The truth about Syria

[Yervant1]

Pan Armenian, Armenia

Jan 24 2018

Rockets land on Armenian-populated Syrian city of Qamishli

http://media.pn.am/media/issue/251/224/photo/251224.jpg

January 24, 2018 - 18:55 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Rockets were fired towards the Armenian-populated Syrian city of Qamishli from an area near the Turkish border on Tuesday, January 23 morning, Kantsasar newspaper says.

One of the rockets exploded on a residential building injuring two children aged 2 and 3.

The city on the Eastern bank of the Euphrates River is currently controlled by the Syrian government troops.

Those areas are outside the scope of Operation Olive Branch, launched by Turkey on January 20.

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/251224/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress News Agency, Armenia
January 26, 2018 Friday


Newscaster of CNews reminds Turkish Ambassador to France about Armenian Genocide



YEREVAN, JANUARY 26, ARMENPRESS. Newscaster of French TV CNews
SoniaMabrouk hosted Ambassador of Turkey to France İsmail Hakkı Musa
to discuss the Turkish operation against the Syrian Kurds.

ARMENPRESS reports answering the question about the possible civilian
victims among Syrians as result of the Turkish operation, the
Ambassador expressed dissatisfaction with the newscaster’s question,
noting, “One thing is clear. We are guided by the desire of our
ancestors to maximally protect civilians”.

SoniaMabrouk responded to this remark, recalling the Armenian
Genocide. “This reminds us about the dark hours of what happened to
Armenians”, she said.

İsmail Hakkı Musa emphasized the experience of the newscaster and
said, “What is the relation of the Armenian issue with today's
debate?”

On January 26 journalist, blogger Maxime Azadi presented information
according to which 59 civilians were killed and 139 civilians were
injured during the one week of Afrin events. 49 militias were also
killed.

[Johannes]

Syrian artillery destroys turkish military convoy south-west Aleppo.

[Yervant1]

The Armenian Weekly

Jan 29 2018

Turkish Shelling Destroys 3,000-Year-Old Temple in Afrin; Armenian Possibly Killed as Offensive Continues

By Weekly Staff on January 29, 2018

AIN DARA, Syria (A.W.)—Both the Syrian government and the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor confirmed on Sunday that Turkish shelling of Syria’s Afrin region has seriously damaged the Ain Dara Iron Age temple.

Press TV published this photo taken on Jan. 27 from an unidentified social media account showing the ruins of the Ain Dara Temple following Turkish shelling in Afrin (Photo: Press TV)

In a statement published by Syria’s state-run SANA news agency, the Syrian government called for international pressure to be placed on Turkey to “prevent the targeting of archaeological and cultural sites in Afrin area, which is one of the richest areas in antiquities and cultural heritage in Syria.”

The statement goes on to say that the attack “reflects the extent of hatred, malevolence and the barbarism of the Turkish regime against the Syrian identity and against the past of the Syrian people and their present and future.”

Code-named by Turkey as Operation Olive Branch, the Turkish Armed Forces’ large-scale offensive on the Kurdish-majority Afrin Region of Syria was launched on Jan. 20. Officially, the offensive is against the Kurdish-led Democratic Union Party in Syria (PYD), its armed wing People’s Protection Units (YPG), and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) positions surrounding the Syrian city of Afrin. Although Turkey also says it is fighting ISIL, it is widely accepted that the terrorist organization does not have a presence in Afrin.

Turkey’s offensive has been widely criticized by many in the international community as an outright attack on the mostly Kurdish civilian population. During the first days of the operation, United States Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert urged Turkey not to engage in the invasion of Afrin, reiterating a statement made by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who also assured that the U.S. had no intention of building a Syria-Turkey border force. The following day, Tillerson said the U.S. was very concerned, adding that the operation’s scope should remain limited and Turkey should “show restraint.”

On Jan. 24, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a telephone conversation to “de-escalate, limit its military actions, and avoid civilian casualties and increases to displaced persons and refugees.” The Pentagon also asserted Thursday that the “Afrin operations are impeding the task to eliminate ISIS.”

