SYRIA NEWS | ZAMAN ALWSL

Zaman al-Wasl's harvest in 2022

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 21:48:27 +0300

Zaman al-Wasl news site turns the page of the year 2022 with files that bring the Syrian regime to international courts.

Zaman al-Wasl spared no effort in exposing the crimes of the Assad regime against the Syrian people. In the year 2022, it exerted effort after effort, with the aim of reaching evidence and documents proving the regime's involvement in crimes. war and against humanity.

Very important files and documents published by Zaman Al-Wasl newspaper, in addition to daily news, reports and investigations. The most prominent of which are reports monitoring the fate of detainees.

Zaman al-Wasl was able to ascertain their fate in cooperation with their families and private sources. It also revealed pictures of prisoners killed under torture in Aleppo Central Prison, and many reports about war criminals in Syria.

Fate of the detainees is a concern for the Syrians, and therefore the newspaper focused double efforts to be able to know the fate of 500 detainees, after contacting dozens of families of the victims and documenting the data of the detainees, then searching for their fate through private sources and official documents, which prompted many human rights organizations to contact the newspaper, requesting information.

As usual, Zaman al-Wasl has been documenting the crimes of the Assad regime's forces with evidence and clues. Therefore, it submitted a report whose content serves human rights organizations and judicial authorities interested in tracking down the perpetrators, including exclusive photos that unveil part of the many massacres committed by the Assad regime against defenseless citizens.

Zaman Al-Wasl urges NOID Institute to release Tadamon massacre videos to reveal victims identities

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 02:09:35 +0300

Since the Tadamon massacre was uncovered on April 28 by the American New Lines Magazine and The Guardian in which more than 280 civilians were killed in 2013 south of Damascus, many of the victims families contacted Zaman al-Wasl in search of photos or footage help them recognize the victims as a man looks for his sister, husband looks for his wife, and a father looking for his children, as there is circumstantial evidence that they are victims of the Tadamon massacre.

But since the University of Amsterdam and the NOID Institute have obtained the 26 clips that documented the horrific massacre, Zaman al-Wasl urges to publish the clips and reveal the identities of the victims, before the victims families file a case in Dutch courts to force the Amsterdam University revealing the full truth about the fate of their daughters and sons.

Don't these women who were mentioned in The New Lines report deserve to know their photos and identities?

The only seven female victims, wearing hijabs and overcoats that characterize conservative Muslim women’s clothing, are killed with a ferocity and hatred the otherwise passionless killers do not express to the men. Out of frame, one of the sobbing women is barked at: “Get up, you whore!” (!طلعي شرموطة). Her pleas fall on deaf ears, as she is dragged up by her hair and dumped into the hole. Two women shriek uncontrollably when Youssef kicks them into the grave and executes them; the others face their fate in silence. In another video, the camera pans over a group of dead children, including infants who had been stabbed or shot, lying in a dark room as the camera operator tersely speaks: “The children of the biggest financiers from Ruknaddin neighborhood. Sacrifice for the soul of the martyr Naim Youssef.”

Cham Wings Airlines is key doer in Belarus migrant crisis

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 12:30:00 +0300

Syrian Cham Wings Airlines is a key actor in the migrant crisis as hundreds of them, mostly Syrians, remain trapped on the Belarus-Poland border.

Over the past months, the Assad-linked carrier and Damascus-based traffickers have facilitated the flow of migrants to Belarus through granting them tourist visas in collusion with the Belarusian authorities. Syrians in regime-held areas, who obtained security travel permits, pay $3000 for a flight ticket and $250 for an electronic entry visa to Belarus.

The dubious situation of Cham Wings did not prompt the UN to issue a statement blaming the carrier which serves regional agendas that may pose a threat at the eastern border of the European Union and NATO.

Cham Wings Airlines on Saturday halted flights to Minsk, saying that "we cannot differentiate between travellers and migrants''. Such a statement is 'uglier than a sin excuse.'

Editor-in-chief

Who saves Syrian refugees in Lebanon as state pillars collapse

Zaman Al Wasl — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 10:41:00 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- The deteriorating economic conditions, spreading of Coronavirus and the political turbulence have all a severe impact on more than one million Syrian refugees who have already endured to sersie of human rights violations and discriminatory practices.

Syrian refugees stand out as the weakest link, which will pay the heavy price of this dramatic collapse and which will be the scapegoat for the corruption and failure of political and partisan leaders.

The devastating fallout of the coronavirus on the already torn and fragile Lebanese economy can be a catalyst for yet another civil war, which had previously plunged the country into a quagmire for a decade and a half, and which this time around would be even more disastrous. To avoid such a scenario, international organizations have to respond more resolutely and swiftly to the living conditions of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Today, Syrian refugees are the most miserable of the refugees of the world, not only fleeing persecution in their homeland, but also finding themselves in a rather precarious situation in Lebanon, their supposed “second home”. In other words, out of the frying pan into the fire.

It is best for the Syrians to recognize their rank in Lebanon, to pragmatically examine what this country’s collapse would mean. After enduring 9 years of the horrors of asylum, they should know by now that they have become the target for everyone’s arrows, and the wild card that every political player rushes to throw in the face of their opponents. They stand alone, powerless and helpless. So, whither the refuge?

Aggressive Le Pen rebuked due to Islamic prayer criticism

Zaman Al Wasl — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 21:42:00 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- As the fire of the Coronavirus spreads in France, placing her among the highest countries in the world in terms of injuries and deaths, the populist right chose to ignite a fire of another kind, introducing to the scene its favorite card of Islamophobia, to reinforce and boost the firm opinion that already exists among the ranks of this right wing, and that holds that Islam and Muslims pose an existential danger to the French Republic and its values.

Along the same line, the leader of the hardline National Rally Party, Marine Le Pen, addressed an open letter to the Minister of the Interior, Christophe Castania, in which she accuses several mosques of "exploiting" the imposed confinement to raise the call to prayer in public, while the authorities are busy implementing ban orders.

In a tone that is not alien to her and to the diction of her extremist party, Le Pen called on the Minister of the Interior to prevent these acts, which she considers as "noisy", and which represent an "illegal encroachment on the public space". She goes on to add that these calls to prayer embody "a rejection of the principles of secularismand a challenge to the republican state."

Le Pen also considered lifting the call to prayer in some mosques as a provocation, accusing the Ministry of Interior and the Conservatives of "dubious" silence, and denouncing their unresponsiveness. She also warns that allowing the call to prayer would, in the future, put France in situations which are hard to control.

Le Pen based her letter on the case of mosques in the city of Lyon" and in Valente located in the far east of France near the Swiss border, but it became clear, later on, that the bearer of the far-right brigade relied on a misleading account of Valentin City in particular.

According to what the French media reported, Le Pen received a three-dimensional response, from the Minister of the Interior, the Mayor of the city of Valente and finally from the President of the French Council for Islamic Religion, when the minister affirmed that the rolling clip to raise the call to prayer was only photoshopped and deliberately edited, putting the sound of the call to prayer with an image of a mosque in the concerned city.

The mayor of Valentine’s response was stricter and more ruthless stressing that he did not raise any call to prayer from any mosque in the city (which has only two mosques). Addressing Le Pen, he says: “You have to learn how to respect boundaries, and how not to rub salt in the wound... this is foolishness”, calling to put a stop to, in his terms, "supporters of hatred and division". As for the head of the French Council for Islamic Religion, "Mohamed Moussaoui”, he affirmed that the video to which Le Pen was pointing is a misleading video, in which the sound of the call to prayer came from a mobile device and was deliberately added to the image of a mosque in "Valentine".

Moussaoui firmly denounced the nonsensical and incomprehensible political campaign that Le Pen was, again, trying to launch against the Muslims of France.

It is striking that the response of the Minister of the Interior Castagnet, which was revealed by the AFP, exposed Le Pen for its false allegations, only in a polite manner this time. The minister affirmed that all mosques are closed because of the ban, and that what happened in the city of Lyon was a consoling gesture in coordination with Churches, on the occasion of the so-called "Annunciation", as part of a broader initiative launched by the Conference of the Bishops of France, which was only set in solidarity with the current circumstances, and which consisted in ringing the bells of all the churches of the country simultaneously for 10 minutes.

Graves desecration is pure revenge policy by Assad Intelligence

Zaman Al Wasl — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 14:01:03 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Latest leaked videos showing Bashar al-Assad's soldiers taunting the bones of the dead, digging up graves, and violating the sanctity of mosques, after gaining control over several villages in the southern and eastern Idlib countryside. The videos raised a number of questions about the purpose of leaking them.

Occasionally, the regime leaks videos of its forces, showing their bloodshed and brutality, in an attempt to convey a clear message: that through these monsters who would burn the earth for him, he has the Syrians under his thumb.

Assad forces dig up graves of revolution commanders

The heinous acts that the Syrians watched over the past two days, made the majority of them, both loyalists and opposition, question the extent of brutality that the regime has ingrained in its soldiers, who, thinking it some sort of twisted heroism, killed about a million Syrians and caused the displacement of 12 million.

The Syrians do not know how they could continue to live with such monsters, in a land where even the dead cannot escape their savagery. How are the living going to survive the detentions, the torture, and the horrific scenes they bear witness to just because they have insulted the "divine ego" of Bashar al-Assad?

