Talk:Siege of Aleppo

The siege of Aleppo is, I guess, all the different rebel sieges to try and gain control of Aleppo and its environs. This is how their peoples' uprising works there. This is perhaps too big a subject to need a front page summary anytime soon. --Caustic Logic (talk) 23:23, 9 July 2013 (UTC)

Starvation Orders Publicized
On about June 9, 2013, it became public knowledge that rebel forces in Aleppo, enjoying massive international support in doing so, have ordered a total life blockade on some two million residents in parts of Aleppo they don't yet control. They're to be punished for that with the ultimatum of inviting in rebel control, or dying for lack of all necessities. Food is forbidden, as are medicine and fuel.

Fliers shown on Facebook, as tweeted by Edward Dark. Images hosted on Facebook, in Arabic. Asked for translation, he said "basically: rebels ban food & fuel from entry into regime controlled parts of Aleppo (2 million people)." --Caustic Logic (talk) 23:23, 9 July 2013 (UTC)

I think I saw a photo too of a big banner across the street saying in Arabic you're not allowed to take food or anything past that point. --Caustic Logic (talk) 23:23, 9 July 2013 (UTC)
 * I don't think this is where I saw it, but a "Syrianboy" posted this photo at the Prison Planet forum. I'm uploading it here (inset above).

FSA new STRATEGY in Aleppo Given translation: "NO FOOD OR GASOLINE OR OIL OR CHILDREN NEEDS OR MILK OR MEAT OR VIGs CAN ENTER."

T.B. Hinchey, Pravda: http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/09-07-2013/125063-syrian_opposition-0/
 * Of course, the forced starvation of some two million people, the decree that distributing food and medicines to areas supporting the Syrian Government is punishable with a death sentence means nothing to the pro-terrorist west and its bought media lackeys. Surprise, surprise, in a world in which morals and ethics are meaningless.
 * To be fair, they're not necessarily starving Aleppo. Just TRYING to, for their part, from the areas they control, which are substantial. So yeah, it's a problem. And that death is the penalty for violating the order doesn't seem to be clear just yet. Punished "by law," it's said to say. --Caustic Logic (talk) 11:37, 10 July 2013 (UTC)

But citizens report that the shortage is starting to pinch in the last few days. Food really is getting scarce. The SOHR reports Food shortage in the regime held parts of Aleppo:
 *  The regime held neighbourhoods of al-Siryan, al-Meridian, Halab al-Jadida (both north and south), al-Aziziya, Jam'iyat al-Sakaniya, Jam'iyat al-Zahra', al-Neel street, Aleppo University and the other parts of Aleppo city that are under regime control are facing an intense food shortage crisis. Many food supplies are not available in the stores and markets, non-food necessities are also in short supply. this is twinned with the skyrocketing prices of whatever supplies can be found. 
 * Not to mention the rocketing, on top of the skyrocketing. --Caustic Logic (talk) 11:37, 10 July 2013 (UTC)
 * This is largely due to the rebel siege on the area, in an attempt to take over the city. the regime has been unable to break the blockade, despite several attempts through the Salamiya-Aleppo highway.
 * In other words, this is due to the government's inability so far to kick the rebels out of Aleppo. Human need recognized, more clearly than usual.--Caustic Logic (talk) 11:37, 10 July 2013 (UTC)

Syrian Girl Partisan video interview with an Aleppo resident. 0:54 we cann see the documents translated to English on-screen. --Caustic Logic (talk) 11:37, 10 July 2013 (UTC)

I've been a little slow on this. But to add, some (Prison Planet, good article) are saying there's been a mainstream media blackout on this subject. Probably true to som extent, but doing a Google news search for Aleppo shows there are articles I haven't read yet. A few links:
 * Reuters: Syrian rebel blockade in Aleppo leaves thousands hungry: activists
 * Syrian opposition issues rare condemnation of rebels for Aleppo food blockade
 * AFP/Fox News: Syria activists protest rebel siege of Aleppo areas
 * BBC News: Aleppo residents call for lifting of Syrian rebel siege
 * Guardian Express (? - Not the Guardian) Syrian Rebels Blamed for Food Shortages
 * Al-Jazeera (top return at the moment) Aleppo residents struggle as currency tumbles (does it even mention the blockade? --Caustic Logic (talk) 13:29, 12 July 2013 (UTC)