The remains of the Ain Dara temple before the destruction (Photo: Odilia)

The Syrian Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the Turkish aggression against Afrin, calling the town “an inseparable part of Syria.” Syrian President Bashar al-Assad called the Turkish invasion “terrorism,” noting that “Turkey’s aggression in the Syrian city of Afrin cannot be separated from the policy pursued by the Turkish regime since the outbreak of the Syrian crisis and built on support for terrorism and various terrorist groups.”

The Dara Iron Age Proto-Hittite Ain Dara temple, is located northwest of Aleppo, near the village of Ain Dara. The temple is noted for its similarities to the biblical Solomon’s Temple, also known as the First Temple. According to the excavator Ali Abu Assaf, the temple was in existence from 1300 BC to 740 BC.

 

Report: Armenian Killed in Afrin

According to several sources, the home of an Armenian family that had settled in Afrin following the Armenian Genocide was shelled on Jan. 24, killing Armenian Rosher Konis. The reports also indicate that Konis’s mother, Shamsa, and sister, Hanifa Konis, were gravely injured in the bombing.

The Hawar News Agency reported that Hartyon Kivork, a relative of the family, confirmed the killing. “[Our] ancestors fled the oppression of the Turkish authorities nearly 100 years ago in the result of the massacres committed by the Turks against the Armenians so that they headed towards Afrin to live in peace among their Kurdish brothers and all other peoples and sects living in the area.”

Kivork added that Turkish occupation army had “resumed its massacres,” which do not differentiate between people and launched “new massacres against all peoples in Afrin to leave our Armenian family as a victim of the Turkish crimes again.”

Hawar released a series of photographs of the injuries sustained by the Konis family, though most of the photographs were blurred and cannot be confirmed to be authentic.

According to several sources, three Armenian families currently live in Afrin. A sizable Armenian community lived there and in the nearby village of Azaz before the Syrian Civil War. Armenian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Tigran Balayan told Armenian reporters on Monday that his ministry is trying to confirm Konis’s death.

https://armenianweekly.com/2018/01/29/turkish-shelling-continues-in-afrin/

[Johannes]

US bombs government forces after Deir al-Zour attack

An estimated 100 pro-government fighters were killed in the overnight incident in Deir al-Zour province.

 

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42986089

[Johannes]

US-LED COALITION STRUCK SYRIAN TROOPS CONDUCTING OPERATION AGAINST ISIS CELLS IN DEIR EZZOR PROVINCE

 

https://southfront.org/russian-military-us-led-coalition-struck-syrian-troops-conducting-operation-against-isis-cells-in-deir-ezzor-province/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress News Agency, Armenia
February 7, 2018 Wednesday


Turkey continues killing children and women – says last Armenian living in Afrin



YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. Kurdish Mezopotamyaajansi.com news
agency has referred to the last Armenian living in Syria’s Afrin –
Harut Gevorg.

ARMENPRESS reports Harut Gevorg, 61, is from a family that survived
the Armenian Genocide.

“In 1915 we were expelled here by Turkey. During the period of the
genocide we went to Azaz, later to Aleppo and finally to Afrin. There
were many Armenian families here, but now only I remain here. Some of
those Armenians emigrated because of the war, but the majority was
killed. Turkey, like during the genocide, kills women and children.
It’s already 100 years Turkey continues its attacks”, Harut Gevorg
told the agency.

The last Armenian in Afrin noted that Afrin was one of the few regions
of Syria that had avoided war. He demanded Turkey to cease bloodshed.

“It’s enough. Do not shed blood, do not attack people. Afrin was the
only place in Syria that witnessed no war. Why do you want to destroy
this city that had become a shelter for people? We were expelled from
our homes in Turkey and arrived here. Now they try to make us leave
here. We demand those attacks and war to be ceased. Let everyone hears
our voice, our call is addressed to all the people”, Harut Gevorg
concluded.