In one of the videos, Samer Halloum, known as “The Bald”, chanted from the pulpit of the violated mosque for al-Assad as if he were a god, showing the extent of the blind faith these soldiers have in their “master”, even at the expense of their brothers, neighbors and humanity.

What Syria has reached today is because of the army, who surrounded cities, stormed towns and demolished homes with no mercy or remorse, just so Bashar remains in office.

Pro-regime activists disappointed of Putin visit

Zaman Al Wasl — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 16:42:17 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- As the domestic gas crisis mounts in Syria, pro-regime activists have expressed disappointment following a visit by the Russian President Vladimir Putin to Damascus where he met with officials including Bashar al-Assad in a military base, according to Kremlin statement.

Far from the regime’s media coverage, most of Syrians have been waiting for so long in vain to acquire even one gas cylinder.

Putin, whose country holds one of the world's largest gas reserves, should not be unable to supply Syria to end or even alleviate the crisis.

Assad's loyalists must have felt a great deal of bitterness, since no Russian gas reached the Damascus ally at the the time the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Putin launch the TurkStream natural gas pipeline project in Istanbul.

For pro-regime activists, tem, Russia does not attach any importance to Syria, and that the talks about the reconstruction reported seem rather laughable. It is, indeed, hard to believe that Russia would help in a reconstruction plan that will cost hundreds of billions, and which is supposed to pull the country out of the swamp of ruin.

Palestinians who feel sad for Soleimani's death, check these photos

Zaman Al Wasl- Fathi Bayoud — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 12:41:02 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- A decent number of Palestinian people and elites consider the likes of Bashar Al-Assad and slain Iranian General Qassem Soleimani as the saviors of the Israeli occupation and the salvation way to their return to the Holy Land.

No matter the arguments or facts, they seem to be unaware that the so-called Axis of Resistance are but cunning dealers of the Palestinian cause, with empty promises of liberation.

An introduction to an article published years ago by Zaman Al-Wasl, says, “Any Palestinian living in Syria, or even passing through it, is never safe from the hell of the Assad regime, whether during Hafez’s or Bashar’s reign. Indeed, the regime has placed the Palestinians as the focus of repression and torture from the early days of the Syrian revolution. Anyone who does not stand with the regime is considered a traitorous agent who should be killed, even if they chose to not interfere and stay neutral as refugees or ‘guests’.”

In that article, we published pictures of Palestinians who were killed in the Damascus “Palestine branch” under torture... The map of their homeland that was tattooed on their bodies out of love and loyalty, identified them as Palestinians in the pictures leaked by “Caesar”.

According to Action Group for Palestinians of Syria, since 2011, Al-Assad has killed more than 616 Palestinian refugees under torture in his prisons, with Tehran’s and Soleimani’s knowledge and watch.

AGPS statistics indicate that 1,780 Palestinian refugees have been secretly held behind Syria’s prison bars, among them 109 women and girls along with dozens of minors.

Any supporters of al-Assad and those who are grieving Soleimani should have a look at the photos of their fallen brothers who were killed in the prisons of the Axis of Resistance.

Soleimani, the former leader of Quds Force and all Shiite militias in Syria, was killed on Friday in a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad's airport along with top Shiite militants.

By Editor-in-Chief

Tahrir al-Sham releases Zaman al-Wasl reporter in Aleppo

Zaman Al Wasl — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 16:11:00 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Militant Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group has freed Zaman al-Wasl reporter in northern Aleppo province after a week of arbitrary arrest.

Members of the former Syrian offshoot of al-Qaeda arrested Juma'a Haj Hamdo from his house last Wednesday in the western countryside of Aleppo and took him to an unknown destination.

Fathi Ibrahim Bayoud, the editor-in-chief of Zaman al-Wasl assured that Hamdo was arrested over his covering for the suffering of people in HTS-held areas.

Al-Hamdo's arrest is a new attempt by those who seek to silence free speech and revolutionary journalism, he added.

For over 15 years, Juma'a has been working as a reporter and photojournalist, seven of it he has been covering the war and people's suffering for Zaman al-Wasl.

He was detained in 2011 by the regime security for his pro-revolution media activities.

Like ISIS (Daesh), Tahrir al-Sham wants to create an Islamic state of its own, according to the Independent. That dream makes the whole region under its control in northwestern Syria a ground for mounting violations and abuses.

The formerly-known Jabhat al-Nusra has detained and killed most of its opponents including citizen journalists and human rights advocates.

Raed al-Fares and Hamoud Junaid, two Syrian pro-democracy activists and citizen journalists, were shot dead Friday by Tahrir al-Sham last November in the village of Kafrabel in northern Idlib province.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), since May 2018, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has detained at least two journalists in northwestern Syria.

Iyad Al Hussein: former state TV reporter praises Assad atrocities from Germany

Zaman Al Wasl — Sat, 08 Jun 2019 04:32:39 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Supporters of the Syrian regime are racing to conceal their inhuman practices against Syrian refugees, especially since some of them have been born and raised in this opportunistic environment.

Iyad Al-Hussein, the state-run Al-Ekhbariya TV reporter, is one of them.

According to activists, Al-Hussein, 37, used to document the massacres and slaughters carried out by the regime's army before becoming a reporter for Russia Today in Berlin. Several pictures were published of Hussein wearing military uniforms in several areas like Al-Kasab, Tal A’our, Al Mustaqimah, Farikah, Sokkariyeh, Palmyra, Alia, Rabia, Kesab, Kafr Dalba, Al Nuba, Jisr Al-Shughour, Salma, and al-Qasatel.

The journalist, from Latakia countryside, used sectarian racial language to call for continued violence and murder in many of his publications, including a post in which he addressed the regime's army saying, "Sheath your weapons in their hearts - Syrian army, for you all the love." Activists circulated a post in which the journalist ridiculed the words of the American president, who called on the Syrian regime to not to attack Idlib with the Russians and the Iranians.

Activists also shared videos of Al-Hussein stomping on the bodies of fighters from the opposition factions and elements of the "state" in Tadmur and the Kenseba in rural Latakia.

In a short period of time, and before joining the ranks of the regime forces as a war correspondent in 2014, Al Hussein became one of the most active members of the regime through social networking sites with a writing style that is borderline insulting, verbal abuse, and verbal exaggerations in his praises to the army of the regime and its allied militias, which gained him widespread popularity among the loyalists.

Activist Khaled Bahaa al-Din pointed out that Al-Hussein was favored by Assad’s army, especially the Desert Hawks Brigade, and was one of the first journalists entering the areas under their control. He accompanied the army, as our source says, in most of its battles and to most Syrian areas, also accompanying notorious Maj. General Suhail al-Hassan, dubbed: The Tiger, and the Shiite militias fighting alongside the forces of the regime.

Our source added that news on Al Hussein was absent from the media for a year to later discover that he is in Germany, where he works as a correspondent for Russia Today. He admitted his new position through his page, posting a picture of him at the headquarters of the channel.

Al-Hussein was known for his loyalty to Russian, posting, last year, on his page that, "Were it not for Moscow’s intervention, the regime’s supporters would have stayed in the refugee camps," condemning loyalists who demanded that Russia bombards Israel in retaliation for the shooting down of a Russian military aircraft and the deaths of all its crew (14 people). Our correspondent said that the appointment of Al Hussein in the channel, a known supporter of the regime, was a tribute for his previous work, improving the image of the Russian occupier and distorting that of the refugees, conveying to his media colleagues that they are not forgotten and that they will be rewarded.

In a report, the German newspaper Bild accused its countries’ authorities of ignoring reports on the possibility that war criminals might be among asylum seekers. It based its report on the response of the German Interior Ministry to the briefing request by parliamentarians of the Free Democratic Party, indicating that the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees brought to the public prosecution around 5000 communications, between 2014 and early 2019, on the existence of acts criminalized by international law, as well as about 2,000 communications from other parties.

The report found that the prosecution investigated only 129 of these reports, and at the height of the flow of refugees between 2015 and 2016 submitted about 3800 communications against perpetrators of these crimes, the judiciary investigating only 28 of them.

Former female detainee brutally beaten in Turkey after revealing rape memos in Assad prisons

Zaman Al Wasl — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 19:25:00 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Aida al-Haj Yousuf, former Syrian detainee, was severely beaten by unknown attackers in the Turkish city of Gaziantep on Tuesday, following torture and rape memos published by Zaman al-Wasl.

Yousuf, who has been released, as part of prisoner exchange, is living with her children in Gaziantep, in order to escape death.

She was the victim of a surprise attack by three men who had aggressed and beaten her in front of the passersby. Then, they escaped before being identified.

Aida reveals more torture memos

Former female detainee tells stories of rape, torture in security chambers

Aida filed a complaint to the Turkish police, where she underwent a medical examination.

The attack on this former Syrian detainee, who had escaped death in the Assad detention centers to tell the world about her suffering under the hands of the executioners in Assad's prisons, was not the only one.

One day earlier, the correspondent of Zaman al-Wasl, (A.M) was stabbed and beaten by unknown assailants in Istanbul, the metropolitan city, after only few days from arriving from one of the besieged areas of Syria.

