New satellite images released by United States show Syrian armed forces continue the fight 0704122

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Conflict in the World - Syria
 
 
Saturday, April 7, 2012, 09:07 AM
 
New satellite images released by United States show that Syrian armed forces continue the fight.

The Local Coordination Committees of Syria said government forces attacked residential areas of Homs, Daraa and the capital, Damascus. The renewed violence comes despite assurances from President Bashar Assad that he will withdraw troops from population centres by Tuesday, April 3, 2012.
     
The Local Coordination Committees of Syria said government forces attacked residential areas of Homs, Daraa and the capital, Damascus. The renewed violence comes despite assurances from President Bashar Assad that he will withdraw troops from population centres by Tuesday, April 3, 2012.
     
Satellite images show that there are some locales where the Syrian government did remove some forces, such as Da’el (image 1 and 2) in Daraa province and Taftanaz in Idlib, following several days of assaults against the towns.
Satellite images show that there are some locales where the Syrian government did remove some forces, such as Da’el (image 1 and 2) in Daraa province and Taftanaz in Idlib, following several days of assaults against the towns.
     

The United States released satellite images on Friday, April 6, 2012, that it said showed Syria has artillery poised to hit residential areas and has moved some forces from one town to another despite calls for a withdrawal.

Robert Ford, the U.S. ambassador to Syria, posted the commericial satellite images on Social Networkd in what seemed an effort to pressure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to pull back forces as called for in a peace plan devised by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Annan is trying to end more than a year of violence in which Assad's forces have sought to crush pro-democracy demonstrations across Syria.

While Ford said Syrian forces had indeed withdrawn from some areas, he cited media reports that they had fired artillery at residential areas in several towns over the last two days and had carried out "arrest sweeps" in Damascus suburbs.
     
In the case of Taftanaz (graphic 3), the Syrian government simply moved some armored vehicles out of Taftanaz to the nearby town of Zirdana (graphic 4).
     
In the case of Taftanaz (graphic 3), the Syrian government simply moved some armored vehicles out of Taftanaz to the nearby town of Zirdana (graphic 4).
In the case of Taftanaz (graphic 3), the Syrian government simply moved some armored vehicles out of Taftanaz to the nearby town of Zirdana (graphic 4).
     
In some other places, such as Homs (graphic 5) and Zabadani (graphic 6), the Syrian government kept artillery units near residential areas where they could again fire upon them.
     
In some other places, such as Homs (graphic 5) and Zabadani (graphic 6), the Syrian government kept artillery units near residential areas where they could again fire upon them.
In some other places, such as Homs (graphic 5) and Zabadani (graphic 6), the Syrian government kept artillery units near residential areas where they could again fire upon them.
     
According to media reports and Syrian activists, on April 5 and April 6 Syrian forces used artillery against residential areas in Zabadani and Homs and Aazaz in Idlib (graphics 7 and 8), and there were arrest sweeps in other locations, including suburbs of Damascus.
     
According to media reports and Syrian activists, on April 5 and April 6 Syrian forces used artillery against residential areas in Zabadani and Homs and Aazaz in Idlib (graphics 7 and 8), and there were arrest sweeps in other locations, including suburbs of Damascus.
     
According to media reports and Syrian activists, on April 5 and April 6 Syrian forces used artillery against residential areas in Zabadani and Homs and Aazaz in Idlib (graphics 7 and 8), and there were arrest sweeps in other locations, including suburbs of Damascus.

And we understand there has been a big increase in the numbers of Syrians seeking refuge in Turkey because of military operations in their neighborhoods. This is not the reduction in offensive Syrian government security operations that all agree must be the first step for the Annan initiative to succeed.