As Aleppo Shelling Continues, Rebels Get More Daring

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" Iran's state IRNA news agency said the ministry summoned the Swiss envoy in Tehran late Monday to stress that Iran expects Washington to use its influence to secure the Iranians' release. " Wow. 

 ALEPPO (PRESS TV) - The Syrian army has arrested a group of Turkish and Saudi officers in Syria’s northwestern city of Aleppo, according to official state TV. These spies were arrested on Monday amid sporadic battles and encounters that pit government troops against foreign-sponsored mercenaries whose current strategy essentially entails laying claim to and sieging pockets of the country. According to a UK news outlet termed Guardian, the government of Saudi Arabia reportedly agreed on June 22, 2012 that it would pay subversive members of an element which comprises the Free Syrian Army to encourage "mass defections from the Syrian Armed Forces in order to pressure the Damascus government," which is an act of state aggression and a direct violation of international law. Prior to that on June 21, 2012, the New York Times reported that a group of CIA operatives illegally entered southern Turkey and that these agents encouraged anti-Syria gangs situated inside of the Arab country to intimidate Syrian citizens by instilling a campaign of terror that might pull away a majority who continue to support the democratically elected Syrian government. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told the Turkish Cumhuriyet daily in an interview in early July of 2012 that he accuses Turkey "of illegally supplying logistical support to terrorists who have killed our people." Armed forces extinguish terrorist group in the town of Smad A SANA source on the ground with a military unit confirms that an army detachment has pushed an armed terrorist group out of the town of Smad and inflicted a high casualty count on its members. These covert army tactical units will continue to press forward throughout the country as "Operation Target Traitor" aims to seal off and extinguish the terrorists which limits their capacity to spread chaos on a widespread basis. According to a confidential memo obtained by SANA, the military campaign is proceeding along at a steady pace and should see full implementation and a containment of these 'enemies of the state' arrived to at a point not very far into the foreseeable future. "Any escalation that will be thusly introduced on our part is an action designed to mitigate the long term psychological effect these terrorist groups have inflicted on citizens of the state and as a result this will avoid prolonging the unfortunate conflict," a military source said on a condition of anonymity. DAMASCUS (SANA) - President Bashar al-Assad on Monday issued Decree No 294 dismissing Prime Minister Riyad Hijab from his post. The President issued Decree No. 295 designating Eng. Omar Galawanji as caretaker premier. Authorities engage terrorist in Damascus and Daraa Security forces on Monday purged a terrorist hideout in Rukn Eddin neighborhood in Damascus which resulted the deaths of several terrorists while a remnant were captured and taken into custody. Authorities encounter terrorists committing acts of aggression Authorities dealt an armed terrorist group a similar death blow in Busra al-Sham in the countryside of Daraa province, who by eyewitness military account were committing acts of aggression and sabotage against Syrian citizens. An official source in the province revealed to a SANA correspondent that the bodies of terrorists Abdul-Rahim al-Masri and Yehia Hamid al-Miqdad were identified among the dead. Cars equipped with machineguns destroyed in Countryside In the Aleppo countryside, competent authorities destroyed two cars equipped by machineguns in the area of Qubtan al-Jabal while the terrorists occupying the said vehicles were killed. Explosive device blast inside Radio and TV Center causes minor injuries An explosive device went off inside the building of the General Organization of the Radio and Television in Damascus on Monday. SANA was informed that the explosion took place on the 3rd floor of the building and caused a number of injuries. Information Minister: All Workers Are Safe Minister of Information, Omran al-Zoubi, stressed to Syrian TV by phone that the blast was the result of an explosive device which caused minor injuries and material damage only and assured that all the workers are safe. "We know those who stand behind such desperate criminal acts are cowards," said al-Zoubi, who affirmed that Syrian national media continues to reporting the truth that expresses the aspirations and anguish of Syrian people. He stressed that the Radio and TV organization noted for its veracity and transparency "is a beacon not only for the media in Syria but also for Arab media in general, most of which nowadays is biased and complicit in a conspiracy being waged against Syria." Minister al-Zoubi added that the news organization will continue to fight the good fight, highlighting that morale among the stalwart cadre is good and they are all back behind their desks. Al-Zoubi: Nothing Can Silence Syria or the Syrian People "This attempt to target a beloved Syria media institutions came because of its audacity, credibility, and up close contact with national issues of consequence," said the Information Minister who asserted that nothing can silence Syria or the Syrian people. "From a political standpoint we know who stands behind these terrorist operations and who is funding them and who wants to silence the voice of the people's conscience. We know who wants destruction for this country and who wants to block the truth," said al-Zoubi. Al-Zoubi warned those who seek to undermine the voice of truth not to take great pains to do so "because we have thousands of places from where we can broadcast in voice and print." Al-Zoubi: Conspiracies seeking to disable the national media are desperate and invalid The Minister detailed conspiracies aimed at disabling the national media as "desperate and invalid" in describing the morals of perpetrators in Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israeli Mossad or any other party who takes a position alongside them. He emphasized Syria's institutions will be alright "as long as everybody musters up the will to protect them and as long as we have a heroic national army." Interior Ministry Source: Deserter Colonel had no connection to Internal Security A source at the Interior Ministry refuted reports circulated by investigative satellite channels as baseless with respect to the position of the deserter Yarub al-Sharaa as Head of the Damascus branch of Internal Security. The credible source denounced the deserter Colonel as an underling at the Statistics Department in Traffic Management who had absolutely no connection to Internal Security. Defections won't Affect Syrian State Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi also elucidated that Syria is an institutional state and the defection of personalities, however high-ranking, will not affect the Syrian state. In a press statement following the Cabinet's Monday session, al-Zoubi dismissed reports about ministers defecting, adding that 99 per cent of news being broadcast by some media outlets about Syrian personalities or events going on inside Syria are desperate attempts with "pre-defined goals." SIDNEY, AUSTRALIA (PRESS TV) - Pro Assad rally is peaceful Over one-thousand Syrian-Australians staged a demonstration in support of President Bashar al-Assad. They want a stop put to illegal foreign funding of terrorists and unbiased media coverage of the Syrian conflict. While Syria’s unrest continues, protesters snaked their way through Sydney’s central business district demanding no foreign intervention in the country’s internal affairs. The marchers also thanked Russia and China for their international support for Syria. Chanting slogans in English and Arabic in support of President Bashar Al-Assad and the Syrian Army, the crowd was vocal, but peaceful as they made their way to the Department of Foreign Affairs Office. They say President Assad’s reforms including the introduction of multi-party elections earlier in the year are proof that he listens to the people and the United States and NATO are trying to overthrow him and the Government by illegally supporting opposition armed gangs including the so called Syrian Free Army which is guilty of heinous war crimes and human rights abuses. Protesters also blamed the media of distorting the situation in Syria and being bias in favor of the Syrian opposition. One popular view among those rallying contends that while Damascus offers continuity and reforms, the so called Syrian National Council based in Istanbul only seeks to topple a government that the people of Syria want, but in reality they are a divided group who cannot refrain from political backstabbing and additionally they suffer from an inability to organize.