LATEST: Latest on Insurgents’ Attack on Old Airport in Deir Ez Zor

MONDAY FEATURES

Saudi Arabia, which is already the biggest supporter of the insurgency in Syria, flexed its political and economic muscles on Sunday with a double move.

The Saudis pledged $3 billion to Lebanon for its military, the largest aid package in Beirut’s history, only 48 hours after a car bomb killed the leading Lebanese politician Mohamad Chatah.

The money is to be used by Lebanon for French military equipment.

The announcement, made by Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, came as French leader Francois Hollande was visiting Riyadh.

Hollande declared, “We support the Syrian coalition, and we know what was done by Saudi Arabia to fight the extremists there.” He said that the “only way out” of ending the Syrian conflict was through a “transitional phase”, implying this had to include President Assad’s departure from power.

Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz said Assad has “destroyed his country” by letting “Islamist extremists” into Syria. He praised the “convergence” of positions between France, with its “courageous” policies, and Saudi Arabia on regional issues.

In the autumn, as the US was retreating from intervention in Syria, Saudi Arabia agreed to buy billions of dollars of military equipment from Paris.

In 2011, as the Syrian crisis developed, Saudi Arabia gave $1 billion to prop up Jordan’s economy. Perhaps far from coincidentally, Amman subsequently hosted a foreign-staffed command center to support Syria’s insurgents.

Latest on Insurgents’ Attack on Old Airport in Deir Ez Zor

Reports by activists and the Islamic Front say insurgents have been attacking regime positions in the old airport in Deir Ez Zor in eastern Syria for three days.

The Arab Chronicle has the fullest summary, claiming at least 12 regime troops and 24 insurgents have been killed. The opposition fighters have taken the village of Juffra and are at the north gate and northeast entrance of the airport.

Footage from Jaysh Ahl al-Sunna:

The Syrian military has responded with shelling of opposition forces, and regime media claims that Juffra has been re-captured:

However, the insurgents are bringing in reinforcements and may be preparing a final assault:

Story Behind Regime’s “Evacuation” of Adra — Civilians Trapped Without ID Cards as Syrian Army Bombards Town

Activists and sources are offering a story beyond State media’s presentation of a “relief operation” by Syrian military to get 5,000 civilians out of the embattled town of Adra, north of Damascus (see earlier entry).

The sources talk of the supposed evacuation being carried out as the regime bombards the town in an attempt to push out insurgents who took over most of Adra earlier this month. The civilians had to hand over their IDs and cannot move freely, as they are kept in nearby schools. Some have been detained, especially men of fighting age.

Sources say that it is the insurgents trying to protect the civilians, as they flee from the bombardment towards the Homs highway and the industrial area.

National Defense Forces footage of regime attacks on the town — the tank firing in the video is located on the edge of Adra:

Barrel bomb attack in nearby Darayya:

Video: The Siege of Yarmouk Camp in Southern Damascus

An elderly woman describes the shortages of food and medicine in Yarmouk camp in the south of Damascus:

The camp, largely for Palestinian refugees, has seen fighting for more than a year, with most of its resident fleeing.

Lebanese Army Fires on Syrian Warplanes

The Lebanese Army fired anti-aircraft guns on Syrian warplanes that dropped four rockets on the outskirts of the eastern border town of Arsal on Monday.

A military source said troops were responding to orders from the Lebanese Army command “to fire on any warplane that violates Lebanese airspace”.

Security sources said two Syrian aircraft dropped four rockets on Wadi Daoud on the fringes of Arsal.

They had no immediate reports of casualties.

Israel: 300+ Hezbollah Killed Fighting for Assad

The Intelligence Directorate of the Israel Defense Forces has declared that “Hezbollah’s resources are being damaged” by its intervention for the Syria regime, with “over 300 of the organization’s operatives…killed so far”.

Regime: We Have Evacuated 5,000 From Embattled Town of Adra

More than 5,000 civilians in Adra, an embattled town 12 miles north of Damascus, were evacuated on Sunday by the Syrian Army, according to Minister of Social Affairs Kinda al-Shammat.

Insurgents attacked Adra earlier this month and have reportedly taken over much of the center.

“The citizens who have been evacuated are now in a safe haven as the ministry formed a relief operations’ room with the cooperation of Damascus countryside governorate to offer them the basic relief aid,” al-Shammat said.

Jabhat al-Nusra Calls for Release of Its Emir by Islamic State of Iraq

Jabhat Al-Nusra has called on the Sharia Committee, insurgent factions, and tribal leaders in Raqqa to “meet their responsibilities” by ensuring that a JAN leader, kidnapped by the Islamic State of Iraq and as-Sham more than three months ago, is released immediately.

JAN said Emir Abu Saad Al-Hadrami was “deceptively” kidnapped, after he handed his weapons to ISIS.