Sunday, December 27, 2015

Syrian War News Updates -- December 28, 2015

Zahran Alloush was killed by an air strike in Syria. (Bassam Khabieh / Reuters)

Hassan Hassan, The National: Syria rebel group will survive leader’s death

Zahran Alloush, the former leader of Jaish Al Islam who was killed by Russian air strikes on Friday evening near Damascus, was more widely mourned than any other opposition figure since the start of the Syrian conflict. He has also been condemned for having made sectarian statements alluding to the extermination of Shia in Syria.

Sectarian statements are unjustifiable because they stoke tensions in an already polarised landscape. Jaish Al Islam was guilty of playing a cynical game of religious one-upmanship against extremist groups, especially at the height of religious polarisation in late 2013, during the Hizbollah-led offensive inside Syria. But it is a mistake to equate the group with extremist organisations, especially since such statements by no means reflect the group’s intentions or actions.

Syrian War News Updates -- December 28, 2015

Top Rebel Commander Killed in Syria -- NYMag
Syria: Video shows airstrike that killed rebel leader (Video) -- CNN
Syrian Rebels Mourn Loss of Leader, Name Replacement -- VOA
Syrian rebel group names successor after leader slain -- UPI
Zahran Allouch assassination huge blow to Syria rebels -- AP
Syria war: Rebel leader's death a blow to peace talks -- BBC
Rebel leader’s killing casts doubt over Syria peace moves -- The National
Syria war: Yarmouk camp evacuation 'on hold' -- BBC
Standoff over Syrian regime's pullout demand -- AL Jazeera
Evacuation Plan Stalled After Syrian Rebel Leader Killed -- VOA
Activists: Syrian army kills 17 militants in country's south -- AP
IRAN: IRGC Colonel, top mullah’s bodyguard killed in Syria -- NCRI
Russia releases new footage of a fresh round of airstrikes in Syria claiming to have targeted a number of ISIS oil tanker trucks -- Daily Mail
Russia says air force has not hit civilian targets in Syria -- Reuters
Russia Says Airstrikes Have Not Hit Any Civilian Targets In Syria -- IBTimes
Syrian Kurds take strategic dam from 'Islamic State' -- DW
Kurds, Arabs seize key Syria dam from IS: group -- AFP
U.S.-Backed Syrian Coalition Seizes Major Dam Ahead Of Talks -- RFE
Daesh Loses Major Supply Route Amid Strategic Defeat on Euphrates -- Sputnik
Kurdish-Arab Coalition Advances Against Daesh on Multiple Fronts in Syria -- Sputnik
Hezbollah response to Kuntar elimination will come from Syria -- Arutz Sheva
UN sets January target date for Syria peace talks -- DW
U.N. Syria mediator aims to convene peace talks on January 25 -- Reuters
Syrian opposition reps want Saudi Arabia ‘disqualified’ from peace process – report -- RT
Mediators of Syrian Talks Urge to Disqualify Saudi From Conflict Settlement -- Sputnik
Erdogan accuses Iran of 'sectarian' policies in Syria -- Arutz Sheva
2015, Syria and the butterfly effect -- Japan Times editorial
The winners and losers in Syria -- Sami Moubayed, Special to Gulf News

3 comments:

  1. It's worth to read the highlighted article, it is a correct summary/example of the lack of unity among rebels in Syria. His role in the Islamic Front was not mentioned, but it's not realy matter, because he was encircled in Ghouta for years, and also because the organisation method that the rebels use. His local successor is found, but this only effect Damascus and East Ghouta, which is just 1 of the 10-15 most important frontlines. With the new leadership I do not think they will archive much, because of their general bad situation, and also the archived of their last offensive (to brake out toward North, and cut the M5 highway) just venished, so they are where they were (minus their losses).

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  2. "But it is a mistake to equate the group with extremist organisations, especially since such statements by no means reflect the group’s intentions or actions."

    Alloush has been accused of the disappearing of Syrian civil rights activist and human rights lawyer Razan Zaitouneh, who was taken by gunmen, along with her husband and two other colleagues, from her office in the Jaysh al-Islam-controlled area of Douma in December 2013.[52]

    On 1 November 2015 it was reported Jaysh al-Islam forces paraded captured Alawite civilians in cages in Eastern Ghouta to ward off Russian airstrikes.[53][54]

    It has been confirmed that Jaish Al-Islam participated in the Adra massacre[55] committed by the Islamic Front (of which it is a member).

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zahran_Alloush

    The fighters were alleged to have targeted Alawites, Druze, Christians and Shiites, killing them on a sectarian basis. Some people were shot while others were beheaded.[1] The killings lasted into the next day.[5]

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adra_massacre











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