Social Media Monitor: Regime Loses Raqqa

Crowds knock down Hafez al-Assad’s statue – YouTube

The biggest news about Syria this week was perhaps the fall of the city of Raqqa in rebels’ hands on Monday, March 4. According to a video circulated on YouTube the governor of Raqqa Hassan al-Jalali and the head of the branch of the Baath Party in the province Suleiman al-Suleiman were taken prisoners by opposition fighters the day after. The last part that was held by the regime forces was the area surrounding the headquarters of the Military Security, which was reportedly taken by fighters from Al-Nusra Front on Wednesday, March 6.

The ex-spokesman of the Syrian National Council Radwan Ziadeh commented on the event on twitter, saying:

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“The province of Raqqa was the last to join the Syrian revolution, but today it is the first province to be fully liberated from Assad’s occupation. May God bless the freemen’s work.”

Fighters as well as people form the city knocked down a colossal statue of the late President Hafez al-Assad, President Bashar al-Assad’s father and the founder of the current regime. Activists from the city, such as writer Yassin al-Haj Saleh, were particularly rejoiced by the event:

"At the entrance of Raqqa there was a statue of the founding shabbih [thug] that was large, overwhelming and had its back turned to the city; the statue fell tonight. I'm from Raqqa and my heart is thrilled."
“At the entrance of Raqqa there was a statue of the founding shabbih [thug] that was large, overwhelming and had its back turned to the city; the statue fell tonight. I’m from Raqqa and my heart is thrilled.”

The satirical Facebook page La Tishlishna Mashlousheen criticized the language used by supporters of the regime or those who are still hesitant to support the opposition:

"Raqqa has been 'liberated'; let all the hesitant be happy after they had been waiting to see who will win. Today I met people who suddenly turned from being neutral to being bitter opponents of the regime and supporters of the Free Syrian Army...Raqqa has 'fallen'; the supporters of the regime deserve it. Official media have been reporting that there's a demonstration at Al-Muhafaza Square … in Cairo, while loyalist news networks [on Facebook] have been completely quiet. "
“Raqqa has been ‘liberated’; let all the hesitant be happy after they had been waiting to see who will win. Today I met people who suddenly turned from being neutral to being bitter opponents of the regime and supporters of the Free Syrian Army…Raqqa has ‘fallen’; the supporters of the regime deserve it. Official media have been reporting that there’s a demonstration at Al-Muhafaza Square … in Cairo, while loyalist news networks [on Facebook] have been completely quiet. “

Whether Raqqa was “liberated” or “fell”, it changed very little about how the regime reacted – it has resorted to continuous airstrikes since Monday.

The columnist at the London-based daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi Subhi Hadidi tweeted, saying:

"Assad's rats fled the liberated city of Raqqa, so his expected reaction was to attack it by air raids. Has history seen a war criminal that is more debased, coward, bloodthirsty or hateful?"
“Assad’s rats fled the liberated city of Raqqa, so his expected reaction was to attack it by air raids. Has history seen a war criminal that is more debased, coward, bloodthirsty or hateful?”

National Coalition Criticized for Attending Friends of Syria Conference

The opposition National Coalition retracted its previous decision to boycott the Friends of Syria conference that was held in Rome on Thursday, February 28, during which US and European governments pledged to offer “non-lethal” aid to the Syrian opposition. The leaders of the coalition were reluctant to attend because they did not consider the sponsors ready to offer real support for the opposition.

Veteran United Nations official Samir Shishakli, who has also served as the National Coalition’s advisor for UN affairs, criticized the leader of the coalition Moaz al-Khatib for rescinding his initial decision, suggesting that he is lying to Syrians.

“We were hoping to find an iron fist behind that silk glove, but we only found…ambiguity in decision making,” he wrote on his personal blog. “It seems that this leadership is being led; it was led to boycott [the conference] by the pressure from the different [opposition] factions and was then driven, under opposite pressure, to retract its decision. In both cases the decision was emotive and lacked a true sense of leadership… what I hope the coalition and its leaders would do is to be honest with Syrians.”

One of the Facebook pages that speak in the name of Moaz al-Khatib responded to this accusation:

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“…You should know, Mr. [Shishakli], that the idea to boycott the meetings in Rome was initially that of Moaz al-Khatib and he drafted the statement to announcing himself… as for the decision to [participate in the conference], it was taken after consulting with many members of the coalition, and we found it is better to attend the conference for reasons I that do not have to mention to you…”

 Khatib Visits Northern Syria

Moaz al-Khatib visited the cities of Manbej and Jarablus in the province of Aleppo, which are controlled the Free Syrian Army, on Sunday, March 3.

"Words cannot describe how one feels upon visiting one's country. My tears fell when I saw the first olive tree and my soul flew when I saw the infinite green velvet covering my country's [land]..."
“Words cannot describe how one feels upon visiting one’s country. My tears fell when I saw the first olive tree and my soul flew when I saw the infinite green velvet covering my country’s [land]…”

Palestinian writer and political analyst Yasser al-Zaatreh welcomed this visit:

"…It's a step in the right direction. There should be contact between the leaders of coalition and fighters inside the country."
“…It’s a step in the right direction. There should be contact between the leaders of coalition and fighters inside the country.”

A SCUD missile reportedly fell on the city of Manbej right after Khatib’s visit, which called for a sarcastic comment from the Amman-based, Syrian media specialist Tareq al-Jaza’eere:

"What did Manbej commit in order to deserve being bombed by SCUD missiles other than being visited by Moaz al-Khatib!!! I suggest that Khatib visits his own area in Damascus to have the regime bomb it too."
“What did Manbej commit to deserve bombing by SCUD missiles, other than being visited by Moaz al-Khatib!!! I suggest that Khatib visits his own area in Damascus to have the regime bomb it too.”

 

Syrians Refuse Their Country’s “Death”

The original cover of The Economist
The original cover of The Economist

The version designed by Wissam al-Jazairy – Facebook
The version designed by Wissam al-Jazairy – Facebook

Syrian graphic designer Wissam al-Jazairy designed his own version of the cover of The Economist’s issue of February 23- March 1. Unlike the original, Jaziry’s version reflects hope in his country’s future and that it shall overcome its ordeals. The original cover depicted the gradual destruction of Syria by warfare and featured a story titled ‘Death of a Country’.  The Economist published the cover designed by Jazairy along with a short interview with him, in which he said that fate will respond to the Syrians’ will for living.

Opposition supporters had expressed their anger at the sketch that was published by The Economist, refusing the insinuation that Syria is heading for more devastation.