In January 2018, theTurkish militarybegan an operation in
theKurdish-majorityAfrin Cantonand theTel Rifaat Area ofShahba
Cantonin Northern Syria. Turkey code-named the operation asOperation
Olive Branch. In the pretext of fighting terror, Turkey is actually
targeting the Kurdish population.

According to UK-based SyrianObservatory forHuman Rights, 68 civilians,
including 21 children, have died as a result of Turkey's actions in
Afrin.

[MosJan]

[Johannes]

For the second time today, the Israeli Air Force and Syrian Air Defense are battling one another within in the souwthwestern countryside of Damascus.

 

According to a military source in Damascus, the Israeli Air Force launched a powerful attack in southwestern Damascus, targeting the Jabal Mana area near the town of Al-Kiswah.

 

 

In particular, the Israeli airstrikes were concentrated on the 104th Brigades base that is located at this mountaintop.

 

The source continued that several Israeli rockets struck the Syrian militarys positions at Jabal Mana, causing several explosions that could be heard throughout the Syrian capital.

 

In response to this attack, the Syrian Air Defense has fired a plethora of surface-to-air missiles towards the Israeli rockets in an attempt to thwart the assault.

 

While some rockets were intercepted by the Syrian Air Defense, the majority struck their intended targets.

 

The Syrian Air Defense and Israeli Air Force are still involved in a heated battle in southwestern Damascus, as the latters rockets continue to pound the Jabal Mana area.

 

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/second-major-confrontation-syria-israel-ongoing-damascus/

[Johannes]

& Two mehmetciks killed

[Johannes]

Red: government forces,

Blue: Turks and terrorists,

Light green: Terrorists and US (in Tanf near Jordan),

Dark green: Terrorists and Turks,

Yellow: Kurds and US (east of Euphrates).

Black: ISIS terrorists.

Edited February 10, 2018 by Johannes

[Johannes]

Israeli F16 shot down

[Johannes]

names of Turkish army soldiers who killed in so called "Olive branch" operation in Syria, Afrin, until now.

Edited February 11, 2018 by Johannes

[Yervant1]

I highly doubt that anyone will investigate this crime!

Panorama, Armenia

Feb 17 2018

Turkey hits Kurds with toxic gas, 6 civilians injured – reports

Turkish forces engaged in Operation Olive Branch against Kurdish militias in the northwest of Syria have used gas, RT reported citing Syrian state media SANA. At least six civilians have been hospitalized.

"Six people have been admitted with symptoms of suffocation as a result of the use of projectiles with poisonous gas by the Turkish regime in the town of Aranda," SANA quotes the hospital's director, Joan Mohammed. Medics are working to determine the type of gas used, Mohammed said.

Local journalist Mohammed Hassan tweeted pictures of patients, who were purported to be victims of the attack, wearing breathing masks.

The hospital director said four of the victims were stable and two were in critical condition.

YPG spokesman Birusk Hasaka confirmed to Reuters that Kurds came under what appears to be a chemical attack during Turkey’s offensive on a village, saying that the symptoms of the six people affected are consistent with exposure to a gas poisoning.

Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on January 20 with a stated goal of securing its borders against Kurdish militia seen as a terrorist organization by Turkey.

https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2018/02/17/Turkey-Kurds-toxic-gas/1907157

 

 

[Yervant1]

Panorama, Armenia

Feb 19 2018

Turkey warns it may hit Syrian troops in Kurdish enclave

Turkey threatened on Monday to hit back at Syrian pro-government troops if they deploy in an enclave in northern Syria to protect a Kurdish militia that Ankara is battling there, the Associated Press reports.

The warning by the Turkish foreign minister came shortly after Syrian state media said pro-government forces will begin entering the Kurdish-controlled enclave of Afrin in the country's northwest "within hours," after reaching an agreement with the Kurdish militia in control of the region.

The official SANA news agency said the forces will deploy in Afrin to "bolster" local forces in confronting Turkish "aggression," suggesting the Syrian government and Kurdish fighters have struck a deal under which the government forces would help repel an ongoing Turkish offensive on the enclave.

