{"id":15145,"date":"2012-06-27T00:04:19","date_gmt":"2012-06-27T04:04:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/?p=15145"},"modified":"2012-06-27T00:05:26","modified_gmt":"2012-06-27T04:05:26","slug":"we-are-in-a-state-of-real-war-assad-says-republican-guard-attacked-in-damascus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joshualandis.com\/blog\/we-are-in-a-state-of-real-war-assad-says-republican-guard-attacked-in-damascus\/","title":{"rendered":"“We are in a State of Real War,” Assad Says; Republican Guard Attacked in Damascus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Assad Says Syria in Real War<\/a> – Sana
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Opposition Meeting in Brussels – Michel Kilo in front with head bowed<\/p>\n

Idlib: Ex-SNC president Burhan Ghalioun visits Syria <\/a>(video) and meets up with revolutionaries in a bid to boost their morale<\/p>\n

As Rebels Attack Elite Guards, Assad Talks of \u2018State of War\u2019<\/a>
\nBy ROD NORDLAND and HWAIDA SAAD<\/p>\n

The Free Syrian Army launched what it described as an exploratory attack on an elite Republican Guard base, which is near the Presidential Palace, in Damascus late Monday<\/p>\n

A surprise assault by lightly armed Syrian insurgents on a base housing the elite Republican Guard in Damascus, just a few miles from the Presidental Palace, elicited a furious military response on Tuesday, with government forces shelling surrounding neighborhoods in an escalation that brought combat in the Syrian conflict close to the heart of the capital.<\/p>\n

Anti-government activists estimated at least 33 people were killed in the artillery barrages of the Damascus suburb of Qudssaya aimed at the Free Syrian Army insurgents, less than three miles northwest of President Bashar al-Assad\u2019s official residence, and on Barzeh in northern Damascus, about three miles northeast.<\/p>\n

President Assad, in remarks to his cabinet reported by the official SANA news agency, did not explicitly acknowledge the proximity of the fighting, but said \u201cwe live in a state of war.\u201d As such, he said, \u201c all our policies, directives and all sectors will be directed in order to gain victory in this war.\u201d
\nPreviously he had characterized the 16-month-old uprising as a crime wave by foreign-backed terrorists.<\/p>\n

In an apparently unrelated development, a\u00a0 Syrian Air Force lieutenant general was kidnapped by armed men from his home in Damascus, according to Syrian State Television, who identified him as Lt. Gen. Farage Shihada al Maqat. He was abducted in the Al Adawi neighborhood of Damascus, an exclusive area where dignitaries and Russian advisers live. If the report is true, General Maqat would be the highest ranking officer to be kidnapped or killed since the uprising began. More than 13 generals are among a wave of high-ranking officers who have defected to the opposition recently….<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was not a big confrontation, it was just to test the Guards\u2019 capacity, for future attacks,\u201d said the lieutenant, who for security reasons asked to be identified only by his rank. \u201cOur fighters were really surprised by the huge forces that immediately came and encircled the area.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he put it, the incident proved that \u201cone bullet in Damascus has more impact than a tank barrage in Idlib or Homs, because the regime doesn\u2019t hear the bombings but for sure they hear the bullet in Damascus.\u201d\u00a0 Only 20 fighters with light weapons were involved, he said. \u201cIt was just a test for when the battle does move to Damascus.\u201d<\/p>\n

The elite Republican Guard Division has an estimated 8,000 or more soldiers and is devoted to protection of President Assad and his subordinates. The Republican Guard has taken the lead in suppressing dissent in the capital area.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 Other opposition sources reported an escalation of the fighting in Damascus, mainly from government shelling focused on the neighborhoods or suburbs of Qudssaya, Dummar and Al Hameh,all to the northeast of the\u00a0 Republican Guard base, which in turn adjoins the Presidential Palace, on a commanding hill 500 feet above the main city…..<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

– report of opposition meeting in Brussels “????? ???????”.. ????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ???????? ?? ?????<\/a>?<\/p>\n

25 ????? 2012 – ??????? ??????? ?????<\/p>\n

\n

??? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ????????? ?????? ????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ????? ????? ???????? ??????? ???????? ?????????? ????? ?? ????? ????? ??? ?? ????????? ??? ????? ?????? ???????? ??????????.<\/p>\n

???? ????? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ????? ?? ????? ???????? ?????? ?? ???????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????????? ?? ??????? ??? ???????? ??? ?????? ??????? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ?? ??????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ???????.<\/p>\n

???? ????? ???? ??????? ???????? ????? ??????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ?????????. ??? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ???????? ?? ????? ??????? ?????????? ???????? ??????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ??? ??????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????????? ????? ??????? ???????? ??? ??????? ???????.<\/p>\n

???? ????? ??????? ?????????? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ???????:????? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ???????? ??? ?????? ?????? ?”???????? ???????”. ??????? ?? ??? ???? ???????? ?????? ?????? ????????? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ???? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???? ?????.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n
\"Prime<\/a>Turkey Says It May Target Any Syrian Forces Nearing Border<\/a>
\nBy ERIC SCHMITT and SEBNEM ARSU 8:59 PM ET<\/div>\n

Buoyed by support from NATO allies, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan adopted a bellicose tone on Tuesday after the downing of a Turkish warplane.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n