Rebel fighters push to seize Taftanaz airbase in Idlib

Today’s Top Stories
-Rebel fighters scored gained new ground inside the helicopter airbase of Taftanaz in Idlib.
-Activists reported the lowest number of casualties since more than a year.
-Regime forces executed three men from the same family and a kidnapped their five-year-old baby girl.

Today’s Top Videos
Taftanaz, Idlib: Regime warplanes bombard the Taftanaz airbase after been stormed by the rebels
Qalamoun, Damascus Suburb: Leaked video shows Assad’s forces launching a Scud-type missile on opposition-held areas from the 578th missiles base
Muhajreen, Damascus: Under heavy snow and just 200m away from Assad’s Palace, protesters take to the streets to chant their support for the areas under attack

Today’s Statistics
Total Death Toll: 49
Opposition Death Toll: 39 including 3 women, 2 children and 17 rebel fighters (Damascus and Suburbs: 18, Aleppo: 7, Idlib: 3, Deir Azzour: 3, Hama: 1, Qunaitera: 1, Raqa: 1)
Regime Soldiers & Militiamen Death Toll: +10
Number of areas shelled: +171
Number of People Wounded: +30
Number of People Detained: 0
FSA Key Operations:
Stormed the premises of the Air Defence Management in the Damascus suburb of Mleiha.
Destroyed a military convoy near the Daraa suburb of Baser Harir.
Detained 18 troops in the Taftanaz airbase in Idlib.

Summary of Events

The rebels continued advancing inside the helicopter airbase of Taftanaz located in the north-eastern suburb of Idlib, seizing control of more buildings, destroying an arms depot and arresting 18 troops including a Brigadier General. The rebels also resumed their attacks on the airbases of Quwayres, Menneg and Jarah in the suburbs of Aleppo as well as the Deir Azzour airbase in the eastern province of Deir Azzour.

Heavy fighting continued throughout the country where the rebels destroyed a military convoy near the Daraa suburb of Baser Harir and stormed the premises of the Air Defence Management in the Damascus suburb of Mleiha, destroying a number of military vehicles and killing
many regime soldiers and militiamen.

The lowest number of casualties was reported since more than a year in day where almost the entire country was covered with snow. The continuous violence left at least 49 people dead today. Some 39 people were killed by regime forces including three women, two children and 17 rebel fighters, whereas more than ten regime soldiers and militiamen
were killed by the rebels.

Regime forces killed 18 people in Damascus and its suburbs including three men from the same family whom were executed near the town of Daraya. They also kidnapped a five-year-old baby girl, a daughter of one the victims. Meanwhile, dozens of civilians and rebel fighters were killed and injured due to the violent shelling and clashes that took place throughout Aleppo, Idlib, Homs, Daraa, Deir Azzour and Raqa.

Regime forces shelled as many as 171 different locations across the
country using all sort of heavy weaponry, including cluster. Some 46
locations were shelled by mortar shells and 90 others were pounded by
heavy artillery. More than 28 locations came under rocket shelling as
fighter jets struck seven others.

Revolution Statistics
Syrians killed: 61,244
Children killed: 4,044
Females killed: 3,964
Soldiers killed: 6,394
Protesters killed under torture: 1,394
Missing: +60,000
Protesters currently incarcerated: +140,000
Syrians injured: +137,000
Syrian refugees since March: +609,877
Refugees in Turkey: +150,906
Refugees in Lebanon: +197,624
Refugees in Jordan: +176,569
Refugees in Iraq: +69,397
Refugees in Egypt: +13,292

International Reactions
NATO detects ballistic missile launch in Syria
Britain to urge EU to amend arms embargo
UN appeals for $9m to help the Syrians
Iranian, Egyptian Foreign Ministers Meet in Cairo

Selected Media Coverage
US Department of State: US Response to the Syria Humanitarian Crisis in 2012
CNN: Time to refer Syria crisis to ICC
The Guardian: The problem with Syria’s peace plan
New York Times: Winter Brings Misery to Syria Refugees
The Times: Syria’s refugee children die in a cold hell
Washington Post: Role of Syrian women evolves as war rages on
Al-Arabiya: Syria’s ’virtual’ massacres and sectarian storylines
Al-Arabiya: Image of Syrian child sleeping on snow stirs online reaction
CNN: Hospitals targeted in the Syrian war as the wounded face dwindling options
Ahram Online: Arabs can act for Syria and Palestine

Upcoming Events
January 19: Global Sit-in to demand the international community to act toward ending the Syrian crisis

Videos

Armed Resistance
Douma, Damascus Suburb: Training session for the civilians who joined the rebels
East Ghouta, Damascus Suburb: Rebel fighters detain a number of regime soldiers
Aleppo: Rebels detain a Brigadier General
Baser Harir, Daraa: Heavy fighting continues for the 16th day in a row

Damascus
Qaboun: Despite the snowy weather, protesters take to the streets to demand the overthrow of the regime
Jobar: One of the victims who was killed by the indiscriminate shelling

Damascus suburb
Hamouriya: The town comes under heavy aerial shelling
Moadamiyat al-Sham: The aftermath of yesterday’s car bomb explosion
Saqba: Regime warplanes bombard the town
Douma: Regime warplane bombards the town

Aleppo
Bustan Qaser: Regime snipers fire on pedestrians
Jub al-Kouba: The aftermath of the heavy shelling that left many people dead and wounded

Aleppo suburb
Safeera: The devastating aftermath of the indiscriminate shelling

Homs
Old city: Many people get injured due to the indiscriminate shelling
Houla: Mass destruction caused by the indiscriminate rocket shelling

Daraa
Baser Harir: Field hospitals packed with injured civilians amid severe shortage of medical supplies
Kherbet Ghazaleh: A man critically injured after been hit during clashes in Baser Harir
Tafas: Residents discover unknown body that carries torture marks

Hama
Latamna: The aftermath of the violent shelling
Central city: Humanitarian conditions worsen due to the shortage of food, fuel and medial supplies
Hilfaya: A rebel fighter killed during clashes with regime forces

Idlib
Teftanaz: Regime forces bombard the town

Deir Azzour
Rashdiya: Buildings set ablaze due to the indiscriminate shelling
Hamidiya: Clouds of smoke billow from the neighborhood due to the heavy shelling
Central city: Regime snipers deployed on the rooftop of al-Furat hospital
Jubeila: Clouds of smoke billow from the neighborhood due to the heavy shelling

Raqa
Tabaqa: Regime warplane bombards the town

Black cloud of smoke billows from a helicopter gunship in Taftanaz airbase