It seems that the attacks on return in Gaziantep and (A.M) in Istanbul, are linked because the latter is the editor responsible of the editing of the materials of the series "Syrian women in Assad prisons" which reveals the episodes of the violations committed by the Assad regime, on the Syrian detainees.

The attacks came after the publication of two episodes of the series "Syrians in the prisons of Assad". Aida has first told us of her own suffering, and then she told us about the tragedy of the other women detainee.

While Zaman Al-Wasl is calling for protection for the colleague correspondent and former detainee, who are both still living in Turkey, it insists on continuing to publish the series, which reveals the torture, the violations, in the prisons of Assad, those who ever entered is missing, and who ever get to be miraculous escaped from is considered a reborn.

Zaman al-Wasl calls on human rights organizations in Turkey and of the rest of the world, and especially the ones dedicated in the women's rights activism, to take up the responsibility of defending these women's rights.

Editor-in-Chief

Fathi Ibrahim Bayoud Al Tamimi

Names of 8000 detainees tortured to death will be published on Sunday eve: lists

Editor-in-chief — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 06:43:17 +0300

Zaman al-Wasl will publish on Sunday lists including 8000 detainees tortured to death in the Syrian regime security chambers.

The lists included names of tens of women and children.

Death certificates have been sweeping the registry offices. Most of the detainees were tortured to death by the Assad regime.

At least 1000 detainees from Darayya, the western suburb of Damascus, were tortured to death in the Syrian security chambers, according to local activists who affirmed that the Intelligence Services had delivered the list of dead detainees to the civil registry office in the town.

"
The file of torture victims be will Zaman al-Wasl's main priority.

"
Editor-in-chief

Sources assured that the Assad regime has been issuing death certificates for detainees tortured to death.

The 'Coordination of the Darayya People in the Diaspora' said on Friday that 68 death certificates were issued for prisoners tortured to death, included seven execuation cases in the Saydnaya military prison on 15-1-2013.

The Coordination has also documented names of 2809 detainees and 122 disappeared.

Activists and families are expected a new death list as about 3400 people were arrested from Darayya since the early days of the Syrian revolution and during the battle of Darayya between November 2012 and February 2013.

In August 2012, the regime forces backed by allied militias defeated the rebel forces and took control of the town. About 500 people were found executed by the regime in the bloody offensive.

According to the Syrian Network for hUman Rights, 81,652 Syrian citizens were forcibly disappeared at the hands of the Syrian regime alone between March 2011 and June 2018, while around 13,066 victims died due to torture at the Syrian regime’s official and non-official prisons in the same period of time.

Zaman al-Wasl and The Gathering of Free Syrian Advocates have obtained names of 145 detainees were tortured to death as the regime ordered the civil registry office in Hama province to issue death certificates for the detainees which ignore the reason of death.

The same order took place in Hasaka for 600 detainees who also died of torture.

The advocate group has submitted the list to the United Nations, saying the regime security centers are a place for a genocide and ethnic cleansing.

Mohamed Nour Hmaidi, head of the Syrian Justice Gathering and the former head of Public Prosecution in Idlib province, said the regime is seeking to conceal its crimes backed by Iran and Russia as Assad thinks the war is over.

The death certificates were part of the post-war plans, Hamaidi said as about 600,000 Syrian are believed to be behind the bars.

The U.N. said in its reports over Syrian detainees that the scale of deaths in prisons indicated that the Assad regime was responsible for “extermination as a crime against humanity”.

In mid 2013, a team of war crimes prosecutors and forensic experts, had analyzed 55 thousand digital photos taken and provided by a Syrian defector codenamed "Caesar," who, along with his family, is now living outside Syria in an undisclosed location, according to CNN.

The team members shared their findings in a joint exclusive with CNN's "Amanpour" and The Guardian newspaper on January 20, 2014.

Amnesty accused the Syrian regime of carrying out a "policy of extermination", repeatedly torturing detainees and withholding food, water, and medical care.

Prisoners were also raped or forced to rape each other, and guards would feed detainees by tossing meals on to the cell floor, which was often covered in dirt and blood, the report said.

Amnesty has previously said that more than 17,700 people were estimated to have died in regime custody across Syria since the country's conflict erupted in 2011.

Syria is not a member of the International Criminal Court. The only way the court could prosecute someone from Syria would be through a referral from the United Nations Security Council.

Fathi Ibrahim Bayoud al-Tamim

Editor-in-Chief

Displacement has same bitterness, never changed

Zaman Al Wasl — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 11:14:00 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Displacement is still a tough, unchecked mesery, whether it is against the people of Daraa and Eastern Ghouta suburbs, one of Syria’s main Sunni strongholds, or against the only two Shiite villages of al-Foua and Kefraya in Idlib province.

Being bussed out of their land to regime-held areas was such an image that Bashar al-Assad seeks to say that Syrian revolution was behind the evacuation and it is not the outcome of his brutal war in the last seven years.

Even if the blockade was imposed by hardline rebels, even if there is a pretext saying they were a pro-regime stronghold supplies Assad forces with militants.

To be rational, most of the pro-regime evacuees were not 'murderers' or have been involved in bloodshed.

I am aware that I will be subjected to plenty of blame regarding my statement "No to Forced Displacement in al-Foua and Kefraya ,” but the very coming events will assure that the evacuation will be invested by the regime in a dirty way.

Every Syrian must understand that the revolution is not against him. We are not against his beliefs, his values. We are against tyranny, injustice and torturing people to death.

We are against the tyranny of Assad who claims that he is ‘the Ambassador of Allah’.

Editor-in-chief

Media outlets post materials from Zaman Al Wasl without attribution: editor-in-chief

Zaman Al Wasl — Sat, 05 May 2018 12:45:15 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- For the past seven years, several of media outlets have been lifting material directly from Zaman Alwsl without attributing the information to our news site, especially reports related to the leaked ISIS data, Iran bases and the most recently the ISIS oil business with giant Cement group LafargeHolcim.

Ignoring the rules of attribution is a move lacks to journalism ethics and a plagiarism issue.

Efforts and risks that have been made and taken by our network of local reporters and sources should be recognized not being ‘stolen’.

Editor-in-Chief

Highlights over Syria's wanted-list leak: Editor-in-Chief

Zaman Al Wasl — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 11:08:00 +0300

Zaman Al Wasl launched a huge search engine including big official data and names of 1,500,000 people wanted for the Syrian regime, including warrants of arrest, interrogation and travel ban.

We want to highlight that the huge leak was due our Damascus-based sources who share Zaman al-Wasl the same concerns over the forcibly disappeared and detainees. Zaman al-Wasl is a very grateful for all help by the sources for saving lives of thousands of people whom did not know they were wanted for arrest.

The first batch is including 500,000 names as the second batch to be published on March 20 and the third on March 25. The first enormous search engine in Syria is also including names of 250,000 women.

Zaman al-Wasl, also, will launch a mobile app including names of 2.5 million people wanted for regime. Including names of who are wanted for conscription.

The search is highly confidential and can not be seen by any search engine operator. We use (HTTP) for secure communication which is encrypted by Transport Layer Security (TLS).

The Regime does not update the data of people on the list. Thousadns of them have been tortured to death in security chambers. Few were released.

Search Here for your name, perhaps your are on the Syrian regime's wanted list

Zaman al-Wasl seeks to shed the light on the fate of the Syrian disappeared and victims of arbitrarily arrest as well as the search engine aims to provide data and information for the local and international human rights organisations and civil rights advocates.

Syrians in the refuge countries can have a look in the data to find out if they are listed or any of their relatives.

The engine was programmed to launch on March 15, at the seventh anniversary of the Syrian Revolution.

In 2015, Zaman al-Wasl has obtained the Syrian intelligence archive that includes 1.7 million documents.

The leaked archive contains records from the beginning of 2015 includes people from more than 150 nations not just Syrians. It dates back to the 1960s.

The iron rule of the Assad family, including father and son, made maintaining security services a top priority in order to watch Syrians and foreigners alike, according to NDR.

More than 470,000 people have been killed and 12 millions have been driven from their homes since Syria's revolution erupted in 2011.

The Revolution continues.. Mercy for martyrs and freedom for detainees.

Editor-in-Chief

Half million Syrians required by court for conscription, reservist service: List

Assad's oppression in numbers, 524416 arrest warrants

Half million Syrians wanted for conscription: data

Zaman Al Wasl to publish names of 1,500,000 people wanted for Assad regime

Zaman Al Wasl — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 18:29:00 +0300

Zaman Al Wasl will launch a huge search engine including data and names of 1,500,000 people wanted for the Syrian regime, including warrants of arrest, interrogation and travel ban.

Syria’s first enormous search engine is also including names of 250,000 women.

Syrians in the refuge countries can have a look in the data to find out if they are listed or any of their relatives.

The engin will be launched on March 15, at the seventh anniversary of the Syrian Revolution. The names will be published in three parts.

In 2015, Zaman al-Wasl has obtained the Syrian intelligence archive that includes 1.7 million documents.

The leaked archive contains records from the beginning of 2015 includes people from more than 150 nations not just Syrians. It dates back to the 1960s.

