Syria Live Coverage: The Regime's Shelling of Homs

Shelling of the al-Khalidiya area of Homs on Sunday

See Also Today's UAE (and Beyond) Live Coverage: 94 Activists Go on Trial
Sunday's Syria Live Coverage: Fighting on the Iraq Border

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2331 GMT: Governor of al Raqqah. A picture for comparison:

PHOTO: Governor of Al-Raqqa Hassan Jalili and head of Ba'ath Party branch Suleiman al-Suleiman in FSA custody. twitter.com/NMSyria/status…

— NMSyria (@NMSyria) March 4, 2013

Jalali with Assad, for reference:

Again, the identity is not 100% confirmed, but there are visual similarities, and this is exactly what is being claimed in these videos and by the opposition. There's a very good chance that the man on the right is indeed the governor of Al Raqqah. We'll likely know for sure by morning.

2303 GMT: Governor of Al Raqqah in Rebel Custody. Hassan Saleh Jalali, governor of Al Raqqah, appears to be in custody of the rebels. A video has been sent to us over Twitter, but several others have also been posted online:

@jmiller_ea Here is the captured governor of al Raqqah governorate. youtube.com/watch?v=7UivTS…

— Marwan-el-Tounisi (@Marwouantounsi) March 4, 2013

The lighting is bad, but the man on the right with the white hair does indeed seem to look like Hassan Saleh Jalali (look at the 24 second mark). The ID is not 100% confirmed:

This is unprecedented, as Jalali would be far and away the highest ranked member of the regime ever captured by the rebels.

Another video, posted by Yallah Souriya, reportedly shows other prisoners captured at the palace, but it is fairly chaotic.

2238 GMT: Revolutionary Symbol Shelled. No one who watched today's videos from Al Raqqah could escape the symbolism of Saddam Hussein's statue being toppled in Baghdad, or many of the other statues of dictators that have been fallen in recent years. However, after the statue fell, and most of the rebel fighters moved on to other tasks, and the celebrations began, the shells began to fall:

After the statue was brought down in Raqqa, the square was bombed, and casualties were reported.

— BSyria (@BSyria) March 4, 2013

About a minute into this video, which we can confirm is the same square as the statue stood, the shells begin to fall - and the casualties begin to mount:

2227 GMT: Rebels Capture a Governor? Speaking of burning rumors, earlier today there were reports from typically reliable sources that the governor's palace in Al Raqqah was overrun by rebels. Since then there have been rumors that the rebels have had the governor in custody. Now, those rumors are even being reported by Al Arabiya (which is less-than reliable, to be generous). However, all this begs the obvious question - where is the governor if he was not in his palace?

While we're on the subject of dubious Al Arabiya reports, this is their latest (also see update below):

#BreakingNews: Iraqi tanks strike Al-Yaroubiyah border under Free Syrian Army’s control

— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) March 4, 2013

2209 GMT: Iraq. Every other whisper and rumor these days sounds like it relates to Iraq. Several sources and many activists have suggested that there are Iraqi elements that are preparing to line up on both sides of the Syrian conflict. One report is that Sunni tribesmen in Anbar province are frustrated at what they see as their government's support for the Assad regime, and they are prepared to disrupt supplies from reaching Assad's people, while at the same time increasing their own supplies to the rebels - including stockpiles of weapons. These reports also suggest that these tribes are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that both these things happen.

As such, the Wall Street Journal is now calling the latest clashes in Anbar that have left dozens dead, including Syrian and Iraqi soldiers, an "Al Qaeda in Iraq" style attack.

Iraqi officials said dozens of Syrian soldiers and at least six Iraqi military personnel were killed in an ambush in Anbar, the Iraqi province that partly borders Syria. Although the circumstances of the ambush and its perpetrators remained unclear into the evening, the incident marks the first such killing of Syrians in neighboring Iraq throughout Syria's two-year conflict. It also underscores the growing potential for the fighting in Syria to spill over into neighboring countries.

Jasim al-Halboosi, Anbar's provincial council head, said the attack "no doubt carries the fingerprints of al Qaeda in Iraq." Mr. Halboosi told The Wall Street Journal that the convoy of Syrian soldiers was first attacked by a number of roadside bombs in Anbar's Akashat district before it came under direct mortar fire. Iraqi officials said about 50 Syrian military and security personnel had sought refuge inside Iraq two days ago, after clashes with rebels along the border.

