***VIEWER DISCRETION*** Turkey leads anti-Syria smear campaign - 13Jun11...
Turkey's smear campaign against the Syrian government is much worse than the propaganda spread by Arab media to tarnish the image of Damascus with...
Turkey's smear campaign against the Syrian government is much worse than the propaganda spread by Arab media to tarnish the image of Damascus with regards to its recent unrest.
While Syrian officials and residents of crisis-hit Syrian regions have repeatedly said that armed groups are responsible for the deadly clashes in the country, Turkey has tried to portray Iran and the Lebanese Resistance Movement, Hezbollah, as being behind the unrest in Syria and that they help Damascus quell protests.
The Turkish NTV news channel recently claimed that the Syrian soldiers who refused to open fire on protesters were shot dead by their commanders.
The broadcaster reported that a Syrian soldier taking refuge in the country says that he and his comrades were trying to avoid hurting protesters by firing warning shots, but those who refused to open fire on protesters were shot dead.
"I've seen Iranians and Hezbollah operators giving instructions to shoot, and those who refused were immediately shot dead," the alleged fugitive Syrian soldier told NTV, adding that the soldiers were mostly shot from behind or in the neck.
The Turkish broadcaster has also claimed that Syrian forces have opened fire on unarmed civilians in al-Rastan.
"We opened fire on everyone, the young, the old... Women were raped in front of their husbands and children," the army defector told NTV.
Political analysts in Middle East affairs have accused Ankara of playing a double game -- claiming to support the Damascus government in order to have greater influence in the Middle East, while at the same time supporting and providing a safe haven for armed gangs seeking to incite revolt in Syria.
Iranian analyst Hadi Mohammadi says that the United States has now formed operational headquarters in southern Turkey close to the border with Syria to direct the riots in the Arab country after its attempts to cause unrest in southern Syria were unsuccessful.
Mohammadi said that the United States has assigned Turkey to carry out its anti-Syria plan. It has hence provided aid to the Turkish Army to assist Syrian dissidents in crossing into Turkey and settle in tent villages set up in Turkey's Hatay Province.
Meanwhile, a mass grave with bodies of at least 10 Syrian security forces was discovered near the northwestern town of Jisr al-Shughour on Monday.
Syria's state TV says the victims were killed by armed gangs and the bodies bore marks of torture.
Heavy clashes were reported as troops and tanks moved into the city on Sunday and gunmen targeted civilian areas including a hospital.
The government says it entered the town to restore order after some 120 security forces were killed there about a week ago. People in Jisr al-Shughour gathered to thank government troops for protecting them against the gunmen.
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[02 Feb 2014] Heavy fighting erupts between Houthis pro Salafi tribal...
In northern Yemen, heavy clashes have erupted between Shia Houthi fighters and pro-Salafi tribal militants.
Militants have launched missiles at...
In northern Yemen, heavy clashes have erupted between Shia Houthi fighters and pro-Salafi tribal militants.
Militants have launched missiles at civilian homes in the town on Houth. This comes after Houthis took control of the town as well as the village of Khamri from tribal gunmen. The advances are considered huge victories for the Shia fighters following weeks of battles with pro-Salafi militants. Houthi fighters and gunmen from the Hashid tribe have been engaged in heavy fighting since early January. Hundreds of people have lost their lives in the clashes since October.
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[02 Feb 2014] Shia Houthi fighters have overrun the strongholds of pro...
In northern Yemen, Shia Houthi fighters have overrun the strongholds of pro-Salafi tribal militants.
Local sources say Houthis have taken...
In northern Yemen, Shia Houthi fighters have overrun the strongholds of pro-Salafi tribal militants.
Local sources say Houthis have taken control of the town of Houth as well as Khamri village from tribal gunmen in the north. The move is considered a major advance for the Shia fighters following weeks of battles with pro-Salafi militants. Houthi fighters and gunmen from the Hashid tribe have been engaged in heavy fighting since early January. Hundreds of people have lost their lives in the clashes since last October.
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[04 Dec 2013] At least nine people have been killed and dozens wounded...
At least nine people have been killed and dozens wounded in different incidents across Iraq. The deadliest incident that involved six fatalities...
At least nine people have been killed and dozens wounded in different incidents across Iraq. The deadliest incident that involved six fatalities took place in the northern city of Kirkuk when gunmen attacked a shopping mall.
Officials say the shootout with the gunmen lasted for two hours. At least 47 people are believed to have been injured in the gun battle. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack as of yet. But such incidents are usually blamed on militants affiliated to al-Qaeda, who have strongholds around Kirkuk. At least three other people are said to have been killed in separate incidents in Baghdad, Fallujah and Tikrit. Violence in Iraq has surged over the past few months. The fatalities from the start of the year so far have now exceeded 62-hundred.
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