The iron rule of the Assad family, including father and son, made maintaining security services a top priority in order to watch Syrians and foreigners alike, according to NDR.

More than 470,000 people have been killed and 12 millions have been driven from their homes since Syria's revolution erupted in 2011.

Fathi Ibrahim Bayoud

Editor-in-chief

Half million Syrians required by court for conscription, reservist service: List

Assad's oppression in numbers, 524416 arrest warrants

Syrian People still have same demand: 'We Want To Overthrow Assad'

Zaman A Wasl — Thu, 23 Nov 2017 03:10:27 +0300

By Editor-in-Chief

(Zaman Al Wasl)- One of the most tragic facts that the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad will stay in power.

One of the most brutal rulers in history who has killed half million Syrians and displaced 11 millions more will not survive accountability even if all bloods and efforts to oust him have failed. Even if the international and regional powers push to keep Assad and his totalitarian regime.

The Syrian people will continue their revolution to seize their freedom and dignity from the claws of the war criminals who pounded their own people with chemical weapons and Banned cluster bombs.

Meanwhile, the Russian President Vladimir Putin is mobilizing support for his post-war agenda in Syria before the Sochi Peace Congress in the Black Sea resort city. Such a move sparks the fears of Syrian people.

Assad’s warm visit to Putin and the sickening hug between the sincere allies in Sochi on Monday was telling a nightmare for Syrians: 'Assad is saying'.

Assad said at a videotaped meeting with Putin’s top generals he had passed to Putin (Syrians) greetings and gratitude for all of the efforts that Russia made to save Syria. Assad wanted to tell Putin that ‘mission is accomplished. Thank you, because of you I still the president. No matter what the cost is. I still the president.’

Putin’s major diplomatic push to end the Syrian war in Sochi congress will not end the Syrian revolution to oust the Assad regime.

The opposition figures who bravely defied the regional and the International pressure to Accept Assad in the transitional period will continue their peaceful fight to oust him sooner or later. They will stick to their demand that Assad must leave power.

The stricken people will not accept Putin’s framework for the future of Syria. His planned elections under United Nations supervision will bring Assad again to power.

It's been seven years since Daraa’s boys engraved on their school walls ‘The People Want To Overthrow The Regime’. This demand is still our priority, even if it will take seven more years of struggle.

Qatar funded ISIS data leaks, torture photos investigation: How Qatar fights terrorism

Thu, 08 Jun 2017 11:04:57 +0300

By Editor-In-Chief

(Zaman Al Wasl)- As media war escalates against state of Qatar, Zaman al-Wasl should express gratitude to the key Gulf Arab state for disclosing the Islamic State’s data as well revealing thousands of documents tracking the inner circles of the Syrian security and war criminals.

The leaked data of ISIS fighters in December 2015 that had been published by Zaman al-Wasl was in association with Qatar state as well when the Syria’s leading news site had obtained 1.7 mn documents shedding the light on Bashar al-Assad’s intelligence and criminal archive was also supported by Qatar.

The leaked archive includes records by the beginning of 2015 of people from more than 150 nations, as well it includes 524,416 arrest orders, (10,220 warrants against Gulf Arab State's citizens.)

The archive dates back to the 1960s. The list of German, French and British nationals is also available to the NDR's Investigative Department. In addition to diplomats, military or ordinary students, they also include Middle Eastern correspondents from international media from the US and Europe.

The country, which has been accused by Saudi Arabia and UAE of sheltering and backing terrorist groups, is sheltering and backing only the people who seek their freedom. It happened with the Iraqi people against the U.S. invasion in 2003 and it happened with the Egyptian people in their revolution against Hosni Mubarak in January 25, 2011. Also, it's still happening with the Syrian people since the revolution erupted in March 2011. Qatar sheltered the Syrian opposition and held the founding meeting of the National Coalition in 2012.

In mid 2013, Qatar funded a team of international war crimes prosecutors and forensic experts who analyzed 55 thousand digital photos taken and provided by a Syrian defector codenamed "Caesar," and shared their findings in a joint exclusive with CNN's "Amanpour" and The Guardian newspaper on January 20, 2014.

Sir Desmond de Silva, the former chief prosecutor of Sierra Leone special court, in interview with CNN, likened the images to those of Holocaust survivors and Nazi death camps after World War II."

Last Monday, Qatar regretted the decision to cut relations with Doha by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Yemen, saying the move was “unjustified” and was based on “claims and groundless allegations”, according to Anadolu agency.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry said the measure aimed to “impose guardianship on the country, which is a violation of its sovereignty, something which totally rejected”.

The new escalation came two weeks after the website of Qatar’s official news agency was allegedly hacked by unknown individuals who reportedly published statements falsely attributed to its emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani.

#خرق_النواة

#على_قوائم_الأسد

Zaman Al Wasl obtains full data of Syrian military pilots

Mon, 08 May 2017 02:07:34 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Zaman al-Wasl has obtained the names, ranks and workplaces of the Syrian Air Force officers who operate in 14 military airfields throughout the war-torn country.

The lists include the names, ranks and workplaces of some 400 officers, who make up the vast majority of pilots, many of whom have committed war crimes against Syrians and most of them are commanders in the air force of regime army.

The air force was a crucial factor in the regime's declared war on the rebellious areas, where human rights reports confirmed that most of the victims had died by air force, both helicopters and jet fighters.

Data of Assad's Pilot who Conducted Khan Sheikhoun Chemical Attack

Despite the collapse of a large proportion of the air force in the regime by Syrian resistance downing of warplanes and the coordination of many of them, in addition to the defection of a group of pilots, but air force is still for the seventh year bombing heavily residential neighborhoods and vital centers to put an end to the lives of tens of thousands of of civilians, according to human rights reports of Syrian and international organizations.

This comes at a time wheres the international community, including the "friends of the Syrian people", has been ignoring the establishment of safe zones from the Assad warplanes, or supplying the Syrian resistance with anti-aircraft on the pretext of fear of reaching "wrong hands".

The Russians have killed more than 5,200 civilians since entering the battlefield in defense of Assad on 30 September 2015, according to report of Syrian Network for Human Rights.

In this context, Zaman al-Wasl publishes the names of the officers, most of them have committed massacres in different Syrian regions since the beginning of the Syrian revolution, putting in the hands of human rights organizations information that could serve to identify the perpetrators of war crimes witnessed by the Syrian revolution during the six years. In particular, the air force was the most frequently used in the massacres of missiles and ammunition, including internationally prohibited, such as phosphorous, cluster bombs and napalm, as well as chemical weapons used by the regime a lot, especially in the massacres of Ghouta and Khan Shekhoun.

The anniversary of Homs Uprising

Wed, 19 Apr 2017 14:18:40 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- The dawn of April 19, 2011 witnessed one of the first massacres of the Syrian revolution. On that day, regime intelligence forces opened fire on the first sit-in in the Syrian revolution in Freedom Square in Homs.

That massacre is now but one in a series of massacres committed by the regime since the start of the revolution. The suffering of the people of Homs continues as they are forcefully displacement from their homes and land. The displacement comes under coercive agreements concluded by enemies and so called friends.

Just a few kilometers from the location of the famous sit-in, al-Waer neighborhood’s residents are being forced to leave their neighborhood and city and head to northern Syria. They board the infamous green buses with the regime and its allies charting their course to the north.

Neither the victims of the regime’s brutality nor their families ever imagined that their sacrifices would culminate in agreements that led to their displacement and uprooting from their land. The agreements though come as testament to the regime’s policies of sacrificing those who oppose it and support it to keep al-Assad on his throne.

On that day in Freedom Square, the demonstrators were killed by intelligence forces bullets or tortured to death in regime detention centers. Syrians and the people of Homs still speak of the horrors of that day’s events when hundreds of young men were taken and the fate of many remain unknown six years since the sit-in.

In an interview with Zaman al-Wasl, a dissident intelligence officer of the political intelligence in Hama spoke about the massacre. He said that orders came that day for the intelligence forces to prepare to go Homs. After midnight, they made their way to the center of Homs where tens of thousands of demonstrators were gathered.

He said the intelligence officers began by trying to end the sit-in by negotiating with some local clerics. The officers threatened and intimidated the demonstrators by shooting in the air so that some of the demonstrators, mostly women, left the square.

Even as the negotiations with the clerics were ongoing, the security forces opened fire on the demonstrators. They then chased the fleeing demonstrators through Homs’ the streets shooting at them as they ran.

The officer estimated that between 600-1,000 people were killed that day. To that number, we must add the greater number of those detained and injured who died later or whose fate remains unknown.

The intelligence officer added that the most horrific scene was at dawn when the security forces and Shabeha (regime thugs) gathered the bodies of those killed in the Square and transported them using pick-up trucks. They removed the bodies for the fire brigade to clean the signs of the crime.

To the officer’s testimony, activists add the testimony of a dissident soldier who participated in the massacre, but later managed to escape to Lebanon. In Lebanon, he gave his testimony of the events of the Clock Sit-in massacre to Human Rights Watch saying that “dozens of people were killed” that day.

The same soldier said in a television interview that the regime forces killed between 200-300 people. He estimated that the entire first and second row of protestors died as they fell when the shooting began.

