LATEST: 20 Killed in Regime Airstrike on Minibus in Idlib Province
With President Assad’s re-election completed, news in Syria has returned to the everyday of regime airstrikes, in this case on insurgent-held areas near Damascus.
Activists and doctors, supported by videos, claimed at least seven people in Irbeen suffered from the effects of “toxic gases”. Other footage showed bodies wrapped in shrouds and those injured:
Jobar was also hit by airstrikes.
Shelling was reported on Saqba, and clashes between regime forces and insurgents in Qaboun and Mleha.
The Local Coordination Committees reported 66 people killed on Thursday. Of these, 28 were in and near Damascus and 18 in Aleppo Province.
Meanwhile State news agency SANA proclaimed, “President al-Assad Re-election Celebrated with Unbridled Outpourings of Joy“. Its story focused on Homs, where insurgents recently evacuated sections of the city that they held for more than two years:
Students of the Baath University in Homs gathered in their thousands outside the Faculty of Architectural Engineering to voice their support for President al-Assad over his re-election.
“All of the Syrian people are to be congratulated as this is a win for all of us,” said one of the participants.
They hailed the wisdom and strong will of President al-Assad, “who frustrated all plots aimed to tear Syria apart.”
“We vow to work with him hand in hand to draw a better future for Syria,” they added.
Assad’s ally Russia gave its endorsement. “Observers note that the elections were held in a fair, free and transparent atmosphere despite tough security circumstances in this country,” the Foreign Ministry said.
The Ministry spokesman said the “disappointing” Western response to the election was “shallow and politicized”.
Iran declared, through Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani, “This victory will fall as desperation and frustration in the hearts of Zionists and will consolidate factors of security and stability in the region.”
20 Killed in Regime Airstrike on Minibus in Idlib Province
Activists report that 20 people were killed on Friday when a regime airstrike hit a minibus in Idlib Province.
A graphic photograph of human remains has been posted.
Kafranbel Responds to Election: “Syrian Want to Topple Assad Regime”
The people of Kafranbel are already looking beyond President Assad’s re-election and towards his overthrow:
Amnesty Details Raid by Islamic State of Iraq Killing 15 Civilians
Amnesty International documents a raid by the Islamic State of Iraq and as-Syria killing 15 civilians, including seven children and three women, in a village in northeastern Syria. raising fears of further attacks against residents in the area.
The killings in al-Tleiliye in Hasakeh Province appeared to target Arab farming families for their support of the Kurdish militia YPG or because they were mistaken for Yezidi Kurds.
The raid occurred amid sustained fighting between ISIS and YPG forces in the area.
A witness told Amnesty:
I entered a house and found two women lying dead on the floor. Between them lay a boy, probably aged six, also dead. I continued on my way and saw a man lying on the ground and next to him a pick-up vehicle turned into a bed. A woman was lying dead in there with three children; they all appeared to be under the age of 10….I walked further and found two men lying dead on the ground… I continued walking and saw another man lying dead next to a wall of a house. He had been shot in the head. I walked further on and saw men placing four or five bodies in a car, including a girl who was probably 7 or 8 years old.