Turkey's foreign minister promptly issued the warning, saying that his country is ready to battle Syrian government troops if they enter Afrin to protect the Kurdish fighters.

Speaking in the Jordanian capital of Amman, Mevlut Cavusoglu added that "if the regime is entering to protect the YPG, then no one can stop us, stop Turkey or the Turkish soldiers."

On the other hand, he said that Ankara would have no problem if Syrian government forces enter Afrin to clear the area from YPG fighters.

The announcements came as violence continued in Afrin.

https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2018/02/19/Turkey-Syrian-troops/1907995

[Yervant1]

ArmenPress, Armenia

March 20 2018

Turkey will not stop in Afrin – Turkologist sees danger of Turkish move to Armenian-populated Gamishli

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. The Turkish operation in Syria code-named “Olive Branch” is an act of disrespect towards the territorial integrity of sovereign state of Syria, since the Turkish troops freely invaded the Syrian territories and carries out military operations under the pretext of fight against terrorism, ARMENPRESS reports turkologist, Dean of YSU Faculty of Oriental StudiesRuben Melkonyan said during a press conference on March 20.

“Erdoğan’s steps have domestic and external components. The external component is, naturally, increasing Turkey’s influence in the region and the reinforcement of its position as a key regional power. Turkey tries to show that in this region issues should be solved not by the countries located thousands of kms away, such as the USA, but the regional countries and first of all Turkey”, Ruben Melkonyan said.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s steps ahead of the elections of 2019 also include propaganda goals.

“I think Erdoğan’s steps also contain a very important domestic component, since Turkey approaches a very important electoral stage that will grant Erdoğan unlimited powers as the president of the country under the already established constitutional basis. It’s true, Erdoğan had succeeded in a number of spheres in terms of improving the social situation of the country and neutralizing his political opponents, but he had a very important shortcoming – he had not passed through a war and his reputation lacked the military component. With this operation Erdoğan also solves this issue. Apart from all these, Erdoğan “continues the Ottoman traditions”, he conquers new territories. I am convinced this will be one of the key points of his pre-electoral campaign. It will be noted that Erdoğan is the first president who manages to bring back, at least de facto, some of the parts of the Ottoman territories”, Melkonyan said.

Referring to the geography of Turkey’s military operations, the turkologist noted that Turkey will not be limited only with Syria’s Afrin. The Turkish president has announced that the his army will invade also Gamishli, which is Armenian populated.

“Gamishli is an Armenian-populated area and here we will see the encounter of Turkish troops and the Armenian Diaspora, and naturally Turkey will not be engaged in humanitarian acts here, but it will do what it usually does”, Melkonyan said, adding that it will be naïve to think that Turkey will withdraw its troops from the mentioned territories later. “Those territories will remain under de-facto influence of Turkey”, he said.

Ruben Melkonyan added that starting from last year Erdoğan often speaks about “historical problems”. He announces that the Lausanne Treaty was not a foreign policy achievement for them and sooner or later they will reconsider it. “I think Erdoğan carries out steps that will “destroy the boundaries drawn by Lausanne”. The Turkish president refers to a document that existed before Lausanne by which Mosul, Nakhichevan and some other territories belonged to Turkey”, the turkologist said, adding that not far in the future Mosul will become the target of the Turkish troops.

English – translator/editor:Tigran Sirekanyan

[Yervant1]

ArmenPress, Armenia

March 24 2018

Unpredictable developments in Afrin give rise to concern about Armenians in Syria, says expert on Turkish studies

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS. No one of the international and regional players reacts to the ongoing military operations in Syria’s Afrin and this is concerning, expert on Turkish studies Anush Hovhannisyan told reporters, Armenpress reports.

“This shows that the Syrian crisis has become a test field for this changing policy”, she said.

According to Hovhannisyan, nobody, in fact, is interested in the Syrian crisis and no one is going to adhere to its promises.

“Turkey, in fact, carries out a military operation or occupies the territory of a neighbor state, and implements this with the silent consent of Russia and the US”, Anush Hovhannisyan said.