Activists point out that the security forces used a bulldozer to move the martyred and wounded from the square after the massacre. They argue that the intelligence forces preparedness shows that the regime intended to commit a massacre that night to end the sit-in by force.

To commemorate the events of the sit-in, activists launched the “Immortal Sit-in” on social media networks in memory of the first sit-in in the Syrian revolution. They also published a summary of the most important events of the sit-in using videos filmed at the time.

The anniversary of the Clock Sit-in in Homs comes as a reminder of how the Syrian revolution started and of its peacefulness in the face of a brutal and violent totalitarian dictatorship.

Syrian Revolution still encircled by death and brutality

Thu, 16 Mar 2017 12:48:40 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- The Syrian revolution has broken many records when considering the record that this the revolutions of the Arab Spring. Syria, unlike other Arab Spring countries, holds the record for the highest number of detainees killed by the regime intelligence and its mercenaries.

Detainees were not only tortured to death in detention centers, but also civilian institutions such as hospitals, schools and governmental directorates. These spaces were transformed into headquarters to execute innocent civilians based on the regime’s need and whim.

The regime’s brutality is well documented in many reports published by Zaman al-Wasl, but beyond our media outlet are the 55,000 images leaked by Cesare for over 11,000 victims who died under torture. These 55,000 images emerged from one branch alone, the 215 Intelligence Branch. Recently, a new Cesare arrived in Holland with 28,000 other images of victims of regime intelligence torture. The new Cesare wants to deliver those images to the International Justice Court in La Hage to add to the case against the regime. His ambition raises the hope that active states, associations, and rights organizations across the world will act beyond writing reports and issuing statistics.

Syrians and those interested in the Syrian revolution have memorized the statistics and numbers anyway. Numbers about the hundreds of thousands of killed, the millions of injured and disabled, and the millions of refugees and internally displaced whose numbers continue to rise. The latest victims of forced migrations are a testament to the non-static nature of statistics and numbers about Syria.

These latest additions to international and regional statistics are the tens of thousands forcefully displaced from iconic and revolutionary Syrian towns. They migrated after they were forced to sign deals under Russian, and at time Iranian, sponsorship or under the pressure of siege. The regime and its allies appreciate these statistics as representing the success of their attempt to change Syria’s demography.

Despite the variety of weapons used by the al-Assad regime, siege and starving civilians were key weapons that enabled the regime with the help of its allies and the disregard of the international community and the UN organizations to defeat many areas that were outside of its control.

In the year 2016, Syria witnessed once again a season of migration to the north in the auspicious green buses. Thousands of new internally displaced persons arrived in Idlib from towns south of Idlib, from Aleppo’s eastern neighborhoods, and from towns and cities in Damascus Suburbs. Their arrival signaled new future scenarios for the green province, as it is known in Syria, as it became the headquarters for everyone refusing to “reconcile” with the al-Assad regime.

The Assad and Russia's warplanes use the active presence of factions included on the international terror list as grounds to perpetrate more massacres in the province. The most recent massacre was on February 15, 2016, when Russian warplanes killed 11 civilians while sponsoring the ceasefire that is being discussed in Astana, Kazakhstan. The most notable change from previous years is the active Russian participation in crimes against Syrians following the lead of its Iranian ally.

The images of the green buses carrying hundreds of civilians forced to leave their homes would not have passed before the eyes the Syrian people if not for the international community supporting the al-Assad regime. The support is not declared but appears in the international community’s disregard for regime actions and its supposed friendship with the Syrian people.

To return to the number game, we mention that the al-Assad forces used chemical weapons to kill over one thousand civilians in the Eastern and Western al-Ghouta in Damascus Suburbs. The regime exterminated entire families in the attacks, and the international response to the crime was an American-Russian deal for the regime to hand over its chemical weapons. Not only was the regime not punished, but the regime as the perpetrator of this heinous crime was brought into question to the point the question of who perpetrated the crimes was debated and discussed in various meetings.

In addition to the famous chemical massacres, the al-Assad forces and its sectarian allies committed hundreds of massacres killing thousands of Syrian civilians across the geography of the revolution. They used all weapons imaginable in these massacres including knives and blades. Thousands of innocent lives were lost in aerial bombardment, explosive barrel bombs, and the regime use of internationally banned cluster bombs. The regime’s use of these various weapons, including chemical weapons, was recording in international organization’s reports including United Nations reports.

Other than the material weapons the regime used against civilians, the regime forces relied on other weapons such as the arbitrary arrest of hundreds of thousands of civilians where the fate of many of those detained remains unknown. Other than detention, the regime resorts to torturing and starving those detained as recorded in international human rights reports. Amnesty International published a report about the regime killing over 13,000 detainees in Sadnaya prison alone since the start of the Syrian revolution; how many other detentions are there like or even worse than Sadnaya? How many thousands of political detainees other than the ‘disappeared’?

The regime unlike other regimes of the countries of the Arab Spring did not stop at using these weapons despite their physically and psychologically destructive effects. The regime relied on using the strategy developed by Hafez al-Assad and used against the Syrian people, terrorism. The regime was the main contributor in inventing the Islamic State to destroy the revolution and distract the international community from the regime crimes. The Islamic State’s crimes and terrorism became the focus for “fighting terrorism” to take precedence over getting rid of the regime which killed, displaced and detained over half the Syrian people.

Al-Assad may have succeeded temporarily in recycling the regime with Russian and Iranian support and American and Gulf disarray, but many of the indicators highlight that the phase after the end of the Islamic State will bring changes that may touch upon the al-Assad regime. The coming phase hints that the regime’s role set out in agreements between the two major players may come to an end achieving part of the aims of the revolution. However, through the revolution, the Syrian people revealed much of the pretenses of international relations and humanitarian values other than the implicit blessings for the sectarian forces of resistance and prevention.

The Syrian revolution shamed the regime which is now an embarrassment for other dictatorships across the world through its claims of sovereignty.

The regime’s claims fall hollow as it sells land and subterranean resources to foreign allies while warplanes of all types and nationalities fill the sky above Syria.

The revolution has struggled due to many associations which diverged from their original paths, due to conspirators among their enemies and within them. However, the revolution will overcome these stumbling blocks and succeed in ending the hereditary rule of the al-Assad family, and Syria’s silence in the face of all these harsh numbers especially in the revolution’s sixth year.

Syrian Intelligence leaks available for all media, journalists: Zaman Al Wasl

Sat, 11 Mar 2017 03:57:46 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Zaman al-Wasl's deputy editor in-chief revealed to German Deutsche Welle (DW) channel that 88% of the arrest warrants issued by the al-Assad intelligence forces against foreign journalists were issued with the start of the Syrian revolution.

The regime mandated the Military Intelligence Branch the task of issuing these warrants which given the branch’s track record represent execution orders.

Speaking during the ‘Evening Program’ on German television on Thursday, he asserted that Zaman al-Wasl has fought over the past few years to pave the way for justice by revealing the regime oppression in Syria.

Related:

500 Germans on Assad intelligence records since 1960s: NDR

The massive intelligence file, which contains over 1.7 million arrest warrants, generated much debate recently in Germany and Europe. However, the file is but one of several files which Zaman al-Wasl has published. Zaman al-Wasl published a report drawing on that file on 29 September 2015 on the tenth anniversary of the newspaper’s founding.

Abdul Haq pointed out that the newspaper is open to any media institutions that wish to collaborate and obtain information about the al-Assad intelligence archive as this will help to reveal the truth about the regime to the world.

In the television interview with German DW, Abdul Haq clarified that Zaman al-Wasl had published ten exclusive reports drawing on the intelligence archive placing this material in the hands of audiences, other media outlets and organizations. The newspaper published these reports in Arabic and English raising the question of why the belated interest in these files by western media outlets.

During the interview, Abdul Haq mentioned some of the statistics that Zaman al-Wasl had published previously including the number of warrants issued against non-Syrian citizens which are around 210,000 warrants. German nationals occupy eighth place, among non-Arab and non-Syrians nationals, in terms of intelligence warrants issued against German citizens in Syria.

He explained that 697 arrest warrants were issued for German citizens, and 153 warrants for other people including American, British and French nationals. There is even an arrest warrant for someone holding Vatican citizenship where the Vatican has indisputable religious symbolism.

Of these warrants 197, 88%, were issued against journalists after the start of the Syrian revolution. The warrants were issued by the Military Intelligence Branch which has the highest level of violations were 55,000 violations were documented by the dissident military photographer Ceaser.

Abdul Haq explained that given the Branch’s track record, these warrants were death warrants for these journalists and serve as a warning to any journalist who might try to enter Syria to communicate what is happening.

Of the 1.7 million warrants obtained by Zaman al-Wasl, 578,000 are from the Military Intelligence Branch alone. The number of arrest warrants issued by intelligence apparatus in Syria is 524,000 of this 276,000 were issued by the Military Intelligence (i.e. 53% of the warrants issued), so the Military Intelligence is responsible for half of the regime’s the oppressive actions.

The intelligence apparatus in Syria includes the Air Force Intelligence branches, Political Intelligence branches, the General Intelligence, the Ministries of Interior, Defense and Justice, among other institutions used to terrorize Syrians.

