area in Damascus after driving out the rebel fighters.
Syrian residents take goods from a truck that rebels
captured at the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey on Friday.
Syrian residents take goods from a truck that rebels
captured at the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey on Friday.
A picture released by the official Syrian Arab News
Agency on July 19 shows Syrian General Fahd al-Freij meeting with President
Bashar al-Assad in Damascus after his swearing-in ceremony as defense minister.
A picture released by the official Syrian Arab News
Agency on July 19 shows Syrian General Fahd al-Freij meeting with President
Bashar al-Assad in Damascus after his swearing-in ceremony as defense minister.
A man holds up a picture of President Bashar al-Assad at
a former police station in Atareb after clashes between Syrian soldiers and Free
Syrain Army near Aleppo on Thursday, July 19. Rebels seized control of border
crossings with Iraq on Thursday, dealing a new blow to al-Assad, as China and
Russia dismayed the West by blocking U.N. action against his regime.
A man holds up a picture of President Bashar al-Assad at
a former police station in Atareb after clashes between Syrian soldiers and Free
Syrain Army near Aleppo on Thursday, July 19. Rebels seized control of border
crossings with Iraq on Thursday, dealing a new blow to al-Assad, as China and
Russia dismayed the West by blocking U.N. action against his regime.
People walk along the street in Atareb amidst damage
caused by clashed between Syrian soldiers and the Free Syrian Army.
People walk along the street in Atareb amidst damage
caused by clashed between Syrian soldiers and the Free Syrian Army.
A Syrian man checks the former police station of Syrian
regime after a clash at Atareb on Thursday.
A Syrian man checks the former police station of Syrian
regime after a clash at Atareb on Thursday.
Smoke ascends from from alleged shelling of the Syrian
village of Jebata al-Khashab as seen from the hill village of Buqaata in the
Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on Thursday.
Smoke ascends from from alleged shelling of the Syrian
village of Jebata al-Khashab as seen from the hill village of Buqaata in the
Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on Thursday.
The death toll in Syria on July 12 reached 287, making it
the bloodiest day in Syria since the uprising began. As it has done
consistently, Syrian state television blamed "armed terrorist groups" for the
killings.
The death toll in Syria on July 12 reached 287, making it
the bloodiest day in Syria since the uprising began. As it has done
consistently, Syrian state television blamed "armed terrorist groups" for the
killings.
A Syrian woman sits with her grandson outside a damaged
building after attacks in the Syrian village of Treimsa on July 13, 2012. More
than 200 people were massacred in the town, according to activists.
A Syrian woman sits with her grandson outside a damaged
building after attacks in the Syrian village of Treimsa on July 13, 2012. More
than 200 people were massacred in the town, according to activists.
A Syrian demonstrator holds an opposition flag during a
protest in Damascus on July 2, 2012. There have been increasing reports of
violence in the Syrian capital.
A Syrian demonstrator holds an opposition flag during a
protest in Damascus on July 2, 2012. There have been increasing reports of
violence in the Syrian capital.
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad waves as he arrives for
a speech to Syria's parliament in Damascus on June 3, 2012. The embattled
president denied that government forces were behind the "outrageous" massacre in
Houla.
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad waves as he arrives for
a speech to Syria's parliament in Damascus on June 3, 2012. The embattled
president denied that government forces were behind the "outrageous" massacre in
Houla.
People gather at a mass burial on May 26, 2012 for
victims reportedly killed during an artillery barrage from Syrian forces in
Houla. The attack left at least 108 people dead, including nearly 50 children,
according to the United Nations.
People gather at a mass burial on May 26, 2012 for
victims reportedly killed during an artillery barrage from Syrian forces in
Houla. The attack left at least 108 people dead, including nearly 50 children,
according to the United Nations.
Members of the Free Syrian Army return to Qusayr on May
12, 2012 after an attack on Syrian regime forces in the village of Nizareer,
near the Lebanese border in Homs.
Members of the Free Syrian Army return to Qusayr on May
12, 2012 after an attack on Syrian regime forces in the village of Nizareer,
near the Lebanese border in Homs.
A U.N. observer speaks with Syrian rebels and civilians
in the village of Azzara on May 4, 2012, days before the country's parlianemtary
polls were held against a backdrop of unrest.
A U.N. observer speaks with Syrian rebels and civilians
in the village of Azzara on May 4, 2012, days before the country's parlianemtary
polls were held against a backdrop of unrest.
Thousands of Syrians wave their national flag and hold
portraits of President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Hassan
Nasrallah, right, during a rally to show support for their leader on March 29,
2012 in Damascus.
Thousands of Syrians wave their national flag and hold
portraits of President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Hassan
Nasrallah, right, during a rally to show support for their leader on March 29,
2012 in Damascus.
Syrian rebel fighters man a checkpoint leading into the
town of Taftanaz in the rebel stronghold province of Idlib on March 20,
2012.
Syrian rebel fighters man a checkpoint leading into the
town of Taftanaz in the rebel stronghold province of Idlib on March 20,
2012.
