LATEST: Islamic Front — We Destroyed 9 Tanks in Eastern Qalamoun
WEDNESDAY FEATURES
- Video Feature: The Insurgents Leave Homs
- “130,000 Iranian Fighters Ready to Enter Syria” — How Revolutionary Guards’ Revelation Was Censored
- Insurgents Push Regime Forces Out of Mleha, Near Damascus
- Syria Videos: The Insurgents Leave Homs
Facing his first contested election, President Assad campaigned on Martyrs’ Day on Tuesday, visiting sons and daughters of those killed in the 38-month conflict.
Assad, who has two nominal challengers in the June 3 vote, was accompanied by his wife Asma.
The President told the children:
If all people were strong, firm and not intimidated like you and your families, we would certainly gain victory over terrorists….
On the next Martyrs’ Day, we will meet, God willing, not only to celebrate this occasion, but also to celebrate victory over terrorists who have perpetrated the ugliest crimes against the Syrian people.
The Assad regime held a series of events on the day. Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi met relatives of media staff who have been killed since March 2011. Other officials visited cemeteries and wounded army personnel.
Islamic Front: We Destroyed 9 Tanks in Eastern Qalamoun
The Islamic Front claims it destroyed nine tanks, while repulsing six regime attacks trying to retake the Battalion 559 tank depot in eastern Qalamoun.
See Insurgents Push Regime Forces Out of Mleha, Near Damascus
An EA correspondent summarizes:
Regime forces may hold urban ground in West Qalamoun, but insurgents still control the border to Lebanon and the east of the area.
They have desert areas east of the Homs highway, and the highway to Jordan is still under insurgent control.
The Islamic Front also asserts that three T72 tanks were destroyed and dozens of Assad militia were killed as they tried again to storm Mleha in East Ghouta.
Head of Opposition Coalition: We’ll Ask Obama for Anti-Aircraft Missiles
The head of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, Ahmad Jarba, said in an interview on Tuesday night that he will ask the Obama administration for anti-aircraft missiles during his visit to the US this week:
We are not asking our friends to send their sons to our country, and we are also not asking for a direct intervention, even one from the air.
We are asking for anti-aircraft weapons in order to neutralize these planes, which are throwing the barrel bombs on us. And we have plans and guarantees that these weapons will not fall into the wrong hands.
He confirmed that insurgents have received American TOW anti-tank missiles, following videos showing at least four groups with the weapons.
The opposition head reassured that weapons would be given only to fighters who were known to American officials:
We have a number of fighters who are elite and who are trained and who are trusted and our friends know who they are. So in that sense we do not believe there is a problem.
Jarba and other opposition officials, including the head of the Supreme Military Council, plan to meet senior Pentagon officials, Secretary of State John Kerry, White House staff, and leading members of Congress.
Implicit Admission by Regime That It Has Not Captured Mleha Near Damascus?
State news agency SANA appears to admit, by omission, that Syrian forces have not captured the town of Mleha, east of Damascus.
On Monday, State media had declared victory in the fight, but on Tuesday SANA limited its coverage to “(our) reporter said the army units killed a number of terrorists in al-Mleiha farms, including Mahmoud Halawa and Ayman al-Naqishbandi”.
Seizure of Mleha would be a key advance for Syrian forces who are trying to clear insurgents from the East Ghouta area near the capital.
See Syria Daily, May 6: Regime Seeks a Military Breakthrough near Damascus & Aleppo
However, Tahrir Souri reports this morning insurgents repelled regime attempts to break into the town, covered by 10 airstrikes.
Fighters from the Islamic Front, the Al-Rahman Squadron, and Jabhat Al-Nusra were involved in the defense. A source claimed 35 Syrian troops and militia were killed in an ambush.
Insurgent sources said regime forces had reached the central square in Mleha on Monday, but were driven out by Tuesday.
SANA also appeared to indirectly confirm reports by EA sources that the regime offensive east of Aleppo had been checked.
On Monday State media were claiming advances on the Sheikh Najjar industrial area — a success which would threaten the cut-off of opposition fighters in Aleppo — but yesterday SANA said only that “Army units proceeded with operations on al-Sheikh Najjar-al-Breij axis in Aleppo, chasing down fleeing terrorists and leaving a number of them dead and wounded”.
