Damascus - Agencies
130 killed across Syria Fierce fighting broke out between armed forces and opposition groups at military checkpoints in Damascus and Aleppo. Activists in Syria claim that 130 were killed by government forces during the clashes on Friday.
At the same time, the Syrian TV reported two explosions in Damascus that killed five security men and caused dozens of injuries. The first explosion erupted in front of a mosque in the Rukn Aldin neighborhood of Damascus. In the second incident, a car exploded between the Palace of Justice and the Ministry of Information.
On Friday, Iranian Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Hassan Firuzabadi, accused the United States and the West of being behind the spread of penitential (Takfiri) movements in Syria. He also accused the CIA and the Israeli organisation Mossad of planning to launch a targeted war between Shiites and Sunnis.
Erna news agency quoted Firuzabadi saying that “Syria will become a defeated field and a scandal to the US and the West which aim to find misguided and terrorist movements and organise international movements and recruits to spread in the Islamic world and find a security margin for the Zionist entity (Israel).”
Firuzabadi said the CIA, Mossad and the British Intelligence are plotting against the Syrian people or regime, while, he added, that al Qaeda and all the extremist organisations had nothing to do with Sunnis and Shiites and that what was produced by the authoritarian regimes of terrorist bodies, will soon apply in Europe and the USA.
On Friday, Tunisian temporary President Moncef Marzouki called the Jordanian King, Abdullah II to discuss the ways of providing aid to Syrian refugees, who had temporarily taken refuge in the kingdom.
Meanwhile the United Press International has published a statement of the Tunisian Department of Information and Communication which stated that previous communications between Tunisia and Jordan has resulted in an agreement about Jordan receiving a Tunisian medical mission within the framework of the Tunisian contribution in humanitarian efforts to aid the displaced Syrians in Jordan. The framework was discussed last month by the Tunisian President and the Jordanian Charge d’affaires of the embassy in Tunisia. To this effect, they agreed to support the Syrian refugees and facilitate the entry procedures of the Tunisian medical equipments to Jordan.
On the same day, Jordan called for an international conference to discuss the issue of the displaced Syrians and announced that it would not tolerate any future deficiency towards them.
Mohammad Halaiqa, Chairman of the Foreign Affaires Committee of the House of Representatives, said in an interview on the Jordanian state TV “We welcome an Arab Islamic initiative to stand by Jordan and assist with the large flow of Syrian refugees. Any future deficiency towards the refugees could be Jordan’s responsibility therefore I call for an international conference to discuss this matter.”
He invited the Arab countries to visit Jordan to see the situation for themselves and stressed that the flow of Syrian refugees exceeded Jordan’s capabilities and fretted what might happen if the influx and troubles in Syria continued.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday, for statements on Syria at the Arab League meeting in Cairo. The Syrian Ministry considered Morsi\'s comments as “interference in internal affairs.\"
The Syrian opposition reported 130 were killed Thursday including nine children and five women.
Armed opposition in southern Daraa said 45 tanks were sent to the border village of Tel Chehab. The village was an opposition stronghold used as a crossing point for refugees heading to Jordan. The Opposition said they retreated from the village prior to the army raid.
Opposition fighter Abu Younis said no clashes took place though four civilians were killed. Abu Younis said they burned the houses of well known activists and 40 people were arrested.Another rebel, Abu Omar, said the raid was brief and security forces retreated from the city to the outskirts, while a line of tanks guarded a main road leading to the village.
Syrian SANA news agency said that the Syrian armed forces killed and arrested militants in Aleppo, Daraa and Damascus.
In Reef Hama, the Syrian army attacked the Kawkab village and surrounding areas, while Deir al-Zoor witnessed shelling and violent clashes between the Syrian government army and the Free Syrian Army.
Activists said that the neighbourhood of al-Tadamon was ground for violent clashes between the two armies on Thursday morning, following 272 deaths, mostly in Aleppo.
Activists also reported that the Syrian army shot dead 45 detainees in al-Ikramiyah area in Aleppo, while more than 25 children died in a shelling in the al-Atareb city and the neighbourhoods of al-Marja, al-Nayrab, and Masaken Hanano.
In Damascus, a car bombing took place in al-Fahama arena and caused Syrian forces to close all roads leading to the area.
Local Coordination Committees said that 58 people form al-Haska, sank Thursday during the attempt to illegally migrate off the Turkish coast.
According to Anadolu News Agency, the Izmir governor’s office said that 43 bodies were found in the water and 15 more were found on the boat. It was announced earlier that 46 people were rescued including the captain and his aide, both Turkish nationals who were arrested.
An official from the disaster zone Izmir, said that the majority of victims are Arab while CNN Turk said that the small fishing boat transporting 102 rescued passengers were from Iraq and Syria. The incidents in Iraq and Syria caused migrants to flow into neighbouring countries, especially Turkey. According to CNN Turk, the boat crashed into rocks after sailing from the Turkish Ahmetbeyli village to an unknown destination.
Illegal immigrants usually try to reach nearby Greek islands from Turkey to cross into European countries.
Speaking in an interview with Russia Today, Russian President Putin said, “ some want to use al-Qaeda and similar organisations, to accomplish their goals in Syria. This policy is dangerous and very short-sighted.”
Putin rejected criticisms of Moscow on several issues including Syria.
Responding to whether Russia would change its position, Putin replied \"how come Russia is the one who\'s expected to revise its stance? Don\'t you think our counterparts ought to revise theirs as well?\"
Russia vetoed a Western-backed UN resolution on Syria in July, over fears it would lead military intervention in the country. US envoy to the UN Susan Rice called the move \"paranoid if not disingenuous.\"
Putin added “America should unlock Guantanamo, arm all of its inmates and bring them to Syria to do the fighting. It\'s practically the same kind of people.”
Comparing Syria to Afghanistan, Putin said “the West supported a rebel movement and basically gave rise to al-Qaeda.\"
“The most important task is to end the violence. We must urge all warring parties, including the government and the rebels, to decide on a future that guarantees security for all.\"
France and Britain agreed on the need to speed up the transition in Syria. The French President Francois Hollande said, \"David Cameron and I are in total agreement. We must accelerate transition and help the opposition form a government.\"
British Foreign Minister William Hague and his French counterpart Loran Fabios, announced additional humanitarian aid to Syrian civilians.Syria condemned calls by Egypt\'s President for change in the country and said they amounted to blatant interference in its internal affairs.
SANA News Agency reported a statement saying, \"President Mohamed Morsi\'s comments were a clear attack on the Syrian people\'s right to choose their future without interference.\"
\"What Morsi said is media incitement aiming to fuel the violence in Syria. This is no different from supporting the armed terrorist groups with money and weapons. Egypt is a partner in Syria\'s bloodshed.\"