Archive for Syrian uprising

Nearly 20 months into the Syrian uprising, President Bashar Assad’s message to the world has been nothing if not consistent: His military is strong, his enemies are mere terrorists and he will prevail in the end.

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Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has formed a committee to support the Syrian uprising, led by Mohamed Abdel Rahman, a member of the Guidance Bureau.

Its mission is to document the revolution in the media, find supporters for the Free Syrian Army (FSA), and assist refugees and displaced Syrians.

“We will provide full and consistent support for the Syrian revolution,” said Saad al-Khalifa, a member of the Brotherhood's Shura Council.

Syrian activist Farhan Matar said all the support that has been promised for the Syrian revolution is "mere talk."

The Muslim Brotherhood did not send members to Syria to join the FSA and fight against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, group spokesperson Mahmoud Ghozlan told the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat on 14 September.

Bassam al-Dada, the Free Syrian Army's political adviser, estimated the same month that around 20 Egyptians total had joined the Syrian opposition forces.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Syrian authorities have arrested 14 Egyptians who attempted to enter Syria illegally through Jordan's borders, according to Egypt's state news agency.

Alaa Abdel Aziz, the charge d'affairs at the Egyptian Embassy in Damascus, told MENA that the embassy has begun procedures to bring the Egyptian nationals home, having been informed of their arrest by the Syrian authorities.

He said the embassy has also asked the Syrian authorities to clarify under what circumstances two Egyptian citizens were killed in Qaboun, in a rural area near Damascus, on Sunday. 

Syrian state TV quoted police sources as saying that both Yasser Abdel Razek and Abdo al-Desoky Mossad were killed while participating in what it claimed was a “terrorist” group. One of the two Egyptians killed was 60 years old.

The embassy said it has demanded a copy of the investigations report and the handover of the bodies to the dead men's families.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has warned Egyptians not to go to Syria and has called on Egyptians currently living there to quickly return home.

The first Egyptian to be killed in the Syrian uprising against Bashar al-Assad, which started 16 months ago, was Eid Salah Eid. He was killed in March 2011 in the city of Deraa. Many other Egyptians have been killed since the start of the Syrian uprising.

Activists say that 19,000 people have been killed so far in a pro-democracy uprising that the Assad regime has repeatedly blamed on foreign infiltrators.

Arab nations announced plans Wednesday to seek approval from the UN General Assembly for a resolution calling for a political transition and establishment of a democratic government in Syria.

Edited translation from MENA

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Two Egyptians were shot dead in Syria by police forces Monday, Syrian state TV said.

The station quoted police sources as saying that both Yasser Abdel Razek and Abdo al-Desoky Mossad were killed while participating in what it claimed was a “terrorist” group. According to police, the group also included other Arabs of different nationalities who had illegally entered the country.

One of the two Egyptians killed Monday was 60 years old.

The first Egyptian to be killed in the Syria uprising was Eid Salah Eid. He was killed in March 2011 in the city of Deraa. Many other Egyptians have been killed since the start of the Syrian uprising.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly warned Egyptians not to go to Syria, and has also called on Egyptians currently living there to quickly evacuate the country and return home.

Edited translation from MENA

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ABC News
In TV interview, Assad accuses US of fueling Syrian uprising, says no
Fox News
BERLIN – Syrian President Bashar Assad said in an interview broadcast Sunday that he is not afraid of meeting the same fate as the deposed and disgraced leaders of Libya and Egypt, saying he has nothing in common with them.
Syria's Assad Rejects Comparison With Egypt, LibyaABC News

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Amid growing concern among some Western officials about al-Qaeda’s involvement in the Syrian uprising, the BBC’s Paul Wood – who has been back inside Syria – assesses the influence of Islamists in Syria’s anti-government protests.

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Turkey’s Humanitarian Aid Foundation has published photos of two Turkish journalists who were detained while covering the Syrian uprising two months ago and the two men appeared to be in good health, Today’s Zaman reported.

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