Talk:Abel massacre

Suggested Re-Purposing of this Page
I just discovered a fascinating March 27 massacre like Abel but 4 times the size and two days later, and in the same area of deliberately confused control. And then there are later killings in the same area, same style, through the end of the month, as I was already noting here months ago. It occurs to me there should be one space to cover all these, which seem so interrelated. It's too much for that already bloated page, but not worth new pages. So I think this page will best be expanded to cover and consider these all together, March 25 (or ealier if I see anything) to at least the 31st. It doesn't include the Talkalakh Massacre, directly. Too far off. --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:32, 21 January 2014 (UTC)


 * One could move the old page to Abel massacre (March 25, 2013) and put the later, larger massacre to Abel massacre or Abel massacre (March 27, 2013). Abel massacre vould become a disambiguation page. But as the two dates are so close, I do not think we should cover them separately. If the material grows even bigger we can create subpages like in Houla and August 21 CW attack. How about Abel massacre/March 25 and Abel massacre/March 27? -- Petri Krohn (talk) 14:23, 21 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Disambiguation works, maybe just built into the top of the same page. Broadly, Abel Massacre could refer to all these in this area and time (with an argument about the 27th "in" Baba Amr) But I think all these blur together too much to have their own pages. It was happening at the beginning, best to just accept that, enshrine it, and have sections, overall summary later. Only the 2012 Abel massacre needs disambiguated then. But whatever works. I was thinking simple. --Caustic Logic (talk) 14:52, 21 January 2014 (UTC)

Locations
The area of these massacres is worth some sorting out. (map and notes forthcoming)

The first and most widely reported (with video) of the massacres was credited to Abel/Abil, on Wikimapia. 7.5 km south of Baba Amr district, Homs, 4.5 km east of Qatina, just west and a number of Army facilities, 10 km NE of Al-Qusayr Military air base, 16 km from Qusayr, near the Lebanese border, 30 km SE of Taldou. Just had a few minutes' fun measuring things. --Caustic Logic (talk) 09:57, 26 March 2013 (UTC) and --Caustic Logic (talk) 11:39, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

More specifically, the sources cite the locale as "on the outskirts of the village," "at the edges of the villages, on the Damascus-Homs International Roadway next to al-Kounafi checkpoint," "in one of the village farms," which might be "al-Bouz farm," whose guard (?) was killed too, and his family went missing. I haven't been able to pin down any of these locales on the map just yet. --Caustic Logic (talk) 09:55, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

The emphasis on the "international highway" is apparently crucial. On the 29th, the LCC reported "8 martyrs bodies were found after being killed by regime forces, thier bodies were cut with knives and burned in the village farms near by the International Highway, it is known that the district is under regime forces control." Abel is also on or quite near the Homs-Qusayr Highway, which is just as likely relevant. Further down, the same report notes: "Homs: FSA controls a tank in Homs-Qoser international way near Barghourth checkpoint. - Homs: Qusseir: The FSA destroys 2 tanks at Homs-Qusseir road." Therefore, the massacres were ... a little further that way. --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:32, 21 January 2014 (UTC)

Prior Area Massacres
And then, what sounds like the same incident, 17 civilians killed by gunmen, but in two villages near Abel. Then I re-realized that it is, in fact, from September 30, 2012 11:20 AM. But as a past incident, it's worth mentioning. Breaking News.sy: Gunmen massacred 17 in Homs countryside… Syrian Soldiers kill 100 insurgents in Aleppo
 * Gunmen have launched an attack on the two villages of al-Hayedreh and al-Ghasania, situated in Homs Countryside. The militants have committed a horrible massacre against 17 Syrian civilians. An exclusive source told Breaking News Network that the insurgents have raided on the two villages, carried out acts of sabotage and looting. The sources indicated that fierce armed conflicts with the Syrian Arab Army have been occurred in the very villages. Our correspondent to Homs said that armed men have set up an ambush for a car near the area of Abel. The ambush, added the correspondent has resulted in the martyrdom of Lieutenant Hatem Abbas and Colonel Adel Suleiman. --Caustic Logic (talk) 11:39, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

