Syrian Civil War Update: Rebels Again Attack Assad's Security Compounds

Despite a relentless pounding from Syrian military and loyalist militias, the rebel forces continue to more than hold their own against a better equipped force. The rebels have once again attacked security compounds in Aleppo and also along the border with Iraq:The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Friday that one of the assaults in Aleppo sparked a firefight that killed and

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Syrian Civil War Update: Even Bread Lines Aren't Safe From Assad's Attacks

Bashar al Assad is feeling the heat on all fronts. His security forces and loyalist goons can't stop the rebel forces from gaining and holding territory despite having a monopoly on air power and artillery. His backers remain at Iran, Russia, and China, and that may not be enough to keep him in power.

Egypt's new President Mohamad Morsi has called for an intervention in Syria and told Iran that

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War Crimes Abound As Syrian Civil War Drags On

It should come as no surprise that war crimes are an ongoing feature of the Syrian civil war. Whether it's the Syrian military operating at the behest of Bashar al-Assad bombarding civilian areas or his loyalist militias engaging in massacres, or rebel forces murdering captured government officials by throwing them off rooftops, war crimes are an ongoing concern and worry for Syrians and the

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More Defections as Casualties Climb Across Syria

The butchers' bill continues rising courtesy of Bashar al-Assad's security forces as they attempt to rebuff rebel forces in Aleppo and other parts of Syria. The security forces aren't exactly distinguishing themselves in anything other than running up a body count.

There have been an increasing number of defections, including another general among those seeking refuge in Turkey today. The rebel

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Aleppo Bracing For Assad's Forces

Syria is in a state of civil war and has been for some time. Rebel forces have captured territories outside of the major cities and provinces of Hama and Homs as Assad's gaze has focused on retaking those areas. It's left outlying provinces to their own devices. They're running things without Assad's government goons in sight:As the Syrian state recedes, the people in this village and villages

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Concerns Mounting Over Possible Balkanization of Syria

Syria remains in the throes of a civil war, and there are reports indicating that Assad may be trying to carve out an Alawite sector of the country, essentially engaging in ethnic cleansing so that the Alawite minority can retain control over some geographical portion of Syria. They point to an increasing trend of sectarian attacks.

I don't think Assad's thinking about retaining just part of

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Diplomacy Falls Apart As Syrian Civil War Continues

Hundreds of people have been killed in the past week as the Syrian military loyal to Bashar al-Assad continues its assault against rebel strongholds across the country, which brings the overall tally to more than 16,500. Nearly 70% of the total are civilians. There's even video showing a funeral procession coming under attack, though no one knows who was behind a deadly bombing in Damascus.

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Syria Shoots Down Turkish Fighter Jet Over Syrian Waters

Syria apparently shot down a Turkish F-4 fighter jet over the Mediterranean Sea earlier today. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told reporters at a news conference covered by NBC News he could not say whether the plane had crashed or been shot down.

He said he had no word on the fate of the plane's two airmen.

"The chief of general staff has made the necessary statement about the missing

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Turkey Readies Indictments of Israelis Over Gaza Flotilla

Turkey continues pressing ahead with a potential indictment of top Israeli military leaders over the Gaza flotilla that had nothing to do with humanitarian aid and everything to do with seeking a violent confrontation with Israel.

Turkish newspapers are noting that Ankara's prosecutor is preparing a 144-page document that accuses top Israeli officers, including former army chief Gabi Ashkenazi,

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Assad's Assaults Upon Syrian Opposition Continues

Bashar al Assad's forces continue their brutalization of the Syrian people and are now focusing their efforts on the area around Idlib in Northern Syria. That comes on the heels of multiple reports that Assad's forces have mined the border with Turkey to thwart refugees from crossing into Turkey to escape the violence. The UN has updated its tally of those who have been killed or displaced by the

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First Hand View From Ground In Syria of Assad's Atrocities

A doctor who is among the founders of the group Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Dr. Jacques Bérès, managed to get himself smuggled into Syria so that he could help those suffering from Bashar al Assad's assault on those opposed to his regime.

He's treated hundreds of patients in the short time he's been in Syria, and his report is a sad commentary on the ongoing

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Assad's Security Forces Continue Assault on Homs as Body Count Rises

The world looks on all while Bashar al-Assad continues killing those opposed to his regime and instilling fear in those who might rise against him. The brutal assault ongoing in Homs is indicative that Assad is carrying out his own version of the Hama rules, and that he has no intention of giving up power under any circumstances. He says just enough to the international media and diplomats to

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As Syrian Massacres Continues, Assad Reassures Russians He's Interested In Peace

Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has indicated to the Russian Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that he's committed to an end to the violence.Syrian President Bashar Assad assured Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that he is "completely committed" to seeking an end to violence by both side, Russian news agencies quoted Lavrov as saying on Tuesday.

Lavrov also said that Assad, 11 months

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