Assad's stay in transitional period 'matter-of-fact': opposition deputy

Sun, 10 Jul 2016 17:38:44 +0300

Writing by Fathi Bayoud and Abdullah al-Ghadawi

(Zaman Al Wasl)- The ripple effects of Hasan Abdel Azim’s, the chairman of the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change (NCB), statement last month have not ended. In the statement he said clearly, “that al-Assad’s leaving before the transitional phase is an impossible condition,” and the coordination between the NCB and the Democratic Forum (the active body in the national coalition) led to a new turn in the political movement between the opposition forces.

According to reliable sources obtained by Zaman al-Wasl, on June 30 2016, 5 days after Hasan Abdel Azim’s interview with Zaman al-Wasl, in the German capital Berlin, NCB member John Nasta (holds German citizenship) met with the Deputy Coalition Chairman Mouaffaq Nyrabia in his house to raise the level of coordination and understanding between the NCB and the Democratic Forum as Nyrabia is considered one of its most prominent members.

Interview: Assad's ouster is 'crippling condition' top opposition figure says

The meeting focused on discussing placing the committees agreed upon between the sides in Brussels, forming a joint high committee that balances the size of the High Committee for Negotiation, as both sides see the Negotiation Committee is only a technical device for executing the will of the active political forces within it. As such it is necessary to form a solid political front that works to modify this committee, increase its members, expand the circle of negotiators for both sides to have a deep role, and define the committee’s authority. Especially as they see the role of the committee has become political under the leadership of Riyad Hijab, a figure with much agreement among Syrians… they are searching for a political entity to stop him, and they are working through a big problem entitled, “Bashar al-Assad’s role in the transitional phase.”

The signs of an understanding between the NCB and the Democratic Forum are becoming clear through the insistence of the political committee controlled by the democrats of the continuing to work in committees outlined in Brussels in June 2016, despite the divisions inside the political committee after Hasan Abdel Azim’s statement to Zaman al-Wasl that al-Assad’s leaving before the transitional phase is an impossible condition.

The surprise in Nyrabia and Nasta’s meeting was the call Hasan Abdel Azim undertook with the first when he said to him literally, “I agree with you that al-Assad’s remaining in the transitional phase is realistic and logical,” but announcing that publically may be taken advantage of by hawks amongst the Coalition and the Negotiation Committee to attack the Democratic Forum and the NCB, so it is not to our advantage at this point to announce this position, and the words are Nyrabia’s after a discussion with Nasta in an attempt to put out the fire of Abdel Azim’s statement to Zaman al-Wasl according to a source from the National Coalition.

Preparations for the Transitional Phase and Confronting the Muslim Brotherhood
Information obtained by Zaman al-Wasl indicates that alignment of the Democratic Forum and the NCB on the necessity of al-Assad remaining in the transitional phase relies on both parties wanting to have a role in this period based on their role as a balanced and effective front within the Syrian opposition, as they see it. This enables them to enter parliamentary elections (in the event of their occurrence), and justifies their presence in the transitional phase with the need to face the Islamic forces especially the Muslim Brotherhood, and scaling the role of the regime remnants. As such and before such a scene there must be a clear vision for this phase and mechanisms to deal with it, and perhaps the repeated subsequent visits between the sides in Brussels that the Democrats are leading is part of this strategy.
Where are the Hawks and the Military?

The answer to the most important question in this continued debate must be reached at the level of the General Secretariat of the Coalition, and since the Coalition suffers from a state of isolated islands, then it is necessary to direct these islands from the Muslim Brotherhood to the representative of the Local Committees, representatives of the military forces, and other members. And regarding those Mouaffaq Nyrabia referred to as hawks, has the Coalition gone from the representing the forces of the revolution to hawks and doves… and what about the Coalition President Anas al-Abdah’s stance?

It is correct that the military forces are busy with the fighting fronts, but it is the first side concerned with these details as it is blood that moves the pawns on the chessboard, as it is the first and last concerned what takes place of political attractions within the opposition forces.

-Confrontation with Saudi Arabia-

In the event the new direction of the Democratic Forum and the NCB is announced there will be wide regional ripples especially from the Gulf states particularly Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, is settled on the equation of “no to al-Assad remaining” from the first day of the start of the transitional phase.

Those two forces are putting back the Syrian crisis to the Iranian Russian square, which sees al-Assad as a crucial part of the transitional phase, as well as dealing a strong blow to the Riyadh conference which settled the issue on the basis al-Assad’s presence would not be present at all during this phase. As such this direction will cause a struggle or perhaps a confrontation with Saudi Arabia that sponsored the Riyadh conference in the presence of all the political forces… so is the Democratic Forum and the NCB themselves ready for such a confrontation with one of the countries most entrenched in the Syrian affairs.

-Will Assad remain-

Despite that Syrian decisions are not in the hands of these forces and they are not the main players in the process of the conflict, except their work in such a secretive fashion raises anxiety and questions, “who enabled these forces to issue the decisions, and what is their reference?”

If this direction is based on a national need, they why do they not come out publically and declare to Syrians this project, if they are working for Syria, and we can assume their good intentions, then let them come before the Syrian people and all the other political forces, away from the backstage and private corridors.

Al-Assad remaining is a matter of a destroyed country and a people who paid a lot over the course of the past five years, so if their intentions are honest let then be out in the open.

Hasan Abdel Azim said honestly that al-Assad going is an impossible condition, and now the Deputy Coalition Chairman Nyrabia- through what Zaman al-Wasl have found- agrees that al-Assad remaining in the transitional phase is logical and realistic. (Translation by Rana Abdul)

Corruption claims rise over relief and aid in Syria, send Zaman Al Wasl your take

Tue, 17 May 2016 21:51:00 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Billions of dollars were sent to hundreds of individuals, institutions and even government during the past years of the Syrian war without anyone revealing the total number of money of relief to the Syrian affected populations. The money which leaked to the wrong pockets.

Destroying the hopes of Syrians in obtaining the basic needs of food and medication is paving the way to topple their high needs manifested in freedom, dignity and justice.

The relief file of the Syrian crisis is considered an exceptional file for many reasons. The most prominent is the size of money and donations pumped into the relief and the number of organization working on the Syrian crisis, their types and intertwining and finally the variety and divergence of funding sources and channels.

All these factors make the file of Syrian relief a huge and complicated one to an extent that following up, supervision, and monitoring procedures seem limited. This automatically led to gaps from which administrative and financial corruption leaked and it grew with the proportion and size of money and aid directed to Syrians in the light of millions of affected.

There is not enough information of how much money reached the targeted and affected in the relief work since nobody can say the total amount of money which has gone to the wrong pockets.

In addition to that, the limitation in the management of the relief work added another pressure on Syrians who already fled war to find themselves in a difficult reality in which they live in tents that do not match the rocket money they hear about coming to rescue them in their name and for them.

The American step of freezing millions of dollars used to fund organization helping Syrian population until they verify it represents the first official procedure around the world. It also confirms the violations in the relief work after many said it is only a claim without evidence.

Zaman al-Wasl will receive any document or information related to the corruption in the relief work related to Syria because the Syrians food, education, and aid is not a cause that can be compromised.

Zaman al-Wasl promises complete confidentiality with the sources and commitment to professionalism in verifying the information received before publication.

Zaman al-Wasl by this step hopes to be able to confront those who are manipulating the basic needs for Syrians without any mercy for the affected and their needs.

Zaman al-Wasl will receive all documents and information as well as inquires related to the relief file via the email: info@zamanalwsl.net

(Translation by Rana Abdul)

Freedom Is Our ABCs: Zaman Al Wasl celebrates new decade, logo

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 04:07:11 +0300

By Editor in-chief Fathi Ibrahim Bayoud

(Zaman Al Wasl)- As Zaman Al Wasl enters its second decade, more hopes and plans are yet to be made and achieved in the electronic journalism.

Some of our main objectives are developing the investigative reporting, launching Zaman's online TV and making our newspaper available for all readers taking advantage of the digital revolution.

Our new logo, the eight-pointed star, is one of the most prestigious characteristics of our Arabic and Islamic civilization, especially in Andalusia between 8th-15th centuries. The star, which decorates the walls Granada’s Alhambra palace and many Islamic architectural artifacts, is now Zaman Al Wasl's landmark.

'Zaman Al Wasl in Andalusia' phrase was also carved on Alhambra's walls. It was a part of a well-known stanza written by Lisan ad-Din Ibn al-Khatib (1313-1374), an Arab polymath poet from the Emirate of Granada.

Our slogan has never changed and always will be 'Freedom Is Our ABCs'. Freedom Is Our Alphabet.

When Syrians went to streets in March 2011, they called for freedom. Their chant was broadly echoed in the sky before their air and ground being serried by warplanes and plumes of smoke.

Syrian Intelligence issued 4 arrest orders for late journalist Naji al Jerf: archive

Mon, 28 Dec 2015 20:36:03 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Late Syrian journalist and film maker Naji al Jerf who has been assassinated Sunday in the Turkish border city of Gaziantep with a silencer-equipped pistol was not a bitter enemy for ISIS, but also for the Syrian security services.

