30th/May/2012

Umayya for Researches and Strategic Studies

The Daily Monitoring Report

- Al-Assad's forces besieged and fired artillery against Homs's Houla, killing and injuring a number of people. Inhabitants of the city appeals for help amid fears of a new massacre.(2) - Syrian artist and director Basil Shehadeh (director of "the war of July 2006" movie in Lebanon) and his friend Ahmed Al-Asam were martyred by the regular Army's gunfire. The two have played an important role in filming the Syrian regime's viola-

Statistics

29th/May death toll: 61

The Field Situation

- For the second consecutive day, Damascus's neighborhoods have witnessed an all-out strike in mourning for the martyrs, and in protest against the military and security campaign carried out by the Assad regime against civilians.(1)(2)

tions, as well as training young people on to use the camera.(1) - The Assad troops launched a military campaign against Daraa Al-Balad amid heavy gunfire by security barriers and snipers stationed on rooftops.(2)

Political Mobility
- The Syrian National Council (SNC) welcomed the decision taken by a number of countries to expel Syrian diplomats, calling for issuing an international resolution under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.(1)(4)(6)(7)

Activities of Civil Organizations

- According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, some 98 died yesterday, including 61 civilians.(2)

Political Stances Syria

- Demonstrations have staged in most Syrian cities, including the Mezeh district of Damascus and Rif Dimashaq's Yabrud, Aqraba, Al-Sayeda Zeinab and Biebla, as well as the Deir Al-Zour town of AlHamidiya in solidarity with the besieged cities.(1) - The Syrian state television said President Bashar Al-Assad told the UN-Arab peace envoy Kofi Annan that "terrorist groups" had recently stepped up activities, including kidnapping and killing against people across the country. Al-Assad added that the success of the peace plan is contingent upon end of terrorist activities and arms smuggling.(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)

The Military Situation

- Bitter clashes took place between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Syrian Army in the Damascus city of Al-Sayeda Zeinab.(2)

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30th/May/2012
Political Stances Arab

Umayya for Researches and Strategic Studies

new UN Security Council action on situation in Syria."(3)
(5)

- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan con- Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman said that his country should not become "a destruction base against Syria", adding that he is against smuggling arms to Syria through the Lebanese borders. Suleiman added that his country would not close its borders to the Syrian refugees.(3)(4) - Belgian Minister of Defense Pieter De Crem said that his country would take part in any military intervention provided that it would be under a UN and international mandate.(2) - The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calls for conducting an objective investigation into the Houla killings, saying that his country is concerned over some countries starting to use the Houla events as a pretext for putting forward demands for the necessity of taking military action.(1) - In his article in "The Independent", British journalist and writer Robert Fist, specialized in Middle East affairs, says, "Bashar Al-Assad will get away with it. He got away with Deraa. He got away with Homs. And he'll get away with Houla. This may be the critical moment, the "tipping point" of horror, when Baathist collapse becomes inevitable."(2) - Israeli President Shimon Peres says the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, who is supposed to be the father of his nation, became murderer of his people.(4) demns the massacre of Houla in Syria, saying there is a limit to the world's patience over ending the bloodshed, describing such a crime as torture and meanness.(3)

International
- The UN and Arab League's special envoy, Kofi Annan said that Syria has reached the "point of no return", urging Al-Assad to immediately act to stop violence. Annan added that he conveyed to Al-Assad the grave concern of the international community about the violence in Syria, including the recent shocking incidents in Houla.(1)(2)(3)(4)(5) - Head of UN peacekeeping operations Herv Ladsous said There is strong suspicion that the Shabiha (proSyrian regime militia) were involved in the tragedy of Houla. Ladsous added that the Shabiha used knives and light weapons, pointing out that a number of victims were killed by artillery shells.
(2)(3)(5)

Sources:
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) Asharq Al-Awsat AlJazeera net Reuters AFP AP Guardian Telegraph

- The United States of America, major European countries, Canada and Australia say they will expel the Syrian envoys.
(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)

- The White House said it did not believe military intervention in Syria was the right course of action at this time because it would lead to greater chaos and carnage. However, it did not rule out any options, including military action.(1)(3)(5)(6) - The new French President-elect Francois Hollande said "Military intervention is not excluded. Paris would host the Friends of Syria conference by early July, said Holland, adding that he will try to convince Russia to back Security Council sanctions against Syria.(1)(2)(3)(4)(5) - German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said, The Syrian regime bears responsibility for the horrific incidents in Houla. It must face serious diplomatic and political consequences, adding, "We will pressure for

This Report was issued by Umayya for Researches and Strategic Studies, and it contains pure news that do not reflect an opinion. Edited by Abed Alrhman Alsarraj Page 2