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Interview: Why Southern Rebels Distanced Themselves from Jabhat al-Nusra


UPDATE 1900 GMT: Claimed photograph of Idlib Governor Kheir El-Deen Al-Sayed in Nahlaya, one of two villages captured by regime forces near Ariha, on Thursday:

IDLIB GOVERNOR NAHLAYA


Despite reports that they have suffered heavy casualties and failed to regain territory near Idlib city, Syrian forces are claiming the capture of two villages further to the south.

Syrian State media, citing a “military source”, says “the army established full control on Kafr Najd and Nahlaya villages”, near Ariha in southern Idlib Province. A pro-Assad TV channel broadcast footage on Wednesday claiming to show Syrian forces inside Kafr Najd. Pro-Assad outlets are also claiming an advance into parts of Koreen and Muqablah villages.

Pro-opposition activists support the claim of Assad troops in Kafr Najd. but say fighting continues for Nahlaya. Other local opposition sources had claimed on Wednesday that the attacks had been repelled.

Regime success would be consolation for reports that it failed to regain territory south of Idlib city, relieving pressure on the Mastoumeh military camp. Local sources claimed that 50 to 60 Syrian troops were killed and many wounded, and that at least three T-55 and T-72 tanks and other armored vehicles were destroyed. The surviving regime forces withdrew to positions in and near Ariha, pursued by rebels who inflicted more casualties.

The Mastoumeh camp, which lies on the highway to southern Idlib and to Aleppo and Latakia Provinces, has been under attack by rebels since Idlib city was captured by the opposition on March 28. The Assad regime sent elite forces to the area last week to reinforce the camp and to claim nearby hills and the town of Qamaenas. So far, those counter-attacks have not been successful.

Meanwhile, the Syrian air force has carried out bombing which has killed dozens of people across the province.

Wednesday’s report on pro-Assad TV, claiming to be from Kafr Najd:

Claimed footage from rebels of a direct hit on a regime armored vehicle near Ariha:


Reports: President Assad Orders Arrest of His Cousin

President Assad has reportedly ordered the arrest of his cousin amid claims that he has been conspiring against the regime.

Monzer Jamil al-Assad was detained in the coastal city of Latakia after “becoming involved in illegal activities”, official sources told Lebanon’s pro-regime daily Al-Akhbar.

The newspaper reported “dozens of military patrols” and “intensive search procedures” looking for Monzar al-Assad, surrounding his house. He was reportedly taken to Damascus but returned to Latakia the same night “as if nothing had happened”.

Some sources said the arrest was over a criminal matter while others claimed he had been conspiring against the regime, including allegations that he was communicating with Bashar al-Assad’s disaffected and exiled uncle Rifaat.

Other rumors suggested that Monzer was leading a kidnapping gang in Latakia, Tartous, Homs, and Hama or that he had tried “to “appropriate the property” of his brother Fawwaz, who died last month.

Another Assad cousin, Mohammad Tawfiq al-Assad, was shot to death in March.


Photos Deny Rebel Assassination of Damascus Governor Makhlouf

Photographs are circulating of Damascus Governor Hussein Makhlouf, refuting reports earlier this week that he was killed by a rebel ambush in the Qalamoun region:


Rebels Attack Islamic State in Damascus Suburb of Barzeh “To Prevent Another Yarmouk”

The Local Coordinating Committees report that units of the Free Syrian Army and Jaish al-Islam have attacked Islamic State positions in the northern Damascus suburb of Barzeh “to prevent another Yarmouk”, the section of the capital entered by the jihadists two weeks ago.

The rebels laid siege to the positions on Wednesday night and gave Islamic State fighters 24 hours to surrender. Some did, but others refused.

Clashes began at 6 a.m. on Thursday. The LCC claims “several fatalities” among the jihadists, while two FSA commanders were killed. It also says Islamic State snipers killed at least two civilians.

The opposition in Barzeh, long besieged by the Syrian military, agreed to a ceasefire in January 2014 with regime forces.

Fighting is also reported in the suburbs of Qaboun and Tishrin.


100 Killed by Regime Bombing in Aleppo in 5 Days; 89 Are Civilians

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reports on the deaths of 100 people in regime bombing of Aleppo between last Friday and Wednesday.

The report claims 43 barrel bombs and about 12 missiles struck opposition-held neighborhoods in the divided city, with targets including schools and a market. It says 89 of those slain were civilians, including 22 children and 11 women.

The Network connects the deaths to last week’s statement by Syria’s Grand Mufti, Ahmad Hassoun, calling for strikes to “annihilate” rebels attacking regime-held areas.

Graphic footage of the bombings showed victims beheaded by the strikes.

See Syria Daily, April 13: 100+ Killed on Sunday as Regime Bombs Across Aleppo


NBC News Revises Account of 2012 Kidnapping of Journalist Richard Engel and Crew Members

The American NBC News has revised the account of the kidnapping in December 2012 of its correspondent Richard Engel and five other crew members in northwest Syria.

After a month-long investigation, the channel says the group was taken by an armed gang claiming an affiliation with the Free Syrian Army. They were freed five days later through the intervention of the leading rebel Ahrar al-Sham, who confronted and claimed to have killed two abductors.

To cover its identity, the gang said they were “shabiha”, pro-Assad militiamen. This led Engel to say in interviews after the kidnapping — both immediately upon release and months later — that the gunmen were connected to the regime.

Engel speaking in December 2012:

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US Military Denies Departure of Head of “Train-and-Equip” Mission for Rebels

The US Central Command has denied a media report on Wednesday that the head of the train-and-equip program for Syrian rebels is leaving his post.

The Command issued a brief statement saying, “Contrary to an article published by Bloomberg View…, Maj. Gen. Michael Nagata will continue to lead the U.S. Syria Train and Equip program and there is no effort underway to replace him. Any speculation to the contrary is inaccurate.”

Nagata has led the program since it was started last year with $500 million in funding.

The effort has been plagued by bureaucratic delays and conflicts over its objective. The first training of vetted fighters, which was supposed to begin in Turkey and Qatar in late March, has yet to begin.