As for the main operations in Afrin, the expert on Turkish studies highlighted two issues:

“The first one is what Turkey is going to do after Afrin, will it stop or move forward, how will be the relations with the US, Russia and other regional players in connection with the Operation Olive Branch. The second issue, which is also very important, is how Erdogan will capitalize his victory in his inner-political life”, Anush Hovhannisyan said, reminding that the Turkish authorities announce that the operation will not end only with Afrin.

Hovhannisyan is confident that with its inner-Islamist trends Turkey will clash also with Iran, although now they are situational allies on Syria. Given these developments, Anush Hovhannisyan says it’s impossible not to worry about the fate of Armenians in Syria as the developments of events are unpredictable. She said there are doubts that despite the seeming stabilization and political talks there is a danger that this war is endless. She urged also not to forget the Azerbaijani factor.

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan

[Yervant1]

Premium Official News

March 8, 2018 Monday

Three children killed as Syrian rebels rocket Christian school in Damascus

8 March 2018

Three children at an Armenian Christian school in the Syrian capital Damascus were killed on Tuesday 6 March after rockets fired from East Ghouta hit the school.

Many Christian families are now understood to have left Damascus to take shelter in villages after weeks of rocket attacks from the rebel-held enclave, which is controlled by multiple jihadist factions.

Humanitarian aid convoys entered East Ghouta earlier this week following the announcement of a ceasefire brokered by the United Nations. The two largest rebel groups in East Ghouta stated that they would adhere to the UN’s demand for a suspension of hostilities, but this has not led to a cessation of rocket attacks on Christian areas in Damascus.

The targeting of Christian areas by rebels has been almost entirely ignored by Western media.

From Barnabas Fund project partners

https://barnabasfund.org/en/news/three-children-killed-as-syrian-rebels-rocket-christian-school-in-damascus

[Yervant1]

MENA English (Middle East and North Africa Financial Network)

March 26, 2018 Monday

Egyptian parliament: "Turkey leads mass extermination war"

Comparing it to the Armenian Genocide, the Egyptian parliament's Arab affairs committee condemned Turkey's military action in Syria and Iraq.

"This is a new mass extermination war and it reminds us of Turkey's massacre of the Armenian people during the first World War," the lawmakers said in a statement.

The committee deplored that "both Russia and the United States are turning a blind eye to Erodgan's war crimes and its racial cleansing operations against the Kurds in Syria and Iraq," Ahram Online reported.

The committee's statement argued that "it is clear that dictator Erdogan's internal failures have forced him to mount military adventures against Turkey's neighbours in a way that poses a threat to international peace and stability in the Middle East."

The statement called on the Arab League, Arab leaders and Arab peoples to take a united stand against aggressive Turkish policies in the Arab world.

[Johannes]

An "emergency protest" was set up in downtown Los Angeles Saturday in response to the U.S.-led airstrikes on Syria done the night before.

http://abc7.com/politics/groups-gather-in-downtown-la-to-protest-airstrikes-in-syria/3343496/

[Yervant1]

AMN Al-Masdar News

July 13 2018

Armenia delivers 94 tons of humanitarian aid to Syria

By Leith Aboufadel

BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:15 P.M.) – Armenia delivered 94 tons of humanitarian aid to war-torn Syria this week, the Armenian Red Cross reported on Friday.

According to the Armenian Red Cross, at least 30 tons of the humanitarian aid will be distributed to Aleppo via the Leadership of the Armenian Diocese of Beroea.

Aleppo was once the most densely populated city in Syria; it was also home to the largest population of Armenians in the region.

The remaining humanitarian aid will be distributed throughout Syria in order to ease the suffering of the people after more than seven years of war.

Armenia has been a close ally of Syria for many years and continues to be one of the largest donors of humanitarian aid to this war-torn nation.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/armenia-delivers-94-tons-of-humanitarian-aid-to-syria/

[Yervant1]

News.am, Armenia

Oct 27 2018

Newspaper: Armenia will lose its allies' status if such steps repeated - Bolton

12:17, 27.10.2018

US President's Security Adviser John Bolton met political scientists Davit Shahnazaryan, Suren Sargsyan, Edik Abrahamyan, Stephan Safaryan and Arthur Ghazinyan in Armenia, Hraparak (Square) newspaper reported.

