Tanks storm Syria's Hama: residents

[alp227]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Syrian tanks stormed the Syrian city of Hama early on Sunday, residents said, after besieging it for nearly a month in response to some of the biggest demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.

One of the residents, a doctor who did not want to be further identified for fear of arrest, told Reuters that at least one civilian, a youth called Fares al-Naem, was killed in shelling by tanks in Bab Sbahi, in the northern quarter of the city.

"Tanks are attacking from four directions. They are firing their heavy machineguns randomly and overrunning makeshift road blocks erected by the inhabitants," he said by phone, the sound of machinegun fire crackling in the background.

"Lots of casualties have been taken to Badr hospital. There is a shortage of blood," he added.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/31/us-syria-idUSTRE76T02020110731

[No Elephants]

1. Those poor people. Rec for importance.

[oberliner]

2. Syrian tanks storm town of Hama, kill 24, injure more than 50

Syrian tanks stormed the Syrian city of Hama at dawn on Sunday, killing at last 17 civilians, residents said, after besieging it for nearly a month in response to some of the biggest demonstrations against President Bashar Assad's rule.

Tank shells were falling at the rate of four a minute in and around northern Hama, they said, and electricity and water supplies to the main neighborhoods had been cut -- a tactic regularly by the military in the storming of numerous towns to crush protests.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/syrian-tanks-storm-town-of-hama-kill-24-injure-more-than-50-1.376177

[dipsydoodle]

3. Syria: 45 Civilians Killed In Tank Attack

Syrian forces killed at least 45 civilians and wounded dozens in a major tank assault on the city of Hama to crush pro-democracy demonstrations, activists have said.

Witnesses reported that there were 51 people wounded at one hospital - Badr hospital - alone.

They said the hospital was running short of blood for transfusions.

Tanks had surrounded another main hospital, al-Horani, one witness said.

A doctor who did not want to be named for fear of arrest said: "Tanks are attacking from four directions.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/syria-17-civilians-killed-tank-attack-055822030.html

[dipsydoodle]

4. Death toll now over 100

Syrian security forces have cracked down on anti-government protests across the country, killing 100 people in the city of Hama alone, reports say.

Witnesses said tanks moved into Hama at dawn, shelling civilians. Other towns also erupted in violence in one of the bloodiest days since protests began.

The government said troops had been sent in to Hama to remove barricades erected by the protesters.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-14356722

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Over 1750 people killed by the Syrian government so far in the 'crackdown'

In the worst violence since the Syrian uprising began in March, at least 136 people are reported to have been killed. In Hama, up to 95 people are dead after tanks and soldiers stormed the city.
...
The activist group Avaaz said in a report last week that 1,634 people had been killed by security forces since the crackdown began. 2,918 had disappeared, and another 26,000 had been arrested - many of whom were beaten and tortured.

http://www.channel4.com/news/syrian-crackdown-leaves-at-least-121-dead

[rayofreason]

6. Some Syrian troops revolting...

..against Assad to protect the people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wekr_d1PTZc&feature=player_embedded

A big development one hopes.

[Bosonic]

7. Syrian tanks shell Hama, heaviest barrage of assault-witnesses

Source: Reuters

AMMAN Aug 1 (Reuters) - Syrian tanks shelled residential neighbourhoods all over Hama on Monday in the heaviest barrage of a two-day attack on the city to crush street demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad, witnesses said.

Intense shelling began after Ramadan evening prayers, concentrating on districts near the al-Bilal roundabout in the northwest of the city, the Jarajmeh district in the east and northern neighborhoods near the Omar bin al-Khattab mosque, they said.

"The shells are falling once every ten seconds," one of the witnesses told Reuters by phone, and the thump of artillery and explosions could be heard in the background. (Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Amman newsroom, editing by Tim Pearce)

Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL6E7J12FJ20110801

[brooklynite]

8. I was in Hama on a tour five months ago...

Most of the "old city" had been destroyed by the Syrian military in the 1980's -- the LAST time there was a rebellion.

[PavePusher]

14. Google "Hama rules"....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hama_massacre

[RaleighNCDUer]

9. And why are we not bomging the Syrians to save them from their government? nt

[pampango]

10. No UN authorization - though Russia (one of Assad's backers on the Security Council)

sounds like it is getting fed up with Assad's violence against his people.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russia-calls-for-halt-to-violence-in-syria/441432.html

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. Bzztt - wrong answer. And the answer IS....

no oil.

[brooklynite]

15. Bzzzt - pointless comment

If you believe that we engage in military activities to control oil supplies for the private sector, then there was no reason to get involved in Libya, since the privately controlled oil pumping system was completely stable under the Gadaffi regime.

[pampango]

16. You might want to check what their biggest export is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Syria

[joshcryer]

17. Russia has no significant stake in Syrian oil. China does.

Russia did the same with Libya, they are posturing as the good guys. Though to be fair China has never unilaterally vetoed (been the only UNSC state to veto) UNSC actions as far as I know.

[ChrisBorg]

13. Because the whole "Arab Spring" thing is so yesterday.

[DeSwiss]

12. But the ''humanitarian'' Tomahawks are only for Gaddafi, eh?

At a news conference Monday in Chile, President Barack Obama stated about his order to fire 110 Tomahawk missiles into Libya: "this was not an attempt at regime change, but a humanitarian effort to save civilian and rebel lives from Gaddafi’s threat to annihilate anyone who threatened his rule." - March 21, 2011

- K&R