Erdogan Meets with Obama in Washington

At a scheduled meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington on Thrusday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is looking to find ways to end the two-year civil war ongoing in Syria.

During their joint news conference held in the Rose Garden of the White House, Obama said that his government will continue to increase the pressure on the Syrian regime. He explained that Assad will be out of office “sooner rather than later”, adding that he would do everything in his power to assist the Syrian opposition, while helping Turkey with the huge number of refugees coming in from Syria.

Turkish Minister for EU Affairs Egemen Bagis believes that, in as much as stopping Assad from violating human rights is a priority, the partnership between the US and Turkey can only make it happen if the UN Security Council officials are convinced that measures have to be taken.

In his own words, Bagis said, “I think President Obama and Prime Minister Erdogan will be able to discuss new challenges and opportunities to convince the international community in terms of taking the necessary measures to stop the bloody Assad regime.”

The visit comes just days after a series of car bombs killed dozens in Turkey, with no one claiming responsibility for the attack. However, with Turkish officials pointing accusing fingers at Syrian intelligence, Obama’s government remains skeptical about taking certain actions against Syria that would benefit Turkey.

Only recently, the administration negotiated a deal to repair ties between Turkey and Israel, whose feud began when an Israeli raid on an aid flotilla bound for Gaza led to the deaths of eight Turks and a Turkish-American.

Hezbollah is ready to receive “game-changing” weapons from Syria- Militia Chief

Only days after the Israeli air strikes were reported to have hit Iranian shipments of weapons bound for Hezbollah, chief of the Lebanese Shia group said on Thursday that Syria will supply “game-changing” weapons to Hezbollah.

Hassan Nasrallah’s speech, which was televised to an audience in Beirut as a security precaution, explained that the resistance against Israel is prepared to accept any sophisticated weaponry even if it was to break the equilibrium in the region.

“We are worthy of having such weapons and we would use them to defend our people and our country and our holy sites”, he added.

He also said that the weapons shipments were a strategic response of Syria to Israeli airstrikes.

Although, Israel never acknowledged the airstrikes in Damascus, it indicated that the government will do what is necessary to prevent Hezbollah from receiving future weapon shipments, meaning that they could get involved in the two-year civil war if Nasrallah’s threat is valid.

Only recently, Hezbollah admitted that its fighters have been backing Assad’s forces in the war against the rebels trying to remove Assad from power.

“We in the Lebanese resistance declare that we stand by the Syrian popular resistance and give our material and moral support, and cooperate and coordinate in order to liberate the Syrian Golan,” he said.

During the statement, there were reports of fierce clashes between the rebels and fighters loyal to Assad around the rebel-run town of Qusayr, close to the border with Lebanon.

“The Syrian army seized back control of Shumarlyeh in the Qusayr countryside and troops are currently on their way to the village of Ghassaniyeh,(which has been under the rebel control for more than a year),” an official from the army told AFP news agency on Thursday.

In another related issue, Israeli security officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that there was information being passed to the US from Israel in a bid to persuade Russia from selling S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Syria, which would greatly improve their air defense system.

 
Earlier in the day, Syrian Information minister Omran al-Zoubi had indicated that Assad’s government is willing to go into negotiations for a solution that will end the conflict, but added that they will continue to eliminate “terrorists”, a term used to describe the rebels and their supporters.

Massacre in Coastal Town Forces Syrian Residents to Flee

A great number of Sunni Muslims and their families have fled their residences in the coastal area of Banias, after Assad’s armed forces massacred dozens of people on Friday night, according to activists.

According to reports, activists claimed that about 77 people were brutally killed in the Ras al-Nabaa district of Banias, only two days after dozens of people were killed in the nearby village of al-Baida by Assad’s forces and militia loyal to the Syrian president.

British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), said that hundreds of families were estimated to have fled the town for nearby towns like Jableh and Tartous.

Head of SOHR Rami Abdelrahman said, “The army is turning people back at the checkpoints outside the town, telling them to go back to Banias, that nothing is wrong. There are also announcements going out on mosque loudspeakers telling people to return home.”

There was a footage posted online by the SOHR of a gory scene in Ras al-Nabaa. Mutilated and burnt bodies littered the area. Some were lying in pools of blood, and most of the victims were children.

Another footage showing the bodies of dozens of people killed in Banias on Friday night was posted online by activists. The bodies were those of a family, with women and children included.

The US state department released a statement after it got wind of the incidents that occurred lately.

“We strongly condemn atrocities against the civilian population and reinforce our solidarity with the Syrian people. As the Assad regime’s violence against innocent civilians escalates, we will not lose sight of the men, women and children whose lives are being so brutally cut short.”

“Those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of human rights law must be held accountable.”

Assad’s Forces Raid on Village Leaves Dozens Dead

Syrian opposition reported that Assad’s security forces and loyal militia groups have laid waste to the coastal village of al-Baida on Thursday, leaving about 50 to 100 people dead, including women and child.

While there are conflicting reports about the incident, there were indications that the raid was a response to an attack on a busload of ‘Shabiha’, pro-Assad fighters, by rebels a few hour earlier, which led to the death of at least six people and dozens injured.

According to government-run SANA news agency, Assad’s forces killed “terrorists” (a term his regime used to describe the rebels) and seized arms.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the death toll would likely increase beyond 100, as most of the victims appeared have been “summarily executed” by either shots or stabbings.

Earlier in the day at a news conference, US defence secretary, Chuck Hagel and his British counterpart, Philip Hammond, were responding to reporters’ questions about the possibility of the US government arming the rebels.

Hagel replied in the affirmative, but added that he is in favour of exploring options and seeing what is the best option in coordination with his government’s international partners.

This incident comes at a time when Syrian mediator, Lakhdar Brahimi, has considered resigning from the U.N.-Arab League role over his frustration of being in a situation in which no further progress has been reached to end Syria’s two-year civil war that has caused the deaths of thousands.

According to diplomats speaking on the condition of anonymity, Brahimi felt that the decision to recognize Syria’s opposition by the Arab league is one-sided and can belittle his neutrality.

At the moment, UN chief Ban Ki-Moon and ambassadors from the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France held a meeting on Thursday to deal with the Syrian situation in light of a possible resignation from Brahimi.