During the meeting, Bolton focused the attention on the decision of Armenian authorities to send a humanitarian mission to Syria under the flag of Russia. Bolton did not hide the dissatisfaction with that step and noted that Armenia has done a bad thing, but it would be much worse if it later became clear that it was not a humanitarian mission, but a military one.He noted that if such steps are repeated, Armenia will lose its status as a strategic ally.

That is, the American side will closely monitor the mission.

https://news.am/eng/news/477977.html

[Yervant1]

News.am, Armenia

Dec 20 2018

Aleppo’s Armenian district Midan coming back to life

15:44, 20.12.2018

Aleppo, one of the most ancient cities located in the north of Syria, became the homeland of a large Armenian community. However, many of Armenians were forced to leave Syria during the war, News Front news agency reported.

Aleppo’s Armenian district Midan is inhabited particularly by residents of Armenian nationality, but this district is not the only Christian quarter of the city. It is the eastern areas adjacent to the historical center that was bearing the brunt of the war.

This quarter was the main target during the shellings as up to several tens of mines or gas cylinders filled with explosives were flying into the homes of people living there and there was the largest number of affected residents. However, the region is coming back to life. Shops, cafes, mini-workshops and factories have already opened their doors. Now residents will walk the streets without fear.

Midan residents are positive and optimistic, they will do their best to recover and rebuild the city. But the most important thing is that the war is over.

https://news.am/eng/news/487195.html

[MosJan]

https://www.civilnet.am/news/2019/01/08/%D4%B1%D5%84%D5%86-%D5%A8-%D5%AF%D5%BA%D5%A1%D5%B7%D5%BF%D5%BA%D5%A1%D5%B6%D5%AB%D5%9E-%D6%84%D6%80%D5%A4%D5%A5%D6%80%D5%AB%D5%B6/351732

 

[Yervant1]

AMN Al-Masdar News

Jan 10 2019

Assad to rebuild Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Deir Ezzor

By

News Desk

BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:45 P.M.) – The Chairman of the Syrian-Armenian Community in Armenia, George Barseghyan, was interviewed by ArmenPress this week after he and a group of Armenian businessmen met with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in Damascus.

“There was a task that this Board must boost Syria-Armenia ties. The first step was asking for a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. And this request was approved very soon. A meeting was scheduled not only with the Syrian President, but also other high-ranking officials of Syria. The Board has formed a delegation consisting of Syrian-Armenians, Armenian businessmen”, Barseghyan said.

Barseghyan told the online publication that Assad vowed to rebuild the Armenian Genocide Memorial Church in Deir Ezzor that was destroyed by Jabhat Al-Nusra terrorists.

“The Syrian government plans to give priority in these programs to those countries which stood together with it during those years. Armenia is among those countries which didn’t close its embassy during the war, always kept the state ties and sent an aid to Syria. And during the upcoming progress, business programs and restoration works the priority will be given to Armenians”, George Barseghyan said, adding that the Syrian government highly values the role of the Armenian community. He said it’s not a coincidence that the Syrian President promised to restore the Armenian Church in Deir ez-Zor with his own resources.

Syria’s historical relationship with Armenia has paved the way for strong political ties between Damascus and Yerevan.

“Our visit pursued several goals. Firstly to strengthen and intensify the Armenia-Syria ties. In addition, we also wanted to express our support to the Syrian President and government. Armenia is one of those unique countries most of the population of which supports the current Syrian government, because we have managed to reach significant success during that leadership’s government. It was a proper occasion to show our support. Eventually, we have an Armenian community in Syria, in Aleppo, Damascus and etc. The local Armenians have very good relations with the authorities, and we also must think about this”, he added.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/assad-to-rebuild-armenian-genocide-memorial-church-in-deir-ezzor/