Demonstrators shout slogans against Assad in front of the Syrian Embassy in Ankara. In latest developments, Syria is going forward in the process of reform with steady steps, said President Bashar al-Assad, asserting that these reforms lay the foundations for the future of Syria and coming generations. In an Iftar (fasting-breaking) banquet yesterday evening, Assad underscored the need as to be aware of the 'conspiracy' which the foreign world has been trying to plot and sow seditions in Syria, SANA reported. Assad pointed out that the foreign pressures put on Syria come not because of the West care about the Syrian People and reforms as claimed; but because  'Syria has been the problem for the West which wants concessions from Syria' reiterating that Syria 'would never offer concessions to the west hence the Syrian people have chosen to have their will and independent sovereignty''.
The role of men of religion was underlined by Assad in defending Syria against sedition and unrest, asserting the need for cooperation by every Syrian as to overcome the events witnessed in the country, ' differences in opinions are healthy as long as the aim is to build the Homeland,'' outlined Assad. ''More of wisdom and reason is needed away from reactions and sentiments,'' added the President, reiterating that the Syrian People have taken their decision as not to compromise on the Homeland, principles and religion. Additionally, Assad hailed the firm and original essence of the Syrian citizen in the face of the events asserting that individual behaviors should never be taken as a generalization. Some of present men of religion at the Iftar banquet reiterated determination to pursue work as to evade sedition condemning every act against the security and welfare of Syria affirming their rejection to all kinds of foreign interference. Western countries do not want the good for Syria; they seek only to achieve their interests at the expense of Arab and Islamic People under the cover of human rights, when the consequences of their interference are clear in Iraq, Afghanistan and in other countries, asserted the men of religion in their speeches.
In other news, Visa credit cards issued in Syria, by Syrian banks or those with branches in the country, have stopped working from Wednesday, bank officials and users told AFP. "Clients were sent SMS messages Tuesday evening informing them they could no longer use their Visa cards in Syria, or even abroad if it was issued in Syria," said Wissam Abu Ghazala, director of a branch of Lebanon's Byblos in Damascus. Ali Ismail, manager of the import-export company Medsea, linked the move to to US and other Western sanctions imposed on the Syrian regime over its deadly crackdown of anti-government dissent. "This is what the Americans call smart sanctions targeting senior officials of the (Syrian) regime. Which means that either we are all senior officials or it's just a way of punishing all the Syrian people," he said.
Meanwhile, An official military source on Thursday said that the anti-Assad groups set an ambush at Tal Beiseh area on Wednesday afternoon opening their machine guns fire on a military bus. The ambush led to the killing of an officer and two privates, while five others injured. The source added that the anti-Assad groups set another ambush on the highway at al-Rastan area and opened fire on a military car. The ambush led to the killing of three warrant officers and two privates. The anti-Assad groups were confronted, pursued, as a number of their members were wounded. Earlier, five army and security forces who were killed were escorted from Homs Military Hospital after they were targeted by the armed anti-Assad groups in various areas in Homs and Hama Provinces.  Al Jazeera Arabic reported Sixteen people shot dead by Syrian security during overnight demonstrations. There were also raids and arrests in the towns of Deir Az-Zour. According to the Syrian Revolution Coordination Committees 7 people were killed in Homs, 2 in Idlib (1 in Jisr al-Shughur), 2 in Deir az Zor, 3 in Latakia and 2 killed in the central Maidan district of Damascus.
A witness in Homs said Syrian forces fired randomly at protesters. "Tonight, they shut down the electricity and stormed the city, firing shots everywhere," he said. In Idlib province, a 28-year-old man who was arrested by security forces last week when they stormed the town of Khan Sheikhoun died under torture, the observatory said. And in the city of Harasta, security forces carried out a series of raids and detentions to stop large demonstrations, arresting 37 people, the observatory said. Arab ministers will hold an urgent meeting on Saturday to discuss the bloodshed in Syria, an Arab League official said, but a delegate to the regional body played down the chances of foreign intervention. The United Nations says 2,200 people have been killed in Syria in a five-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. "The Arab League Peace Committee will hold an urgent meeting on Saturday on the latest events in Syria and the League's secretariat is making calls to know the number of countries and the names of ministers to attend," the official said, asking not to be named. The official said the meeting would discuss imposing a timeframe for Syria's government to enact reforms and would end with a "demand for all parties to end the bloodbath". A statement issued by the Arab League on Wednesday confirmed that ministers would meet to discuss "the current Arab situation including the developments in Libya and Syria". "It is unlikely that there will be decision on a no-fly zone or military intervention in Syria similar to what took place in Libya," said a permanent representative of an Arab state at the League who refused to give his name. There are "many restrictions in Syria that make the situation in Syria different from Libya", he said without elaborating.