There is a video for another prior massacres in this town - of birds. (??) Partly domestic (chickens and ducks), so maybe a livestock massacre (helps people reconcile to moving away, etc.) and also pigeons. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-Hn5hHYRTo --Caustic Logic (talk) 09:57, 26 March 2013 (UTC) and --Caustic Logic (talk) 11:39, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

And there's a LCC report from February 27, 2012:
 * Monday ended with 144 martyrs among them 64 martyrs from Baba Amro who were killed in Abel massacre in Homs, including 4 soldiers, 3 ladies and 3 kids.

App. no more detail given, nor videos. --Caustic Logic (talk) 13:29, 30 March 2013 (UTC)

Area Military Situation
Baba Amr, the frequent rebel hotbed/stronghold of Homs, has been getting clobbered lately, with reports suggesting the government has once again secured it in the last couple of days. Rebel fighters will have withdrawn. 7 km south seems one reasonable direction and distance. Details coming. --Caustic Logic (talk) 09:57, 26 March 2013 (UTC)


 * Syrian Army restores Baba Amro and Free Army militia escapes to Joret al-Arayes March 24, 2013  1:11 PM
 * Syrian Media sources say that “Syrian Arab Army managed to re-establish its full control over Baba Amro neighborhood of Homs”.
 * Syrian Newspaper al-Watan points out that “Syrian Army has taken control over the neighborhood after sieging the armed men in Joret al-Arayes neighborhood and has imposed a security Conrad on their places, where they holed up”. 
 * The newspaper adds that “Some of the members of the militia have escaped to Joret al-Arayes neighborhood, while dozens of them have been killed, including the leader of one of the battalions Abed al-Muneem al-Nahar, the defetcted Khalid Refa’at al-Zubi, Ahmad Qara Dalla, Muhammad Shawish, Jneed al-Ebrahimi, Mahmoud Shtewi, Walid al-Alloush and Talal al-Helal”.  --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:57, 26 March 2013 (UTC)


 * SOHR: March 25:
 * Homs province: Regular forces have taken control over large parts of the Baba Amr neighbourhood after several days of violent clashes, the clashes continue in the orchards of Baba Amr. 1 man from the city of Tadmur was killed after being detained by regime forces. --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:57, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

Three days later, March 28, a rebel Facebook page shares this:
 * ريف حمص الجنوبي قرية آبل 
 * الآن قصف يقذائف الهاون والدبابات على القرية من حاجز فتحة السلطان وكتيبة شنشار الصاروخية 
 * اللهم سلم يارب
 * 2013-3-28
 * Homs southern village of Apple (Abel) - Now bombing mortar Ikmaiv and tanks on the village of Sultan slot barrier and Hnchar battalion rocket - O Allah, peace Lord - 03/28/2013

Suggesting rebels wound up in charge of part of that area and thus brought on bombardment. --Caustic Logic (talk) 09:38, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

March 29 Massacre

 * March 29: https://www.facebook.com/CoordinationOfDoctorsInHoms
 * Southern Homs Suburbs | Abel Village 29-03-2013
 * A horrific massacre in the farms of the village near the International Homs-Damascus Highway was committed against the people of the village. Eight bodies were found slaughtered into shreds with knives and machetes and then burned by Assad gangs and Hezbollah forces who took control of the farmlands. We apologize for the gruesome images. There is no power except God Almighty.