On Monday, they were being escorted by Iraqi army and border guards from the Rabia border post to another Iraqi border post in Anbar province, farther southwest along the border, where the Syrian army was awaiting their arrival on the Syrian side of the border, an Iraqi security official said. Mr. Halboosi said nine Iraqi military personnel died in the ambush.

2103 GMT: Aleppo. Fighting continued today in what was once Aleppo's largest city. Rebels continued their push in the southwest, creeping closer and closer the the Artillery College which is also host to one of Assad's most hardened and important bases in the north. At the same time, a heavily armed convoy of Assad reinforcements is on its way towards Aleppo's airport, and the rebels appear to be making arrangements to greet it. For instance, this video reportedly shows the rebels destroying a main bridge that leads to the airport, effectively an effort to block the convoy from ever reaching the front lines:

#Syria #Aleppo Rebels blow up highway-bridge to cut supply-line from airport youtube.com/watch?v=c0jpeQ…

— Mark (@markito0171) March 4, 2013

2043 GMT: Heavy Fighting in Yarmouk Camp. The Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus is no stranger to fighting, but it has been heavily rocked by intense gun battles since this morning. This video, taken many hours ago, reportedly shows some of that fighting.

Just one hour ago, however, the LCC reported that the fighting was ongoing and intense, matching reports we've also heard from Damascus.

2007 GMT: Siege of Menneg Airbase. In the last two weeks, the Syrian rebels have hammered Assad's last airbase north of Aleppo (map). Last week the rebels destroyed at least two helicopters at the base, all the while hitting the base with mortar and rocket attacks. However, it now seems that the rebels are directly striking the base from the ground with infantry. This video reportedly shows the Bara bin Malik briogade hitting a tank with an RPG:

More videos, taken at a distance, show some of the fighting. But this video is the most interesting as it reportedly shows the results of a regime airstrike against the base itself. It's unclear if this is a "close support" operation designed to hit the rebels who are overruning the base, or if the remnants of the regime's own helicopters and munitions were the target as we've seen in similar scenarios. Regardless, it's rare to see an airstrike this close to a base unless it has already fallen or is close to falling into rebel hands.

The Menneg base is small, but it is nearly in the center of rebel supply lines. Without Assad forces holding the base, the rebels will be able to bring more firepower against targets closer to Aleppo city. Also, as Syria's military has a relatively small amount of helicopters, any blow to Assad's helicopter force is significant.

1824 GMT: Washington and Riyadh Against Assad. Ever since the arming of the Syrian rebels by Saudi Arabia has been brought to light, any mention of the United States and Saudi Arabia in the same sentence is sure to raise eyebrows. As such, when US Secretary of State John Kerry and Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal both condemn Russia and Iran for providing arms to Assad while at the same time advocating the arming of the rebels, it signals a clear break with a foreign policy that seemed entrenched just months ago:

“There is no guarantee that one weapon or another might not, at some point in time, flow into the wrong hands,” he said. “But I will tell you this: there is a very clear ability now in the Syrian opposition to make certain that what goes to the moderate, legitimate opposition is in fact getting to them, and the indication is that they are increasing their pressure as a result of that.”

“Morally, we have a duty,” the Saudi foreign minister said, alluding to efforts to provide military support.

He added that the Assad regime was firing missiles at population centers in Syria at times of the day when civilians were concentrated. “Nobody who has done that to his citizens can claim a right to lead a country,” he said.

1808 GMT: Death Toll Rises. According to the Local Coordination Committees, 85 people have been killed so far today. Interestingly, the numbers show a very slight elevation in Homs and Raqqah, some of the areas where the fighting has been the fiercest today.

28 martyrs in Damascus and its Suburbs , 20 martyr in Aleppo,12 martyr in Homs, 10 martyrs in Daraa, 6 martyrs in Hama, 5 martyrs in Raqqa, 3 Martyrs in Deir Azzor, and a 1 martyr in Idlib.

The Local Coordination Committees (LCC) is an activist network operating both inside and outside of Syria. They claim to use stringent verification processes to ensure that a member of the LCC can vouch for any information posted either on their Facebook page or their website. The LCC also populates a database of those killed in the Syrian conflict, which can be seen at the website for the Center for Documentation of Violations in Syria.

The LCC's casualty figures are usually a mix of insurgents and civilians, and never include regime casualties. Syrian State Media has stopped reporting regime casualty figures.

