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WEDNESDAY FEATURES

More than a week after President Assad’s nominal re-election, the Syrian regime is still banging the drum for his glorious victory.

This morning, State media features visits by the defeated challengers, businessman Hassan al-Nouri and MP Maher al-Hajjar, to Assad.

Trying to rebut charges that the declared outcome — 11.6 million votes, with 88.7% for Assad — was manufactured, the outlets highlight al-Nouri’s statement, “The presidential elections held last week were transparent and honest, as they constitute a prominent step on the road of bolstering the principles of democracy, being the first pluralistic elections witnessed in the country since decades.”

Assad responded, according to State news agency SANA, “The success of the elections process and the high turnout of voters highlighted the strength of the Syrian people and their adherence to their free decision despite the difficult and extraordinary circumstances that are taking place in Syria and the attempts of some outside sides to impose their will on the Syrians.”

SANA also headlines congratulatory cables from Cuban leader Raul Castro and Afghan President Hamed Karzai.

There is also the declaration of Iran’s Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani: “The victory of President Bashar al-Assad in the presidential elections and the participation of the Syrian people in the elections in spite of the threats of the armed terrorist groups are a very important international and regional event that changed political equations in favor of the Syrian people and the resistance axis.”


Video: Insurgents Battle Islamic State of Iraq in Aleppo Province

Propaganda Video Shows Women Soldiers in Republican Guards

A recent video uploaded to Syrian media website, jpnews-sy.com, shows the military training of female Republican Guards in support of Assad’s regime.

Foreign Ministry Condemns Insurgent Takeover of Mosul in Iraq

The Foreign Ministry has condemned the insurgent takeover of Iraq’s second city of Mosul as “terrorist acts in the framework of a global conspiracy”.

The statement declared that Iraq and Syria are facing the same foreign-backed terrorism, urging all countries to block weapons and funds to the insurgents.

“Syria calls on the UN Security Council and the UN Secretary General to issue crystal-clear resolutions that condemn these criminal terrorist acts and to take prompt measures against the countries which sponsor and support these terrorist groups,” the Foreign Ministry asserted.