According to the intelligence archive obtained by Zaman al Wasl, 4 arrest orders were issued by the security services for Naji, 38-year-old, two of it were issued by the notorious 215 security branch which was planning for a tragic destiny for al Jerf as it did for 11,000 Syrian detainees who were tortured to death between (2011- 2013), and their 55,000 mass torture photos were revealed early 2014 due to an international investigation.

Zaman al Wasl offers to provide Turkish authorities with the warrants.

Al-Jerf's warrants were some of 1,700,000 leaked documents and warrants issued by Syrian regime's security services with the end of 2014, including 524,416 arrest orders against citizens from 153 states across the world.

The son of the Ismaili dominated town of Salamiyeh in the eastern countryside of Hama had always voiced opposition to the Syrian regime. His city was one of first Syrian area upraised against Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown in 2011.

Al Jerf, who laid to rest on Monday, was an outspoken critic against the radical Islamic State group, who had documented its crimes and abuses in a movie called 'Daesh of Aleppo', Daesh is an acronym used to describe ISIS in Arabic.

The father of two child girls, who his assassination took place in broad daylight in the most populous city with Syrian refugees in Turkey, was the editor in-chief of Hentah newspaper, a Syrian magazine that reports on the "daily lives of Syrian citizens", said the publication's website.

A friend of Jerf's said he had been "supposed to arrive in Paris this week after receiving, along with his family, a visa for asylum in France".

This was not the first time a Syrian opposition figure has been murdered in Turkey.

On October 29, an anti-Isis activist Ibrahim Abdul Kader and his friend Fares Hammadi had been found beheaded in Turkish city of Urfa in a suspected revenge attack by supporters of the terrorist group.
Abdul Kader was a member in Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS), a group exposing human rights abuses in Raqqa, the de facto Islamic State capital.

Commission of Inquiry on Syria investigates over asylum seeker committed war crimes

Sat, 19 Dec 2015 14:07:53 +0300

(Zaman Al Wasl)- The U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria phoned Zaman al Wasl Friday to get more information over an asylum seeker and a former Syrian regime soldier who was involved in mass torture photos published early 2014.

Zaman al Wasl has provided the "Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic" with more details over the Europe's asylum seeker who was among the military team of the notorious 601 hospital that wrapped and photographed corpses of 11,000 detainees killed by Syrian security services.

On October 4, Zaman al Wasl disclosed that Mohamed Ahmed Tafankaji had entered Germany where he settled with his mother and two brothers in Herrmann-leichtlin-strasse camp.

Tafankaji, who was doing his compulsory military service, is a key witness for the atrocious photos of mass torture by Syrian security that had been taken in Hospital 601 in Mezzah neighborhood of Damascus.

The leaked photos illustrate apparent actions of serious international crimes committed in the chambers of security services against 11,000 detainees, according to human rights advocates.

In mid 2013, a team of war crimes prosecutors and forensic experts, had analyzed 55 thousand digital photos taken and provided by a Syrian defector codenamed "Caesar," who, along with his family, is now living outside Syria in an undisclosed location, according to CNN.

Syria is not a member of the International Criminal Court. The only way the court could prosecute someone from Syria would be through a referral from the United Nations Security Council.

About 300,000 people have been killed in Syria since the revolt against Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.

Related:

Mass Torture Photo is likely for Hussein Harmoush

52 photos for children tortured to death by Assad security

Witness discloses more about hospital turned into death camp: Syria Torture

Witness of Syria Mass Torture reveals more of war crimes

315 Palestinian refugees killed under torture in Assad prisons- Photos

New Mass Torture photos for Alawite victims: Zaman Al Wasl

Nusra Front leader fails expectations, hopes

Zaman Al Wasl — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 00:00:00 +0300

By Fathi Ibrahim Bayoud, Editor in-chief

Most Syrians assume that Abu Mohamad al-Golani's interview with Al Jazeera, aired this week, was a disappointing for some supporters, rivals and even sympathizers.

Although the two-part interview on the Qatari-financed channel appeared to be an attempt by Nusra Front to cast itself to an Arab audience as a Syrian national movement, Golani did not seem convincing.

A Western diplomat in the Qatari capital Doha told Reuters there was a new push by the Gulf Arab state to present Nusra to the Arab world as a Syrian national movement and that the Golani interview appeared to be a step towards that.

The interview that reaped pile of analysis reflects that al-Golani had chosen the wrong time since he did not assure predictions saying Nusra will defect al-Qaeda.

On the contrary, Golani made clear that he took orders from al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, who had told him to focus Nusra's fight on Syria. In the second part in the Interview he evaded a question about whether Nusra was thinking of splitting from al Qaeda.

Source said earlier this year that Nusra Front's leaders had considered cutting ties with al Qaeda to form a new entity backed by some Gulf Arab states trying to topple Assad but Golni statements were a complete disappointment.

Analysts say Nusra Front who is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and has been sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council, has lost the chance to prove good will.

Golani can not be a historic leader such as Osama Bin Laden or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, some hardline Islamist thinkers said on Social Media, al-Golani seems an amateur man who needs an expertese to handle such post, others say.

It was not clear where the interview took place and Golani's face was not shown. He sat on an ornate chair opposite the interviewer with his back to the camera.

Syrian people are looking for the shortest way that avoid the country partition as facts and proposed scenarios by some internationals powers may make a de facto.
We hope Assad's fall won't take a long time as Golani assured. He promised to focus on Damascus and on toppling the regime and that could be good news.

Golani, Alawites

Syrians also were not amused by Golani’s call for Alawite minority sect, of which Bashar Assad is a member, to change their beliefs in order to be safe. Such a claim will not even serve the Syrian revolution that erupted in March 2011.

His warning to Alawite villages and uncompromising language will do little to dispel Western fears about the growing influence of hardline insurgents in Syria and Nusra's loyalty to al Qaeda, observers said.

Addressing the Alawite community, he said: "If they drop weapons, disavow Assad, do not send their men to fight for him and return to Islam, then they are our brothers," he said.

Golani said the Alawites were part of a sect that had "moved outside the religion of God and of Islam."

The assurances for Christians were clear, "Nusra Front were not at war with Christians," Golani said.

Nusra, ISIS

The leader of the most powerful faction in Syria opposing both Assad and the Islamic State saw no solution soon to a conflict with the rival Islamic State group in Syria that has killed 700 Nusra Front hundreds since the fighting between the two most powerful groups in Syria erupted in 2013 after a spilt due to a power struggle between leaders.

"There is no solution between us and them in the meantime, or in the foreseeable future. We hope they repent to God and return to their senses...if not then there is nothing but fighting between us," Golani told his flatterer interviewer Ahmad Mansour.

Golani also condemned the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah, which backs Assad, saying Hezbollah knew its fate was linked to the Syrian leader and its efforts to save him were in vain.

The leader, who belongs to the Syrian Occupied Golan Hieghts according to his agnomen, said his war is not with the West.

“Nusra Front's fight was with Assad and Hezbollah, not the West. But when pressed, said that all options were open if U.S.-led forces continued to target it.

Jihadists' gruesome practices serve Assad more than allies: Editorial

Zaman Al Wasl — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:00:00 +0300

By Editor in-chief; Translation by Yusra Ahmed

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Whoever you were, whatever your nationality was, if you immigrated to Syria to kill Syrians and beheading them, go to hell, that what you -the immigrant- will hear from every Syrian loves his country, and dreams of equality and justice, who does not use Islam to reach to power, like the way Assad’s regime used Palestine cause.

Beheading a Syrian soldier was taken by force to military service would not give any benefit to Syrians and their crisis. To behead dozens of “Damascene Salafi” considering them apostates is a proof that you did not come to help us, but to glorify yourself and you Emir.

When Obama decided to hit the Syrian regime, dozens of images and videos showing beheading acts covered the Internet, even some videos were professional and of high quality. The messages those images gave was in brief: “look at the Syrian revolution, rebels are more brutal than the Syrian regime”

Immigrant: do you know that you have helped the Syrian regime more than Russia, Iran and Hezbollah have, when you painted the independence flag with black; when you threatened of liberating Rome and Andalusia while you were sitting in Aleppo’s countryside; when you chased and threatened the Damascene Salafi, who we look up to, and you considered them atheists. Do you know that Salafi’s practices served Islam in difficult times of Regime’s suppression and threats in Eighties and Nineties, while you were enjoying luxurious life in the West and Gulf Countries.

Immigrant: I’ll tell you how I understand Islam. It is continuously renewable religion via creating new themes and cooperation among people, not through violence, swords and expiation.

The Damascene Salafi has worked on reshaping people’s social and religious practices to meet Islam’s soul and principles. Salafi Sheikhs used to be clean, nicely looked, close and compassionate, who respect women and did not think of captivating them.

“God is beautiful and loves beauty” that how we see God and Islam, how can I be a believer in God, while I neglect myself and leave my beard hideously long, and have offensive speech and violent practices.

Abdul Rahman al-Haj, an opposition writer, published a research on “Al Jazeera” in 2013, in which he explained the way Syrians understand the conception of “Salafi” and the way they act politically and socially, which is different from the killing and crucifying you “Immigrant” tried to found and show in Syria.

“Syrian Salafi has not stopped improving since its formation at the end of Nineteen century in Aleppo and Damascus, the two main centres” al-Haj said.

