Syrian diplomats defect from Assad regime to opposition

The Syrian Consul in Kuala Lumpur, Emad al-Ahmar, and the diplomatic attaché, Mahmoud Obeid, announced their defection to the opposition side today becoming the latest in the series of diplomats who defected from Assad’s regime since the past two months.
 
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets throughout the country to demand an end to the siege imposed by the regime on the city of Homs. Meanwhile, regime forces heavily pounded the neighbourhood of Maidan and other neighbourhoods in the old city of Homs as well as the provincial towns of Talbiseh, Krak Des Chevalier, Rastan, Houleh, Ghanto, Bowayda Sharqiya and Hamidiay, leaving scores of people dead and many more wounded.
 
After fierce fighting that lasted for several hours, rebel fighters captured the Hanano barrack in the city of Aleppo after detaining more than 35 soldiers and killing dozens more, the Hanano barrack is considered one of the most important military sites in the city. The rebels also discovered a secret prison with more than 350 prisoners, all were set free.

Meanwhile, regime forces resumed their heavy bombardment of the neighbourhoods of Marjeh, Sakhour, Sheikh Maksoud, Masaken Hanano and Sha’aar in the city of Aleppo as well as the provincial towns of Hayan, Indan, Baza’aa, Anjara and Marea causing mass destruction and leaving scores of people dead and many more wounded.

Three bomb attacks shocked Damascus today; motorcycle bomb struck near one of the mosques in the neighborhood of Ruken Adin killing five members of the security forces and wounding several others. In a second attack, a car bomb caused damage near the courthouse in central Damascus, while another car bomb exploded in the road to the old airport, neither reported any casualties.

Regime forces continued their massive military offensive in the capital as residents in the town of Deir Asafir discovered 16 unidentified bodies that were killed "execution style". Some six more bodies were also found in the town of Harasta. Meanwhile, scores of civilians more were killed and more were injured as regime forces resumed shelling the neighbourhoods of Tadamon, Daf Ashoq, Yarmouk refugee camp, Asaly and Qazaz groves as well as the provincial towns of Sayeda Zeinab, Yabroud, Harasta, Douma and Zabadani.
 
Regime forces also continued their massive military offensive throughout the country, killing dozens of civilians, wounding hundreds others and forcing thousands of them to flee their homes. Regime forces fiercely shelled the neighbourhood of Bab Qably in the city of Hama and the Hama suburbs of Karanaz, Sahl al-Ghab and Jabal Shahshabo. They also shelled the city of Deir Azzour and its provincial towns of Boukamal and Shahil. They resumed shelling the Daraa suburbs of Inkhel, Karak Sharqi, Um Walad, Bosra, Ataman, Baser Harir and the villages of the Lajat district. They heavily bombarded the villages of Babna, Jankeil, Dweirka, Marouniyat and Bayda in the suburbs of Latakia as well as the Idlib suburbs of Taftanaz, Orom, Habeit, Bansiya, Ihsem, Balshwant, Rami and Salqin where the faced strong resistance by the rebel fighters.