 * 21+ A Horrific Scene from the Massacre - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cr0tdexwOg


 * #Homs: A'abel: Massacre +18. The Link:


 * http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=133344003517687&set=a.133345186850902.1073741828.100005262630561&type=1
 * https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=133349083517179&set=a.133345186850902
 * http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=133344003517687&set=a.133345186850902
 * http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=133344003517687&set=a.133345186850902


 * https://www.facebook.com/RadioFreeSyria
 * Warning: 18+, EXTREMELY GRAPHIC images, further evidence of Assad regime crimes against humanity 
 * A'abil, Homs: The horrific charred remains of eight people tortured, killed and dismembered with machetes and knives by Assad's forces before being burnt were found in farmland outside A'abil in southern rural Homs on Friday March 29th.
 * This was the second such massacre by regime forces and Hezbollah in the A'abil area in a week.
 * Please do not look at these images if you are of a sensitive disposition. Please do forward them to media and humanitarian organisations. The world should be forced to see what Assad's forces are doing.

(same images, I think) --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:00, 30 March 2013 (UTC)

Initial impression: Between the video and the photos, this is apparently a whole other scene in this area that seems to be rebel held (they're dug in, getting shelled, and receiving medical supplies there, and yet they can't stop the Shabiha ... in time). There's an apparently severed head only half-burnt. In case it's not clear enough, they point to the nice cut and the pile of cider blocks a few feet away with a huge puddle of blood around it. Another victim, gagged and blindfolded, teeth gritted, had a serious throat slice/partial beheading. Another body is missing from the chest down, arms frozen in a peculiar pose. Only three victims thus can be called with certainty, but there are other chunks and lots of it burned together. Likely five or more victims, could be 8, maybe. At least two separated legs, one apparently chewed on by dogs, along with some other scraps. As far as can be told, the three were fighting-age men, so charred foreign fighters would be possible, if they were willing to process their own like this just for black PR operations. --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:36, 30 March 2013 (UTC)
 * At 1:18 it looks a bit like the fire pit is smoldering. The enormous logo on that corner, coincidentally, makes it less clear than it should be. But I think the guilty "Shabiha" had just been here burning their victims, right before the rebels got there, or perhaps even after they got there. --Caustic Logic (talk) 13:10, 21 January 2014 (UTC)
 * At right, now, a composite view (cropped from a bigger composite view) of the crime scene - dismemberment station with top blocks removed, burn area. sitting block, poking sticks. In the nearer foreground (cropped off here), the human remains themselves laid on a blanket. --Caustic Logic (talk) 12:47, 22 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Same video and same photos with Arabic captions, possible value added: https://www.facebook.com/hsentaweelfree
 * Homs Up-to-Date posting of picture links: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=387490031358280&set=a.276415299132421.61643.274193632687921&type=1

March 31 Massacre
As mentioned below, one of the March 25 reports is from a knowledgeable group called Coordinating (Committee?) East al-(Buoida?), Abel, and Mubarakiya. All close areas where whoever was running around in late May. A video posted May 31, shows more civilians executed, but not burnt, in East Buwayda, which is in the south of Homs. Of course, despite free rebel access to film, the regime is responsible. Video: [Syria, E. Al-Buwayda +18 Another Assad massacre, Found more corpses of innocent civilians. 31-5-2012. It shows: Ten victims, un-burnt, all male. Mostly older men, intact, executed. One has a blasted head, but otherwise, cause of death unclear. No beheaded or stabbed bodies shown. Two smaller people seem to be pre-teen boys. Three victims on the left are possible rebel fighters; one suffered a bloody groin injury and destroyed legs - he has a beard, and seems well-fed, like a rebel fighter killed only in battle. Two others near him could be more rebels or not.

AP
Syria War: Baba Amr Neighborhood In Homs In Regime Hands By ALBERT AJI and BASSEM MROUE 03/26/13 04:16 PM ET EDT
 * The Syrian military's recapture of Baba Amr, in Homs, while not strategically important in the civil war, is a symbolic blow to the rebels. The poor, predominantly Sunni neighborhood emerged early in the uprising as a symbol of the rebel movement, first for its protests and later for the armed groups who held it against the regime onslaught.