In the beginning, “Salafi” was similar to the reformative Salafi in Egypt formed by Sheikh Mohammed Abdo.

Syrian Salafi had had many prominent figures worked at religious and more prominently political aspects, like Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Kawakibi, Sheikh Jamal Eddin al-Qasimi, and Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Ridha

Many prominent political figures had affected by the Salafi’s principles, especially Jamal Eddin al-Qasimi’s, where his council used to be attended by Lotfi al-Haffar, Abdul Rahman al-Shahbandar, Faris al-Khori, Rafiq al-Azem, Mohammed Kurd Ali, Salim al-Jazairi, Abdul Hamid al-Zahrawi and others.

The reformative Salafi formed many associations played important roles in political field, like al-Ghorra’a Association (1924) founded by Sheikh Abdul Ghani al-Doqr, which tried to accommodate to the social changes brought by the western culture. Its activities had significant social effects, seduced politicians to join it in order to gain its votes. For example, Shukri al-Quwatli had won the parliament election in 1943 after gaining the association’s support.

Moreover, Association of Islamic Urbanisation Association formed by Ahmed Mazhar al-Azem, who became a minister, and Bahjat al-Bitar. The association runs a magazine under its name that can be considered a reference for the Damascene Salafi. Sadly the magazine stopped after Hama’s massacre in 1982.

Al-Haj carried on saying: “despite dissolving political parties in Syria after the unity with Egypt, the reformative Salafi continued loyality to their principles, however it started to get weaker after the 1963’s coup, where its associations turned into charitable bodies, and magazines became only educational. Furthermore, Salafi followers turned into doctrinal debates with their opponents, which reach the top in the end of Seventies of last century, besides transforming into the scientific Salafi. The debate between Sheikh Mohammed Said al-Boti and Seikh Naser al-Albani can be considered an ideal example.

In the end you "Immigrant": you need to be in the hearts of Syrians to be able to stay in their country, you have to protect not to kill them, which may be something missing of the Immigrants’ practices in 2013-14.

@fahibayoud / fathi@zamanalwasl.net

IL A Exfiltre 50 Mille Photos De Scènes De Tortures Et L'Opposition L'a Laissé A Son Sort...Le César

Zaman Al Wasl — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 00:00:00 +0300

Par rédacteur en chef Fathi Ibrahim Bayoud; Traduction par Arslen Abouda

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Plus d'une année s'est écoulée depuis la publication des macabres photographies de dizaines de cadavres de détenus, morts sous la torture dans les geoles du régime de Bachar El Assad. Ces images avaient été exfiltrées par un officier dissident surnommé "Le César".

Elles montraient des corps bleuis, criblés et calcinés, comme s'ils avaient été aspergés de matières incendiaires, avant d'être plongés dans des sacs en plastique qui ne cachent rien de leur nudité, aux yeux pudiques du monde.

Des images qui ressuscitent le souvenir des fours crématoires nazis. D'emblée, il est apparu que la bombe déclenchée par les images révélées par "Le César", dans la soirée des assises des pourparlers de Genève-2, a fait son effet sur Bachar El Assad et failli le conduire au même sort que Radovan Karadzic et autres criminels de guerre. Toutefois, la communauté internationale aura été d'un autre avis, puisque ni le génocide chimique, ni la mort de 16 mille syriens, sous la torture, selon "Le César", n'ont pu inciter la communauté internationale à adopter une position sérieuse.

Passons maintenant de la communauté internationale à l'opposition syrienne, représentée par "l'Alliance patriotique", pour constater que les syriens ne sont pas encore au bout de leurs peines. En effet, autant la première n'a pas bronché, autant la seconde n'a rien fait, selon une lettre rédigée par l'assistant du "César" et envoyée au journal "Zaman Al Wasl", y faisant le point de la situation concernant ce dossier mis sous silence et auquel nul ne s'est intéressé, ni le représentant de l'opposition, ni certains médias révolutionnaires.

Voici deux jours, "Zaman Al Wasl" s'est borné à publier des images inédites, montrant les visages des victimes et ceux des tortionnaires. Aujourd'hui, le journal publie la lettre du "César", qui a réussi à exfiltrer plus de 50 mille photographies de 16 mille personnes, mortes sous la torture ou d'inanition, dans les geoles des services de renseignements syriens.

"Zaman Al Wasl" met ces nouvelles images -- qui lui appartiennent-- de même que les précédentes, diffusées par les agences, ainsi que la lettre, entre les mains de la communauté internationale, de "l'Alliance patriotique", des médias de la Révolution et de la presse arabe et occidentale.

OU EST LE CESAR ?

Voici près d'une année, les écrans de télévision du monde entier, les sites Internet et les médias avaient rempli les échos et accaparé l'attention du public, en dévoilant le drame de la mort sous la torture, dans les geoles d'El Assad, de milliers de syriens, de façon méthodique, programmée et ininterrompue.

Cette révélation avait été l'oeuvre d'un héros, surnommé "Le César". Au début, il a semblé que la bombe déclenchée par certaines fractions de l'opposition syrienne, le jour même de la tenus des pourparlers de Genève-2, allait avoir un impact sur El Assad et le conduire à un sort comparable à celui de Radovan Karadzic et autres criminels de guerre.

La révélation de ce drame a conduit à la découverte d'un génocide programmé, mené par les organismes sécuritaires du régime d'El Assad, sous la supervision directe de celui-ci. C'est ce qui a jeté la confusion dans les rangs de la délégation du régime d'El Assad, lors des pourparlers de Genève, en la délestant de la formule magique sur laquelle elle avait bâti son discours médiatique savamment préconçu et échafaudé sur la notion de lutte contre le terrorisme.

Les membres de la délégation de Damas n'avaient plus le temps de préparer un plan médiatique de rechange; El Assad qu'ils étaient venus présenter à l'Occident en partenaire dans la guerre contre le terrorisme, et protecteur de l'Occident face à une prétendue lame de fond intégriste, s'étant subitement démasqué de manière indéniable, en terroriste par excellence.

Changer de discours ne devait pas consister seulement à changer un ton et un style dont les acteurs de l'information du régime de Damas maitrisaient l'art, mais aussi et surtout à changer de stratégie et à modifier l'ensemble l'ensemble de la dialectique des négociations à Genève. Or, la délégation de Damas n'en avait pas le temps. Du coup, le régime a perdu la main et a commencé à reculer, sous les yeux de millions de téléspectateurs fascinés, attendant avec ardeur l'apparition du "César", pour donner le coup de grâce , en ce moment historique crucial.

Toutefois, les journées suivantes n'apportérent rien de nouveau, les lignes de production, dans les "usines de la mort", en Syrie, continuant à tourner à plein régime, tandis que les cimetières se remplissent de cadavres en décomposition, empilés dans des caveaux.

OU EST LE CESAR ? Il a fait son apparition à Washington, après une longue éclipse. Il a paru timide, parlant à voix basse, à bout de forces, comme exhalant ses derniers soupirs, tant il a été usé par une négligence qui peut paraître compréhensible et prévisible de la part de la communauté internationale, mais ne l'est aucunement de la part de l'opposition syrienne, qui aura, ainsi, ajouté un nouvel échec à un bilan déjà fort lourd depuis le déclenchement de la révolution. Peut-être, l'apparition du "César" en tenue de plongée bleue signifiait-elle que cet homme s'est noyé dans l'océan de l'oubli.

Aujourd'hui, la balle que l'opposition avait réussi à porter à quelques mètres de la cage d'El Assad, est encore là, mais elle a été récupérée par le régime de Damas et ses alliés. Avec les mêmes arguments et dans le même contexte, des expositions internationales sont organisées, à l'initiative d'organismes internationaux influents, pour présenter des crimes contre l'humanité dont les présumés auteurs appartiennent, cette fois, à l'opposition, toutes tendances confondues. Des activistes favorables aux thèses du régime d'El Assad s'emploient à remplir les couloirs du Congrès américain, de photographies dont ils disent qu'elles témoignent des atrocités commises pat le Mouvement ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), à l'encontre du peuple syrien. Ce faisant, ils cherchent à dire au monde entier et au pôle mondial de décision, que Bachar El Assad est leur protecteur face à ces assassins et criminels.

OU EST LE CESAR ?

Cette question va au-delà de la trame de cette histoire et de ses personnages, pour s'étendre à un espace plus vaste, qui n'est autre que la responsabilité humaine universelle envers ces vies qui ont péri et tant d'autres qui attendent leur tour, dans les couloirs de la mort, à Damas. C'est une tragédie dont la longueur et l'atrocité surpassent de loin, les pires feuilletons mexicains. Un film sans parole, en noir et blanc, ponctué de temps à autre, par des cris d'agonie.

L'image du régime est embellie et présentée aux instances internationales, comme étant celle d'un défenseur de la paix et adversaire du terrorisme, tandis que les dossiers documentés de la mort, continuent de moisir dans les tiroirs de l'opposition.

Dans l'intérêt de qui, le "César" s'est-il absenté ?

Combien de sacs de mort se sont accumulés en son absence et depuis qu'il s'est éclipsé ? #SyriaMassTorture #AssadHolocaust

@fathibayoud fathi@zamanalwasl.net

( Click Here to view more photos of mass torture)