 * Syria, Insurgents attempt starving Aleppo into Surrender, Armed Forces keep making Progress Christof Lehmann - nsnbc via Intifada Palestine

Protests
After the protests, modifications followed. Edward Dark noted for Al Monitor
 * The rebels manning the checkpoint met those protesters with violence, firing at them and attacking them with knives, killing at least one and injuring several. This caused a backlash, and most rebel battalions as well as the Islamic courts quickly distanced themselves from those rebels and eased the ban to allow people to carry across limited amounts of vegetables but no meat, milk or eggs.

Siege broken?
Breakingnews reports that vegetables have reached the areas, delivered over "secure roads" and distributed directly by the Army. Word on twitter is four truckloads. If those roads exist, why wait ten days? Make sure all hearts and minds are lost for the "rebels" before making their own move? --CE (talk) 16:22, 12 July 2013 (UTC)
 * The Washington Post article cited Rami Abdulrahman, SOHR, who "said that the checkpoint was reopened Thursday based on an order from the Sharia Council of Aleppo, the Islamic court governing rebel-held parts of the city." If true, the possible reason - Islamists are supposed to do what the sharia council says. Now there's fighting over it, but not necessarily to open it. Reading that Breaking News.sy piece, it could almost just describe the influx through that sharia-opened gate. Except for that last part you cite about secured roads the army couldn't name for security reasons. I'm sure those do exist, and the added length can only be so many days. I hope they have a couple back-up routes behind that one just in case. Even when it's not allowed and called illegitimate, the Syrian Arab Republic takes care of its people, as rebels fight (see below) perhaps just over the choke-hold points over those people. --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:36, 13 July 2013 (UTC)
 * @edwardedark an hour ago:
 * siege of West Aleppo partially lifted today as some trucks carrying food, flour, milk, fruit and vegetables were allowed to enter. #Syria
 * Lifted, not broken. Still at the mercy of the "rebels" apparently. Just now he posted about his relative's home: " Rebels came at 4 a.m, kicked them out. installed a heavy machine gun in bedroom & broke a wall." :o( --CE (talk) 21:43, 14 July 2013 (UTC)

Clearly Breaking News was wrong to say the blockade was smashed. That would almost require a total victory driving rebels out of at least central Aleppo. Not that easy to do, I suspect. "Circumvented" sounds like the better word there -it wasn't a total blockade (too hard for the rebels to achieve). Then the part that holds was partly lifted (sharia council order?). Likely to be re-closed (rejecting religious orders?). Still needs smashed. --Caustic Logic (talk) 00:48, 15 July 2013 (UTC)

Blaming Others
As noted, there were early opposition efforts to claim that it was the Syrian government imposing this blockade on areas it held, apparently to starve anyone they still could. This must have looked silly pretty quickly, and doesn't seem to have spread very widely. Direct quotes, sources, etc. in time. --Caustic Logic (talk) 02:35, 21 July 2013 (UTC)

This article from an Aleppan tries to blame both sides: the danger people face to ease the rebel starvation order is administered by the government's snipers, in an grim and unexplained symbiosis:
 * Aleppo Starves Under Siege Edward Dark for Al-Monitor, July 15
 * The Bustan al-Qasr crossing is aptly named the “death crossing,” as several people making the dangerous trip get picked out, seemingly at random, every day by regime snipers positioned on higher ground. ... A neighbor who braved the crossing to buy some vegetables told me of how, as they were running across the 100 meters or so of no-man’s-land beyond the crossing, a regime sniper shot an elderly woman in her neck. The people hit the ground and remained pinned down for half an hour. As her husband tried to reach her, he was shot, too. Truly, making a salad in Aleppo could cost you your life.

It also mentions government trucks bringing food and filming that, but failing to then deliver it, and taking bread from a bakery, perhaps to feed others but leaving those in line hungry. --Caustic Logic (talk) 02:35, 21 July 2013 (UTC)

A comment beneath Dark's article sets the tone of blaming the victim, acknowledging that Aleppo's people failed to embrace the revolution and so...:
 * In 2011, the people of Allepo had the chance to make history. Instead they sat on the fence until it was burned from underneath them. If nothing else, I hope Aleppans take a valuable moral lesson from what they bought on themselves.

