Syria: Militants complicit in Israeli attack

Syrian Defense Minister, General Fahd Jassem al-Freij says the recent Israeli airstrike on a military research center was carried out with the help of foreign-backed militants in the crisis-stricken country.

The pounded research center in the capital’s northwestern suburb of Jumraya had been repeatedly attacked by the militants, who failed to destroy it completely, al-Freij told the Syrian state TV late Monday.

    The Syrian official accused the “armed terrorist groups” of launching attacks on the country’s defense systems at the behest of the Israeli regime.


On Wednesday, Israeli fighter jets hit the Syrian research system, under the excuse of foiling a terrorist attempt to funnel weapons to Lebanese resistance movement of Hezbollah.

The Syrian army issued a statement immediately after the strike, saying that two people were killed and five others injured in the offensive.

The violent attack, however, drew international condemnation with Iran, Turkey, and Organization of Islamic Cooperation denouncing the move as the violation of international law.

On Thursday, Syria called on the UN Security Council to issue a “clear condemnation of the flagrant Israeli attack on the territories of a sovereign state and the Israeli violation of the UN Charter, the international law, the [Agreement on] Disengagement…in 1974 and the relevant UNSC resolutions.”

On Sunday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that Israel was trying to destabilize Syria by its recent attack.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Syrian government has said that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and that a very large number of the militants operating in the country are foreign nationals.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/02/05/287382/militants-complicit-in-israeli-attack/

Head of zionist-backed Syria opposition coalition insists on regime change

The leader of the foreign-backed Syrian opposition coalition, Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib, has once again reiterated his plan for regime change in Syria, urging President Bashar al-Assad to step down.


"The regime must take a clear stand (on dialogue) and we say we will extend our hand for the interest of people and to help the regime leave peacefully," he said.

Al-Khatib’s remarks came despite his recent talks with Iranian and Russian officials aimed at ending the ongoing violence in the crisis-stricken country.

On Wednesday, the head of the Syrian opposition had expressed readiness for talks with Syria’s Vice-President Faruq al-Sharaa to discuss the ongoing crisis in the country. "I ask the regime to send Faruq al-Sharaa - if it accepts the idea - and we can sit with him," al-Khatib had said.

However, he had added that there are “basic conditions” before holding talks with the Syrian officials over the crisis in the Arab country.

    Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and Aal-Khatib held a 45-minute meeting on the sidelines of the 49th annual Munich Security Conference to discuss a solution to the suffering of the Syrian people on Saturday.


The so-called Syrian National Coalition and other foreign-backed opposition groups have insisted that President Bashar al-Assad step down before any negotiations.

This is while Tehran, Moscow, and Damascus have repeatedly cited diplomacy as the only solution to ending the crisis in the country.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of security forces, have been killed in the fighting.

The Syrian government says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/02/05/287349/alkhatib-repeats-regime-change-rhetoric/