1711 GMT: War Crime. A video has been posted to Youtube that reportedly shows opposition fighters executing a supporter of Bashar al Assad. It cannot be independently verified at this time, and has no associated details, such as a location, a date, or a particular brigade associated with the video. The video uploader is also interesting - it appears to be a bit of a whistleblower (our own assessment, the page doesn't appear to openly make any editorial judgments on what it posts), as it has posted several videos of executions and other atrocities - conducted by both sides.

The video shows men shouting anti-Assad slogans, and then the man in question, clearly a prisoner, appears to be shot. There may be at least one other camera angle of this incident, as another phone appears to be filming.

It's just another example of the murky horror of Syria's civil war.

UPDATE - Many readers are saying that this video is from Aleppo, taken many months ago. We've never seen it before but there seems to be consensus.

1627 GMT: Al Raqqah. And now we have video which claims to show the rebels in control of the Airforce Intelligence Building. As you can see, a significant amount of rebel fighters are present, but the fighting appears to be over as most of the people pictured appear to be residents, not fighters:

1605 GMT: Al Raqqah. A bold claim - the LCC reports that the Governor's Palace in Al Raqqah has been overrun and is now under the control of the Free Syrian Army (map). The report has not been independently confirmed by EA, but the rumors of this event are much wider than what the LCC is reporting.

If true, it certainly adds credibility to the rebel claims that this is a significant victory, and not just an incursion into the city.

1551 GMT: Al Raqqah - Fighting Ongoing. News from Syria's front lines is not usually uploaded in ways that make it convenient for our live coverage. It appears, for instance, that several rebel brigades are still reporting heavy fighting, but it's unclear if their videos, which mainly show fighting outside the city, were taken before, after, or at the same time as the videos we've already uploaded. However, even those units appear to be claiming great success today.

Many videos show fighting in "Hajjina" which we believe is a checkpoint on the outskirts of the city. The Yallah Souriyeh blog posts a video that appears to show a rebel BMP and soldiers attacking a checkpoint here. Several videos show intense fighting here.

Rebels after reportedly taking the checkpoint:

Another brigade takes the fight to the enemy with a heavy anti-aircraft gun mounted to a truck:

It's still unclear if the city has really been fully captured as many claim. It is apparent, however, that the rebels have pushed deep into the city and have either overwhelmed much of Assad's defenses or have caught Assad's forces off-guard.

1542 GMT: Rebel Victory of Iraq Border. There are rumors swirling about new fighting on the Iraq border, but this story comes from Reuters, who, quoting Iraqi officials, say that "unidentified gunmen" have killed at least 40 Syrian soldiers and other government members who were trying to flee into Iraq. The group appears to have been part of a convoy of 65 soldiers and officials who surrendered to Iraqi forces while fleeing the rebel assaults on Friday.

The brief report opens up many questions. Were the Assad forces colluding with the Iraqis (many in the opposition have stated this, but we've seen little evidence to back it up)? Were these men defecting or deserting their posts? Or were they really just overwhelmed by the ferocity of the fighting?

1523 GMT: Al Raqqah. Syrian activists say that this picture was taken by residents of Al Raqqah inside an Airforce Intelligence building. We have not confirmed the location, but we've been unable to find other instances of the picture, suggesting that it was first uploaded today:

الصورة من داخل فرع المخابرات الجوية في #الرقة قبل قليل twitter.com/adnanalsori/st…

— adnanalsori (@adnanalsori) March 4, 2013

1513 GMT: Rebels Push to Center of Al Raqqah. Syrian rebels have stormed the provincial capital of al Raqqah, pushing all the way to the center of the city. At this time there are many reports that large parts, or perhaps the entire city, have been captured by the rebels, but this is unconfirmed. What is confirmed beyond doubt is that they have taken a key square in the center of the city and have toppled a statue of Assad's father, Hafez al Assad. "Fire Service Square" is near many cultural icons inside the city and we can 100% confirm the location (map).

This video reportedly shows a BMP and 4x4s storming the city:

1454 GMT: Escalation Everywhere. In Latakia, both regime forces and rebels have increased attacks in the last several days. For months the rebels have slowly crept towards Assad's homeland, and it seems that the regime is stepping up efforts to stop them.

In Homs, the fighting had largely moved away from Syria's central city as both insurgents and regime forces focused elsewhere. However, it seems that the fighting is back with a vengeance, as Assad forces attempt to strengthen (or really reestablish) their broken supply lines to the north.