Question for haters like this: Who did this fence-burning? Both sides to some extent, but starting when? --Caustic Logic (talk) 02:35, 21 July 2013 (UTC)

Videos

 * Bunch of videos here. --CE (talk) 16:31, 12 July 2013 (UTC)

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 * More video: FSA/Al Nusra Front terrorists block food & life resources on Aleppo (English) – Or is this the same one? -- Petri Krohn (talk) 08:54, 13 July 2013 (UTC)


 * Protest (with voiceover).Angry Islamists near the end, possible gunshot in the air at last moment. --Caustic Logic (talk) 11:09, 15 July 2013 (UTC)


 * Syrian Girl Partisan FSA Place Food Embargo on West Aleppo - Interview with an Aleppen

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 * Al-Mayadeen via SGP: The People of Aleppo React to Siege by the FSA

"Unification Brigade" Burning Food Trucks?
Of course the food probably wasn't for them. The article says nothing further, just shows this video of two blazing cargo trucks, citing an earlier posting date July 15, similar to this one: لواء التوحيد يصادر شاحنتين ويحرقهما امام اصحابها لنقلهم مؤنه الى قرى الشبيحه (Unification Brigade confiscated two trucks and burn them in front of their owners (for taking?) subsistence to shabeeha villages). Shabiha have entire villages now? Villages usually have women and children and old people. But they're all "Shabiha," those vicious killers of women and children and elderly, who aren't even Muslim/human, the haters often note. So they aren't to eat. Is this okay? --Caustic Logic (talk) 14:42, 20 July 2013 (UTC)
 * Aleppo, 15 July 2013: Terrorists burn food aid trucks …’cause they don’t need food…they eat human organs

This "Unification Foundation for Relief and Development," as another video gives it, seem to be the Islamist food distribution people in Aleppo, bearded and armed. They have many videos of consumables delivered to them or stacked neatly in warehouses or delivered in trucks with stickers clarifying who's running the food show now. The money comes from Qatar, I guess. Yes, they presumably feed certain people, and that's partly good (the rest, evil). Another video: Institution uniformity for Relief and Development :: food aid for students of a school in Aleppo. The bitter-looking men running this delivery are extremely impressed with having a group with a name, and to be deliviring food, not blows from a sword. It's all so new and exciting. A man the rebels are no longer torturing (did they burn the skin below his eye?) expresses careful gratitude for their camera. He did well, as he had better to feed the kids. --Caustic Logic (talk) 14:42, 20 July 2013 (UTC)

FSA-Nusra Clashes
Possibly genuine, possibly part of the set-up. Especially if the FSA wins, with suspicious totality, making people think they could fight the terrorists and the "regime" and allow those who back them be the friggin heroes after all. --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:36, 13 July 2013 (UTC) AP: Al-Qaida linked gunmen kill Syrian rebel commander - in Lattakia province, late Thursday, over a dispute about check points, at an al-Qaeda checkpoint. SOHR names him as Kamal Hamami, and the killers as with "the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant — a reportedly merged group made up of al-Qaida's branches in Iraq and Syria." Curiouslyconsistent with the zeitgeist of a broader clash over control of checkpoints, related to the siege in Aleppo. AP: Syrian rebels, al-Qaida fighters battle in Aleppo
 * Activists say Syrian rebels and fighters from an al-Qaida-linked group have turned their guns on each other and are fighting for control of a key checkpoint in the northern city of Aleppo. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Saturday's clashes are focused on the strategic checkpoint in Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr district. The checkpoint is the only gateway between rebel-held eastern districts and the city's western areas, controlled by President Bashar Assad's troops.


 * Earlier this week, al-Qaida-linked militants seized the checkpoint and closed it for several days, cutting the flow of food supplies to the city and triggering the confrontation. Residents angry over the blockade have staged protests against the anti-Assad forces as food prices soar in Aleppo at the start of the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan.

