Syrian Revolution Digest (Washington, D.C.): The fight for Syria’s future reaches the capital The clash that took place between members of the local resistance and security forces loyal to Assad took place less than a block away from our apartment, still awaiting our eventual return. My mother lives just across the highway. The local security headquarters that came under attack is one that I know very well, as I have been interrogated there on a number of occasions. The battle is coming home. Sounds of the nighttime battle http://youtu.be/nzBgmqxV8rE Just a little north, a couple of blocks really, is Mazzeh Jabal and the famous Commune 86, an unplanned settlement inhabited by Alawite soldiers and officers whose guard rushed in to join the fray, and ended up killing many of their own. Most mid- and high-ranking loyalist officers have been evacuated, and are unlikely to return anytime soon. But the foot soldiers and security guards will likely become more vicious, and that will only pave the way for more clashes, as things in the neighborhood has been heating up for a while. Besides this attack, and the two bombings that targeted security headquarters in Tahrir and Jamarek, there were other relatively minor incidents all across the city over the last couple of days, confirming what I have been saying for a while now: Assad’s recent victories are rather pyrrhic, he and his henchmen have only succeeded in transforming the country into one giant battlefield. (read more)
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Syrian Revolution Digest (Washington, D.C.):

The fight for Syria’s future reaches the capital

The clash that took place between members of the local resistance and security forces loyal to Assad took place less than a block away from our apartment, still awaiting our eventual return. My mother lives just across the highway. The local security headquarters that came under attack is one that I know very well, as I have been interrogated there on a number of occasions. The battle is coming home.

Sounds of the nighttime battle http://youtu.be/nzBgmqxV8rE

Just a little north, a couple of blocks really, is Mazzeh Jabal and the famous Commune 86, an unplanned settlement inhabited by Alawite soldiers and officers whose guard rushed in to join the fray, and ended up killing many of their own. Most mid- and high-ranking loyalist officers have been evacuated, and are unlikely to return anytime soon. But the foot soldiers and security guards will likely become more vicious, and that will only pave the way for more clashes, as things in the neighborhood has been heating up for a while.

Besides this attack, and the two bombings that targeted security headquarters in Tahrir and Jamarek, there were other relatively minor incidents all across the city over the last couple of days, confirming what I have been saying for a while now: Assad’s recent victories are rather pyrrhic, he and his henchmen have only succeeded in transforming the country into one giant battlefield.

(read more)