 * The seesaw fight for the Homs neighborhood reflects the back-and-forth nature of Syria's civil war. While rebels appear to be gaining ground, their progress is slow and their fighters remain vulnerable to Assad's military superiority.


 * In other violence Tuesday, the Observatory said that at least 13 charred bodies, including four children and five women, were found on the outskirts of the village of Abil, southwest of Homs city. It said local activists blamed the killings on pro-government gunmen.


 * The Syrian government does not respond to requests for comment and did not mention the killing in official media.

Coordination Of Doctors In Homs
https://www.facebook.com/CoordinationOfDoctorsInHoms March 28: "Abel first aid center thanks the coordination of doctors in Homs for sending drugs and medical supplies"

SOHR
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) duly reported this opposition-discovered crime on the SOHR Facebook page: Massacre in the village of Abel, Reef Homs
 * Homs province: The bodies of 13 civilians (including 5 women and 4 children) were found on the outskirts of the village of Abel, in Reef Homs. The bodies indicate that the victims were burnt and stabbed stabbed to death. Local activists accuse pro-regime gunmen of committing this massacre.  --Caustic Logic (talk) 09:57, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

LCC
Local Coordination Committees: Syria Today 25-3-2013: "27 (martyrs) in Homs, most of them in Abel village … "
 * Homs: Abel: 18 person were martyred, mostly women and children, after being shoot in one of the village farms registering a new massacre with the name of regime’s forces militias

Yalla Souriya
Whatever source this is drawing on, it's the mother lode compared to the above reports. The details start to appear fascinating. Report about the massacre in Abel Homs 25/3/2013 Abel Farms (main text coming up... hitting save)--Caustic Logic (talk) 09:57, 26 March 2013 (UTC)
 * The regime’s shabiha attempted to storm Abel village in the suburbs of Homs, and the Free Syrian Army fought them back. As the shabiha were withdrawing from the area, they arrested two entire families of women, children and elderly men from the al-Ahmed and al-Mahmoud families. This took place at the edges of the villages, on the Damascus-Homs International Roadway next to al-Kounafi checkpoint.


 * The shabiha then filmed the detainees, forcing them to say that it was them who saved the civilians from armed gangs. After they completed filming, the shabiha tortured the civilians in the most brutal of ways. They tied them up and attacked them with knives. Some of them were slaughtered and others were stabbed, and some were beat with a stone on top of their heads. Not a single one survived.


 * After fatally torturing, the shabiha gathered the victims and slaughtered them using daggers and knives, and then burnt them, women and children included, completely.

The names of the victims:


 * 1) Qattash al-Mahmoud, age 70
 * 2) Hawash al-Ahmed, age 65
 * 3) Nusra al-Mahmoud, age 70
 * 4) Mahmoud al-Mahmoud, age 45
 * 5) Khudra al-Ahmed, age 42
 * 6) Huda al-Mahmoud, age 28
 * 7) Fouad al-Mahmoud, age 37
 * 8) Humaida al-Mahmoud, age 36
 * 9) Ghazeya al-Ahmed, age 35

Children:

10. Ahmed al-Ahmed, age 3

11. Haidar al-Ahmed, age 2

12. Sajeda al-Ahmed, age 1

13. Ahmed al-Mahmoud, age 9


 * The guard of al-Bouz farm, known as Abu Saeed, was also killed. He is from Hama, and his family, comprising a mother, father, three children and two young women, are missing until now.
 * Pictures & Videos : (see below, end report) --Caustic Logic (talk) 10:20, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

VDC
14 martyrs from Abel March 25. The Mahmouds are represented, but not so much the Ahmeds. The notes say more than 20 were killed, although the six members of the guard's family, including the guard, are supposed to just be missing/unknown.