That's the entire article there. --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:36, 13 July 2013 (UTC)

NYT: Syrian Rebel Infighting Undermines Anti-Assad Effort
 * Competing rebel factions in Syria are increasingly attacking each other in a series of killings, kidnappings and beheadings, undermining the already struggling effort to topple President Bashar al-Assad.
 * Message: bad things underly broader bad things. Complicating efforts? Cue the doom and gloom music and ominous clouds rolling in B-roll footage. --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:36, 13 July 2013 (UTC)
 * The open hostilities could no longer be contained Friday, when a Western-aligned group, the Free Syrian Army, demanded that a Qaeda-linked rebel faction, the Islamic State of Iraq and Al Sham, turn over the suspected killers of a prominent commander who was shot dead on Thursday. 

Other straws alleged leading up to the rift cited here: two FSA fighters beheaded in Idlib, a demonstration there against the Islamic State that turned to clashes, killing 13, and the alleged rape of a local boy. Combined, could be plausible enough reason to risk a rift, when the attempt to starve 2 million was the next step.

Aleppo Central Prison
SOHR, June 20: Urgent call: ICRC should head to the Aleppo Central Prison


 * The SOHR reports that the humanitarian conditions in the Aleppo Central Prison have plummeted to a catastrophic level due to the severe lack of medicine and food. 3 prisoners died of Tuberculosis in the besieged prison yesterday for lack of medicine, other deaths have been reported. There is an outbreak of Scabies amongst the prisoners and the guards. Food is very scarce, and only reaches the prison by helicopter drops. 


 * More than 100 prisoners died in the prison since April 2013, killed by the rebel bombardment, malnourishment, lack of medicine and execution by the regime forces.


 * The rebel factions began the move to siege on the prison on the beginning of April 2013, in operation "freeing the prisoners". It began with taking control of the Jandoul roundabout, Riuhbet Shqeif, the Shqeif neighbourhood and the Henderat camp and mainly the road that lead to the prison. This cut off the main supply line to the prison. The battles and siege began on 27/4/2013 with the taking over of the Kaziya checkpoint, which is by the prison. Buildings by the prison were taken over on 2/5/2013, that was the beginning of the full siege on the Aleppo Central Prison.


 * The battle over the prison began when 2 men detonated car bombs by the main gate checkpoint of the prison on 15/5/2013

June 23, SARC heeded the call, and sent in a team "after coordination with all parties on the ground" to deliver immediate supplies and assess further needs Then someone broke their oath and attacked the unarmed convoy, killing no one but badly injuring a judge, a driver, and a volunteer. Both sides blame each other. But it works towards the same end of freeing/starving the prisoners as the overall rebel campaign up to that point. --Caustic Logic (talk) 11:37, 10 July 2013 (UTC)


 * July 14, SOHR reports the seige was partially lifted, but still not broken. They heard that the Red Crescent was allowed to deliver 5000 meals to the prison.
 * An SOHR activist was in the perimeter of the prison at the time the Red Crescent delivered the food supplies and reported that rebel fighters only allowed food supplies to enter on the condition that they do not exceed daily needs and are not storage supplies. 
 * ("Daily needs" for how many days not specified. Banning "storage" suggests it might be one token day's needs. The siege intended to continue, perhaps with daily Red Crescent deliveries, as rebel moods allow.) --Caustic Logic (talk) 08:29, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
 * The Red Crescent also got out 10 prisoners who have finished their sentence at earlier times, one of the prisoners spoke to an SOHR activist abou the severe conditions inside the prison and the lack of essential life necessities and concerning the many prisoners who died inside the prison by bombardment, illness and clashes. He reported that clashes took place between members of the criminal branch and prisoners after 10 prisoners were able to seize their weapons, the 10 prisoners and 7 others were killed by the clashes.
 * (perhaps not being truthful) --Caustic Logic (talk) 08:29, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
 * It is also worth noting that several rebel battalions started the operation in the beginning of April 2013, and took hold of the al-Jandoul sqaure, Rahbat al-Shqeif, al-Shqeif neighbourhood, the Handrat camp and the road leading to the prison inorder to prevent any supplies from reaching the prison. The blockade started on 27/4/2013 when rebel fighters took hold of the al-Kaziya checkpoint near the prison and later started getting closer to the prison, taking hold of buildings in the perimeter of the prison on 2/5/2013, the day the prison was under full blockade. Rebel fighters started attempting to storm the prison started with 2 suicide bombers detonating a car in the central checkpoint and siege of the prison on the 15th of May. Rebel fighters also took hold of the police department in the al-Msalmiya area next to the prison. A suicide bomber detonated a car in the central gate of the prison on 23/05/2013, which led regular forces to retreat to inside the prison and rebel fighters taking hold of buildings under construction inside the prison gates.