A Free Syrian Army rebel mounts his steed in the
Al-Shatouria village near the Turkish border in northwestern Syria on March 16,
2012, a year after the uprising began. The Free Syrian Army is an armed
opposition group made up largely of military defectors.
A Free Syrian Army rebel mounts his steed in the
Al-Shatouria village near the Turkish border in northwestern Syria on March 16,
2012, a year after the uprising began. The Free Syrian Army is an armed
opposition group made up largely of military defectors.
Syrian refugees walk across a field before crossing into
Turkey on March 14, 2012. International mediator Kofi Annan called for an
immediate halt to the killing of civilians in Syria as he arrived in Turkey for
talks on the crisis.
Syrian refugees walk across a field before crossing into
Turkey on March 14, 2012. International mediator Kofi Annan called for an
immediate halt to the killing of civilians in Syria as he arrived in Turkey for
talks on the crisis.
A day after the twin suicide bombings, Syrian mourners
pray over the coffins of the 44 people killed during a mass funeral in
Damascus.
A day after the twin suicide bombings, Syrian mourners
pray over the coffins of the 44 people killed during a mass funeral in
Damascus.
A Syrian man who was wounded in a suicide attack rests at
a hospital in Damascus on December 23, 2011. Suicide bombers hit two security
service bases in the Syrian capital, killing dozens of people.
A Syrian man who was wounded in a suicide attack rests at
a hospital in Damascus on December 23, 2011. Suicide bombers hit two security
service bases in the Syrian capital, killing dozens of people.
Arab foreign ministers attend an emergency meeting at the
Arab League headquarters in Cairo on October 16, 2011, to discuss the crisis in
Syria.
Arab foreign ministers attend an emergency meeting at the
Arab League headquarters in Cairo on October 16, 2011, to discuss the crisis in
Syria.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks to the
media in Washington on August 18, 2011. Clinton said U.S. sanctions on Syrian
oil "strike at the heart of the Syrian regime."
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks to the
media in Washington on August 18, 2011. Clinton said U.S. sanctions on Syrian
oil "strike at the heart of the Syrian regime."
Syrian youths wave national flags while army troops drive
out of Daraa on May 5, 2011. During a week-long military lockdown of the town,
dozens of people were reportedly killed in what activists described as
"indiscriminate" shelling on the city.
Syrian youths wave national flags while army troops drive
out of Daraa on May 5, 2011. During a week-long military lockdown of the town,
dozens of people were reportedly killed in what activists described as
"indiscriminate" shelling on the city.
Syrians in Damascus protest in the street on March 25,
2011, after clashes with government forces in Daraa left several dead.
Syrians in Damascus protest in the street on March 25,
2011, after clashes with government forces in Daraa left several dead.
Supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rally on
April 1 in Istanbul, Turkey, as delegates from dozens of countries gather to
push for ways to end the deadly violence in Syria. The United Nations estimates
more than 10,000 people have been killed since the beginning of the crisis in
March 2011. The conflict is now being labeled a civil war by the International
Committee of the Red Cross.
Supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rally on
April 1 in Istanbul, Turkey, as delegates from dozens of countries gather to
push for ways to end the deadly violence in Syria. The United Nations estimates
more than 10,000 people have been killed since the beginning of the crisis in
March 2011. The conflict is now being labeled a civil war by the International
Committee of the Red Cross.
Showdown in Syria
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Showdown in
Syria Syria refugee crisis mounting
Gerges: Assad not backing
down Syrian activist: Three types
of beatings
The Local Coordination Committees
of Syria, an opposition group, said the toll includes a "massacre" of 35 people
in the village of Al Fan in Hama province.
The state news agency SANA said
there had been a clash between government forces and an "armed terrorist group"
in the area.
Separately, a bombing near a
government security building in the capital Damascus left at least four people
wounded, state television said, calling the incident "terrorism."
The opposition Free Syrian Army's
Grandsons of the Prophet Brigade said it carried out the attack.
CNN cannot independently verify
reports of violence, because the Syrian government limits access by
international journalists.
Opposition fighters claimed
Saturday to be making advances, saying they captured a military air force base
after an 11-day siege.
They seized the base to prevent
airstrikes and shelling of civilians, Ridha Al-Alwani said via Skype from the
border city of Albu Kamal in Deir Ezzour province.
A Free Syrian Army spokesman
said the installation was the Air Defense battalion headquarters in Albu
Kamal.
The military, however, still
controls two other bases that it used to launch airstrikes following the rebel
attack, Al-Alwani said.
At least 162 people died across
Syria on Saturday, including 55 in and around Damascus, opposition activists
said.
Several political activists
reported that regime forces raided a hospital in the Damascus suburb of Kafar
Batna, killed medical staff, and wounded patients. They said regime forces later
burned the hospital.
The Local Coordination
Committees of Syria said the regime forces had targeted the hospital in the past
because it treated protesters
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