Syrian forces killed one person and arrested dozens in raids on an eastern tribal region on Wednesday as part of a crackdown on dissent which could lead to European Union oil sanctions on Damascus as early as next week. A force of more than 20 tanks and other armored vehicles entered neighborhoods in the town of Mayadeen and nearby village of Alburhama before withdrawing, activists said. “They are mainly hit-and-run raids. The military is trying to avoid reprisals from the population, which is heavily armed. So they go in quickly to arrest people, sabotaging houses of wanted activists they cannot find,” an activist said by phone. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in Britain, said two people were killed in the town of Talbiseh on Wednesday when security forces opened fire on demonstrators.
Syria’s best-known satirical cartoonist was grabbed Thursday by gunmen in Damascus, who beat him then threw him out of a car, activists said.
Masked Syrian security force members and masked pro-regime shabiha militiamen grabbed Ali Ferzat at the capital’s Ummayad square while he was returning home by car at 4:30 am, said the Local Coordination Committees, which groups activists on the ground. “The attackers stole the contents of his briefcase, including his drawings and other personal belongings,” the LCC’s Omar Idlbi said in a statement. “He was beaten hard, notably on his hands. Passersby found him on the road to the airport and he was taken to hospital,” he said. Since the start of an anti-regime uprising in March, Ferzat, one of the Arab world’s most renowned cartoonists, has published cartoons critical of the brutal crackdown on protesters.
“The Syrian security forces are fully responsible for what happens to Ali Ferzat, especially as he had recently undergone a spinal operation,” Idlbi added. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, meanwhile, said that “an armed gang kidnapped and assaulted Ali Ferzat. He has bruises on the face and hands. They (the gunmen) then threw him out of a car on the road to the airport, where he was spotted by a doorman at a building, and was taken to hospital. “What is strange is that a patrol of the security forces said the armed gang abducted and assaulted the artist, but that they could not be caught,” the Observatory said.
An oil embargo would constitute a major step for the European Union, where several governments have been reluctant so far to target Assad’s oil industry because of concerns over potential damage to their commercial interests. It would also cut off a major source of foreign currency for Syria, which exports over a third of its 385,000 barrels per day oil output to Europe — mainly the Netherlands, Italy, France and Spain — accounting for the bulk of its oil exports. “The whole process could be completed by the end of next week if all goes according to plan,” the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, French oil major Total has not lifted a cargo of naphtha from Syria's Banias refinery this week, traders said on Thursday. A cargo was sold to Total via tender and then resold to Spanish oil company Repsol, which was no longer expected to complete the transaction, the traders said. Why Total and Repsol had pulled out was unclear but imminent European Union sanctions were cited as possibly responsible for the collapse of the deal, traders said. Total declined to comment.
Meanwhile, Russia and China on Wednesday called for not interfering in Syria's internal affairs and working to achieve stability in this country. United Press International UPI quoted Russian media sources as saying that the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement following a meeting between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov with the Chinese Ambassador in Russia Le Hua. The statement called for not interfering in Syria's internal affairs and realizing stability in this country through an immediate halt to all forms of violence. It added that it is necessary to conduct a national dialogue comprising representatives of the Syrian authorities and the opposition to provide suitable circumstances and pave the way for Syria to go on with democracy, based on a comprehensive reform scheme. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that delegations of Russia and China voted against adopting a draft resolution submitted by Boland to the United Nation Human Rights Council.
Furthermore, member of the Turkish Parliament Mehmet Shandir underlined that what is happening in Syria now is a continuation of the west colonial attempts to realize its plots through the so-called the greater Middle East.
"The US-Europe policy is to dominate the region and exhaust its resources... so we, as peoples and states have to be hand in hand and united," Shandir said in a speech to the Syrian TV broadcast Wednesday. He added that the events in Syria should not affect the relations between the Syrian and Turkish people, based on fraternity and good neighborhood… the Syrian people should not change their good view towards Turkey.
Chinese Phoenix Channel: Western Mass Media Exaggerated Events in Syria Chinese Phoenix channel on Wednesday broadcast a documentary on the situation in Syria and hosted a political analyst who said that western mass media exaggerated the events in Syria. The analyst said that reality of the situation in Syria is not what the western mass media is broadcasting, stressing the importance of Syria and its role in the region.
Additionally, Ahmadinejad calls for Syrian dialogue. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, called Wednesday for dialogue between Damascus and the opposition to end months of violence.
"The people and government of Syria must come together to reach an understanding," he told Lebanese Al-Manar television, the station run by the Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah movement. "When there is a problem between the people and their leaders they must sit down together to reach a solution, away from violence," he said. "One must not kill the other, because killing, whichever side is responsible, serves Zionist interests," Ahmadinejad added.