Zahra and Nubol
(will be organized soon) In the late-June sectarian Hatlah Massacre next to Deir Ezzor, at least 15 civilians, mostly related to a Shi'ite cleric, were killed in revenge for others in their religion kicking the rebels out of Qusair, Afterwards, a foreign Sunni cleric who had sponsored the operation bragged of this slaughter ("with knives") of a religious leader and his son ("bad people"). Luridly referencing the battle of Karballah and Hussein and Ali, Skeikh al-Ajmi threatened the same in these two heavily besieged and blockaded Shi'ite towns near Aleppo. "As for tomorrow, we have a date with Nubl and Zahraa."

Rebels had been heavily shelling the towns for some time and by then imposed a blockade of all life essentials. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on July 1:
 * Aleppo province: Rebel factions taking part in the campaign labelled 'Echo of al-Quseir', who are besieging the towns of Nubul and al-Zahra', released a statement (statement number 3) saying that they intend to liberate the towns of Nebel and al-Zahra', which are inhabited mostly by Muslim Shi'a civilians, from regime forces, pro-regime gunmen, Hizbullah forces and Iranian elements.
 * Shi'ite Hatlah had just been overrun and vacated, with massacres and burning homes and destruction of shrines, in a clear echo of Quseir. Here, they didn't clearly promised to be reasonable in victory, but did offer "an alternative peaceful solution with 6 demands," SOHR reported. Shia defenders could prevent the battle by surrendering and defecting on video, "Handing over all regime and pro-regime forces who are responsible for acts of murder and "tashbih"," agreeing to prisoner exchanges and "joint checkpoints by both sides to protect the inhabitants." In return, rebels offered this:
 * - After [the other terms are met] the siege on the towns by the rebels will cease and they will allow food, medical aid, and basic human necessities into Nubul and Zahra'

Clearly, therefore, at the time they were not letting these things through. This is a life embargo, saying -to every man, woman, and child in there - accept our solution, make it happen somehow, or die. --Caustic Logic (talk) 11:37, 10 July 2013 (UTC) A helicopter was shot down for breaking the blockade. Members of the education department were on-board and died. Another source says they were carrying examination papers. For example, this video:
 * http://www.mideastpress.org/a-tragic-state-of-events-in-the-aleppo-governate/
 * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkNi-gTj63k

Other
- Aleppo University Attack - [[Alleged chemical attack, March 19, 2013| From the outset, some (not enough) have wondered about the reports starting last year of the Syrian military shelling bakeries, especially in Aleppo, with artillery, fighter jets, and especially mortars. That was supposed to be since the city had essentially defected and joined the rebel side, and the regime wanted to starve them into submission. In the months since, rebels have smashed a little more of the city into their pockets, with the utmost effort, but lament that a solid majority of Aleppans still don't want their revolution and have to be compelled. Now we can see rebels hoping to starve people in the government-held areas to submission. In this al-Mayadeen video (2:27), a man explains how the lack of functioning bakeries helps in that. The one still running simply can't keep up and people are going home empty-handed after waiting all day. So, is it still the "regime" shelling the bakeries to make life intolerable for the people? --[[User:Caustic Logic|Caustic Logic]] (talk) 11:41, 15 July 2013 (UTC)
 * Electricity, internet, and water shut-offs
 * Snipers! Who else would be sniping people in rebel-conquered areas but the regime, to punish them all for embracing their rebel masters so enthusiastically? --Caustic Logic (talk) 14:48, 20 July 2013 (UTC)
 * Heavy bombardment (mortars, rockets)
 * Bombing Bakeries:


 * Targeting non-Sunni areas (see Zahra and Nubol, Khan al-Assal chosen for chemical attack, etc.)
 * "Scud missile attacks?"
 * Etc.