Guest post by DaveM
On 18th July, after three days of fighting in Damascus, the Syrian regime suffered a massive psychological blow when a bomb went off in the National Security building, killing at least three senior officials in Assad’s inner circle: Daoud Rajha, the minister of defence; Hassan Turkmani, former minister of defence; and deputy chief of staff Asef Shawkat, who is Bashar Al-Assad’s brother-in-law.
Not only did the state media immediately announce their deaths but it for the first time ever it broadcast footage of the Syrian Army fighting against the Free Syrian Army in the streets of the capital.
While this clip was recorded from Al Arabiya, you can clearly see the Syrian State TV logo in the top left hand of the screen.
State TV has also been repeatedly broadcasting montages of military maneuvers and training to a background of patriotic songs, some of which sound like they’re from the 1973 war with Israel.
In fact it’s all a bit like watching a 2012 Mediterranean update of 90s Iraqi TV.
In an attempt to show its viewers that the government was dealing with matters and that all was well in the capital, Syrian State TV sent a reporter to interview some of the frontline soldiers– the frontline being the Al Maydan region of Damascus.
He didn’t do a very convincing job though. The gunfire going off in the background must have unnerved him somewhat.
Reporter: “The specialist (army) units are continuing their pursuit of the remnants of the terrorists who, according to our information, have taken up position in some of the residential buildings here. The specialist units indicated to us that relying on information given to them by the citizens, they have carried out attacks on a number of remnants of members of the armed terrorists groups and have been able to inflict a lot of damage upon them.
“Now we’ll speak to one of the members centered here. Welcome and tell us about your activity here and the confrontations between you and the armed terrorists.”
Soldier: “Praise God, we were among the armed men, we came here to Maydan in response to the (wishes of the) people.”
Reporter: “Speak to us about morale. You’re here and from the specialist unit. How do you deal with each other? How do you confront these armed terrorist groups?”
Soldier: “Praise God the situation is safe and stable. Everything’s under control.”
Reporter: “Thank you very much. Viewers, that was an interview with one of the members from the specialist unit. We’ll speak to this member. Welcome. Tell us about your confrontations with the members of these armed terrorist groups.”
Second soldier: “In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, at the request of the residents we came to Maydan. There were a lot of gunmen. However praise Allah, God of all the worlds, we are one hand …… and strong and with Allah’s permission we will be victorious.”
Reporter: “Tell us about morale.”
Second soldier: “Morale, (we are) ready and prepared with all strength, on agreement and on one word Allah Akbar ….. We’re ready to die for the sake of the nation and for the sake of Syria.”
Reporter: “Allah protect you. Viewers, our information tells us that a number of the armed terrorist groups have concentrated in the neighbourhood of Haleh here, and the neighbourhood of Sheikh Yacoub and Inaba. The specialist units are continuing their pursuit of these armed terrorist groups. Among the weapons these armed terrorists are using are M16 rifles, RPG rocket launchers, long range sniper rifles. As we’ve just seen during these interviews, the special units are carrying out their work to the fullest, in high spirits and in patriotic spirits. They have one statement which is ‘protecting the nation,’ ‘protecting Syria,’ bringing back security to the Maydan neighbourhood, as the citizens have requested from the specialist units.
“The armed terrorist groups are deluded. They believe in a myth that they are able to take over one street or one neighbourhood in Damascus. They are unable to do that, because there are soldiers securing, soldiers with one goal which is to protect the nation, soldiers with one goal which is to bring back security and safety to this nation which the terrorists have wrecked, harmed and corrupted. They speak to other TV channels, telling them that they have taken control, and inflicted damage (on the regime). They’re lying! They’re tantamount to a group of people who don’t work but trade in the Syrian blood. They don’t do anything other than that. Allah protect the men of the nation. Allah willing in the next few days everything will be back to normal.
“Now back to the studio.”
In a clip of the interview which was broadcast by Lebanese TV station New TV, you can see that the first soldier looks scared. This is one of the elite units of the Syrian Army whose job is to protect the capital. The conscripts who make up the bulk of the armed forces are reportedly confined to barracks so as to prevent large scale defections.
Al Jazeera, like the rest of the world’s media outside the usual suspects of RT, Press TV, Al Manar, Al Mayadeen, etc., has been reporting a totally different set of events.
”In a break from the norm, this footage doesn’t come from activists on the ground but is being broadcast by Syrian State TV. Which is of clashes in the heart of Damascus between the two armies– the Free Syrian Army and the regime’s army—in which the regime was diminishing its significance by describing it as infiltration by terrorists who have quickly been repelled.
“For the fourth day in a row the neighbourhoods of Maydan, Tadamoun, Naharesha, Qaboun, Asali, Kafrsousa, Barza, Joubar, Qadam and others have been experiencing an actual war in which heavy weapons and helicopters have been used. The regime’s army has resorted to shelling inhabited areas with mortars which activists have interpreted being a result of the regime being raid on them (on the ground).
“While the individuals of the Free Army have been relying on hit and run operations and urban warfare, with the aim of wearing down the regime’s army, activists on the ground have participated in what they’re calling the great battle of Damascus. They have done this by demonstrating in small groups in various areas, in addition to that cutting off major roads and blocking state vehicles. They’re doing this in an attempt to exhaust the security forces, in accordance with calls from the Free Army for them to do so.”
While analysts have cautioned that these events won’t result in an immediate collapse of the regime, it has been seriously weakened. With each day that passes and each battle which takes place it looks less and less for Bashar Al Assad like a case of if and more like a case of when.
Syrians are in this for the long haul. They’ve been fighting the Ba’athists for almost a year and a half now and they’re not going to stop until he’s gone. No matter how long it takes and how many people get killed.
At one point one side is eventually going to crack. When someone who’s been considered as an Assad apologist describes the Syrian dictator as a loser, you don’t have to be Nostradamus to figure out which side it is.
