LATEST: Chemical Weapons Inspectors — We Cannot Reach Two Sites

MONDAY FEATURE

Analysis: It is Now A 4-Way Fight

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SUMMARY: The Local Coordination Committees claim 65 people were killed on Sunday, including 16 in Damascus and its suburbs, 16 in Daraa Province in the south, and 15 in Deir Ez Zor Province in the northeast.

The Committees claim that “the fiercest [fighting] was in the towns and villages of Daraa for the second day in a row”, as the regime shelled the area after the insurgent capture of the town of Tafas, north of Daraa city.

The LCC also report significant clashes near Damascus, with insurgent brigades fighting regime forces, Hezbollah, and the mainly-Iraqi militia Liwu Abu Fadl al-Abbas. They say surface-to-surface missiles were used in Qaboun.

Clashes in southern Damascus between insurgents and regime forces, including Hezbollah:

The LCC also says Syrian forces continue to use barrel bombs on as-Safira in Aleppo Province.

The Violations Documentation Center records that 76,907 people have been killed since the start of the conflict in March 2011, an increase of 124 since Sunday. Of the dead, 57,172 are civilians, a rise of 66 from yesterday.

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Reports That ISIS Open Dawah Center, School In Atmeh, Idlib Province

Jihadist sources are reporting that the Islamic State of Iraq and Ash Sham have opened a new center for Dawah (proselytising) in Atmeh (Āţimah) in Idlib Province on the Syria-Turkey border (click for map). ISIS, led by Chechen fighter Abu Umar al Shishani, have been fighting Kurdish forces in and around the town.

(Translation: Idlib Province: The mujahideen of ISIS have opened in Āţimah an office for dawah and have introduced a new subject, Tawhid, into 6 local high schools.)

(Translation: Besides that, the Islamic State of Iraq & Ash Sham have opened on the outskirts of the town of Āţimah a school for Syrian children from the displaced persons camp.)

Chemical Weapons Inspectors: We Cannot Reach Two Sites

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has said that its inspectors cannot reach two of the 23 sites that have been declared by the Assad regime.

The OPCW cited “security reasons” and said “efforts by the Joint Mission to ensure the conditions necessary for safe access to those sites will continue”.

The two sites were not named, but one is likely to be as-Safira in Aleppo Province. Insurgents hold the near-by town, which has been regularly bombarded — including with barrel bombs — by regime forces.

Stray Shell Kills Man in Turkey

A stray mortar shell killed a man in the southeastern Turkish town of Ceylanpinar early Monday.

The shell was fired during clashes between Kurdish militia and insurgents in the Syrian town of Ras al-Ain, contested by the factions since the summer.

Five people have now been killed in Turkey in similar incidents.

Regime Shelling Of Moadamiyyat Ash Sham Continues

Regime forces, particularly the 4th Armored Division, continue to shell the besieged West Ghouta town of Moadamiyyat Ash Sham, the site of one of the August 21 chemical weapons attacks.

Footage from Monday shows destroyed civilian homes.

Media activists remaining in the town have created this video showing civilians in Moadamiyyat Ash Sham, including women, children and people with disabilities.

Opposition In East Ghouta Form New Local Councils

Activists in Irbeen in East Ghouta, near Damascus, have announced that pposition-controlled towns in the area have formed new local councils comprising elected officials.

The announcement on Facebook, with a link to a video of a meeting in Irbeen.