Other, Arabic
قامت شبيحة النظام و كلاب حزب اللات بقتلهم بالسكاكين ولم يكتفوا بذلك بل قاموا بأحراقهم بعد قتلهم وقد وجدهم افراد الجيش الحر في المزارع بعد الدخول اليها وسنوافيكم بالاسماء ريسما يتم التعرف عليهم من قبل اقربائهم الله انتقم من هؤلاء الكفرة يارب العالمين
 * https://www.facebook.com/Bweda.Alsharqya
 * The system Hbihh and Party Lat dogs to kill them - Knives not content with that, but they Bahrachm after killing - The grandfather of military personnel free on farms after accessed - We bring you the names Risma been identified by their relatives - God avenged those infidels, Lord of the Worlds

Same page cites another post (same as Yalla Souriya's) as from Baba Amro News Facebook page - suggesting the link I suspected. Description of themselves:
 * We are citizen journalists, working as a team to convey the truth about massacres committed by Assad from the heart of events. It is the truth which the world should know about. It is the truth which Assad is trying hard to hide.

They have a before-and-after photo. One of the charred bodies, they're pretty sure, was a large older woman they somehow got a Shabiha photo of, looking very scared of whoever her captors there were (cropped, now added to the front page). How on earth did they get this photo, or know about the alleged Shabiha videos of the captives? Ah yes, after killing the Shabiha, from their phones, etc. Sick. Same image is repeated with the explanation in French, German, etc. It's a big deal for Baba Amro News, a real scoop after five days of no reports, to offset their loss of and flight from that district to just where this happened. --Caustic Logic (talk) 10:47, 29 March 2013 (UTC)


 * تنسيقية البويضة الشرقية و آبل و المباركية (coordinating (Committee?) east egg (al-Buoida?), Apple (Abel) and Mubarakiya): This page has the individual photos, with the same spiel about (as Google-translated) "The system Hbihh and Party Lat dogs..." --Caustic Logic (talk) 10:47, 29 March 2013 (UTC)


 * حمص ::: مزارع آبل 25/3/2013: Same explanation as Yalla Souria, in original Arabic  --Caustic Logic (talk) 10:47, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Video/Images
I haven't watched yet, but this might be all the same video. The stills and a photo I saw so far seem to confirm vary bad things happened to whoever these people are. Might be some analysis coming. The videos I can link to ATM:
 * SOHR's posting: "(Warning: Footage of the victims is very graphic and difficult to watch)" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UlAd9ybEkc --Caustic Logic (talk) 09:57, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

(Yalla Souriya's posting is the same url) --Caustic Logic (talk) 09:57, 26 March 2013 (UTC)
 * LCC's posting: "A horrific massacre in Abdel, Homs" (typo in original) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx1K3jsOUz8


 * Photos at Facebook linked to by Yalla Souriya: #1 - #2 - #3

Video Analysis
I finally watched the video. Both postings are the same thing, 0:56 in length. The scenery does little to set the locale -somewhere with grass. The low sunlight says it's either early morning or near sunset. It's difficult to even tell just how many bodies are shown; some of them are extremely mangled and perhaps hacked up and mixed together in spots. It seems there are between 10 and 15 charred corpses seen here. The burning is also pretty severe in spots - especially the face, generally skeletal, but with many limbs left un-burnt. Some victims have badly damaged head (0:15, 0:32), as the activists say from smashing with rocks, or alternately, from bullet exit wounds. One victim's face and head are left readable, at 0:41 - possibly a woman or older child with semi-long, wispy hair and an apparent throat injury. One piece of remains specially covered could be a distorted baby, or part of an adult. The pained face of a young man, perhaps, can be seen only lightly burnt at 0:46 - on a head apparently separated from the body, and among charred parts of his and/or someone else's body. In short, something really sick happened here, and the Islamist rebels were again the first to discover and film this crime that occurred, again, at a natural fallback point after losing Baba Amr the day before. --Caustic Logic (talk) 06:44, 28 March 2013 (UTC)