In Aleppo, battles rage south of the International airport, the result of regime reinforcements, and yet so do they in the city's southwest where a large rebel force is hammering Assad's key artillery bases after having largely or completely overrun the police academy. Meanwhile, rebels work to dislodge regime snipers in the center of the city.

In Idlib, the rebels are closing in on an important city, the provincial capital, which, once taken, will unify the rebel lines from northern Hama province to the western edge of Aleppo city, and allow them to greatly redistribute their firepower to the east and south.

And then there is Syria's far east. In Al Raqqah, rebels led by Jabhat al Nusra have advanced, not only striking inside the city but also isolating it from the outside by taking the countryside. In Qamishli, a similar mix of rebels push north into areas that are divided by regime and Kurdish control. In Deir Ez Zor, the rebels work to isolate the last remaining air and artillery bases, chewing up Assad's infantry while being pounded by shelling and bombing campaigns.

In every region, war is on the move.

But so is propaganda. Both sides are making large claims about victories and defeats that are murky or far less decisive than the opposition or regime headlines suggest. Assad's offensive against Homs, Hama, and southern Aleppo, for instance, could be critical - without a major move by the regime, Aleppo will soon fall to the rebels - however this move is coming at nearly the last possible second, and just as rebels are winning more victories. In the short run it will be hard to evaluate these competing claims. After all, both sides have already begun to cherry-pick the news that supports their narrative, and thus far conclusive evidence may be hard to come by. The proof, as they say, will be in the pudding. Will either side accomplish a significant strategic victory that has effects that last more than a few days? We may have to wait and see.

And then there are the extreme claims which may or may not be true. Each side is accusing the other of attacking Iraqi soldiers, and supporters of both sides have made claims that Iraq has militarily supported their foe. Similarly, rumors of escalation over the Golan Heights have occasionally flooded the Twitterverse.

A lot of this is noise, but some of it isn't. We'll do our best to filter the noise and find out what's going on beyond the hysteria and hyperbole. One thing, however, is clear - things are escalating significantly, at least for the short term. The question is whether the smoke settles - or just spreads.

1419 GMT: Election in Aleppo. NPR's Deborah Amos reports from Gaziantep, Turkey, where Aleppo is holding elections for local officials (thanks to Catmari in comments):

This weekend, delegates from across the province are taking part in the first free vote outside of the control of President Bashar Assad's regime. Its location: Gaziantep, Turkey.

While most election stories begin with the issues, the candidates and what's at stake, this election is about a first-time vote for civilian leaders in a rebel-held province. How do you hold an election when your city is being bombed by the regime you are trying to replace?

The election moved to southern Turkey because of safety concerns. The voters are limited; only 224 selected delegates will cast ballots. Still, they have to make the dangerous drive, which takes about an hour, to the Turkish border.

James Miller takes over today's live coverage. Thanks to Scott Lucas for getting us started this morning.

1023 GMT: Homs. The sounds of fighting in the city today:

Footage has also been posted of slain regime soldiers.

0841 GMT: A Love Letter for a Slain Journalist. A poignant moment on the BBC yesterday, as Emilie Blachere read a poem to her boyfriend, Remi Ochlik, who was killed in Homs a year ago.

Ochlik died on 22 February 2012 when a regime shell hit the building with the makeshift media centre in the besieged area of Bab Amro. Local activists and a journalist for the Sunday Times, Marie Colvin, also died in the attack.

After the poem was read, the BBC fell silent for about 12 seconds as the presenter, Paddy O’Connell, struggled to compose himself.

0530 GMT: Homs. On Sunday, there was a sharp escalation in bombardment of sections of Homs, Syria's third-largest city, by regime forces. Areas such as al-Khalidiya were struck throughout the day, with an unknown level of casualties.

What is also unclear is the reason for the escalation. Regime media and supporters have been putting out the line that the city is largely, if not completely, under the Syrian military's control. So has there been a re-entry of insurgent forces into neighbourhoods or is this an effort to clear out groups who never left?

Activists report that the shelling resumed today by 7 a.m. local time.

The attacks come a year after Homs was the centre of attention, with a sustained regime offensive devastating the Baba Amr area before it was finally pacified, with the declaration that President Assad's men had restored control of the city.

The Local Coordination Committees claim documentation of 154 deaths on Sunday, including 44 in Damascus and its suburbs, 24 in Daraa Province, 23 in Aleppo Province, and 18 in Homs Province.'

The Violations Documentation Center records 51,201 confirmed deaths --- 41,448 civilians and 9753 non-civilians.