Social Media Monitor: Government Forces Seize Qusair

This video was published on Qusair Media Centre’s channel on YouTube on Sunday, June 2, two days before the city was seized by government forces. Rockets fall near the cameraman as he films.

Two weeks after the battle began,  fighting in Qusair came to an end on the morning of Wednesday, June 5, when the Syrian government declared that its forces recaptured the city.

Several news agencies quoted a statement by the Syrian Revolution General Commission, an umbrella of some 40 opposition political groups, admitting the government’s victory. The spokesperson of the Free Syrian Army, Sohaib al-Ali, however, was quoted as saying that the government’s announcement was “a lie.”

Mujahidee Al-Sham brigades, a coalition of several Salafist armed groups, tweeted on Wednesday that fighting continued on the outskirts of Qusair.

"There is still fighting on the outskirts of Qusair, especially in the countryside. As you know, Qusair is big and has many combat fronts. God willing, you will soon hear good news."
“There is still fighting on the outskirts of Qusair, especially in the countryside. As you know, Qusair is big and has many combat fronts. God willing, you will soon hear good news.”

The scarce images and footage from the battleground before the city was recaptured were mostly provided by activists from the Qusair Media Centre, who published videos on YouTube as well as photos on Facebook.

The Lebanese Red Cross transported around 85 wounded from Qusair into hospitals in North and East Lebanon on Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9.

On Monday, June 3, The International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, declared that it was seeking to enter Qusair in order to evacuate the wounded, but Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said that the international organization could access the embattled city only after fighting had ceased.

Before the battle ended, the London-based Syrian opposition writer Muyiddin Lazikani published a petition on his Facebook page, calling for pressure to be put on Hezbollah to allow the wounded in Qusair to be transported to Tripoli in North Lebanon.

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Syria calls on Erdogan to step down

Following the outbreak of demonstrations in Turkey, Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoabi called on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to step down out of “respect for the will of the people.” Erdogan has made several similar calls for President Bashar al-Assad to step down during the Syrian uprising.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry also urged Syrians to leave Turkey, a call to which journalist Mustafa Alloush responded on his Facebook page, saying:

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“Believe it or not, but it’s true!! The Syrians who fled Scud missiles and explosive barrels [dropped from aircraft] were officially called by the state to return from Turkey… because it’s scared for them from water hoses!!”

Pro-regime social media pages expressed joy over the outbreak of protests in Turkey.

"Erdogan, the biggest traitor, has seen the gates of doom open. Let me him have a taste of his own medicine"
“Erdogan, the biggest traitor, has seen the gates of doom open. Let me him have a taste of his own medicine”

A page called The Supporters of Bashar al-Assad described the demonstrators in Taksim as “rebels.”

"Turkey: rebels take over Taksim and remove the barricades set up by the police to hide behind it."
“Turkey: rebels take over Taksim and remove the barricades set up by the police to hide behind it.”

 

Demonstrations broke out in Istanbul and other Turkish cities on Friday, May 31 to protest against plans to build a mall in Gezi Park near Taksim Square and they have escalated since then.

Assad’s supporters rejoice over his last interview

Security members in Damascus fired their guns in the air to celebrate President Bashar al-Assad’s interview with the Hezbollah-owned Al-Manar TV on Thursday, May 30.

Assad’s supporters also expressed their joy on social media.

"A 40-minute interview made everybody in Syria feel there was a holiday. How could we not love President Assad or put his photos in our hearts?"
“A 40-minute interview made everybody in Syria feel there was a holiday. How could we not love President Assad or put his photos in our hearts?”

Opposition activist Mustafa Ismail commented on Assad’s explanation of Syria’s lack of response to the recent Israeli airstrikes, saying:

"I didn't follow the interview with Bashar, the puppet, on Al-Manar; instead, I made a mistake by reading excerpts about it and [all I saw] was strategic nonsense."
“I didn’t follow the interview with Bashar, the puppet, on Al-Manar; instead, I made a mistake by reading excerpts about it and [all I saw] was strategic nonsense.”

In memory of Bassel Shehadeh

Syrian activists commemorated the first anniversary of the killing of activist and filmmaker Bassel Shehadeh last week. Shehadeh was killed in Homs on May 28, 2012 while filming shelling by government forces.

Activist Dellair Youssef remembered this day with sorrow. He commented on his Facebook page, saying:

"Today is my birthday, but it is also the first anniversary of the death of my friend Bassel Shehadeh. Today is also [probably] the anniversary of a massacre that took place somewhere in Syria…today is an awful day."
“Today is my birthday, but it is also the first anniversary of the death of my friend Bassel Shehadeh. Today is also [probably] the anniversary of a massacre that took place somewhere in Syria…today is an awful day.”

In his memory, several of Shehadeh’s friends reposted his critically acclaimed short film Saturday Morning Gift about the 2006 war in Lebanon.