Syria: Assad Reportedly Agrees To Leave Power As Conflict Continues

Photograph courtesy of Syria Revolution in Photos

Most observers consider Assad’s continued presidency as untenable at this point, with Russia’s envoy to France claiming that President Bashar al-Assad is ready to leave power “in a civilized manner”.

Syrian state TV have denied these claims but the military are on full alert following the rumours

#Syria's Information Ministry just denied that #Assad agreed to leave power, as relayed by #Russia's ambassador to #France.

— Dan Williams (@DanWilliams) July 20, 2012

The conflict in Syria continues to escalate as the death toll rises, with 217 deaths yesterday according to the LCC and times become increasingly desperate for the Assad regime.

217 dead this Thursday in #Syria. Including 70 in Deir Ezzor, 55 in Damascus, 33 in Idlib, 21 in Homs, 16 in Hama. [LCC] #Syria

— (@HamaEcho) July 19, 2012

The continued shelling of civilian areas by the military is causing many otherwise unaffiliated Syrians to start to turn against the Assad regime, with the first step of breaking down the “cult of personality” that has surrounded Assad with people removing his portrait from their walls

Cousin was telling me how many shops around #Damascus have removed the 'traditional' portrait of the President hung on the wall. #Syria

— نور (@NMSyria) July 20, 2012

There are large-scale protests across Syria against the Assad regime as the month of Ramadan begins for the country’s Muslim population. One particularly large protest is taking place in the centre of Aleppo in what is being referred to as “Freedom Square”

There’s also mass protests in Damascus such as at this funeral in Qabr Akteh in the heart of the city

As the situation deteriorates, more Syrians are fleeing the conflict zones with the UNHCR stating that up to 30,000 Syrians have fled into Lebanon over the past 48 hours, with thousands more crossing into Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq. Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has said that Israel will block any influx of Syrian refugees into the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights – an area from which Assad has brought forces in an attempt to quell the uprising.

The continued disruption to business and the flood of people fleeing the country has meant that banks are running out of money in the country with The Guardian reporting on a statement from UNHCR’s chief spokeswoman, Melissa Fleming, who said

We’ve heard reports that many of the banks have just run out of money.

I just have a report from our staff that says state and private banks are reported to be out of funds. Whether this is all banks, I don’t know.

This is specifically relevant to the refugee population as reported but it’s probably also affecting the Syrian population.

The rebels reportedly have control of the Bab al-Hawa and Jarablus border crossings with Turkey and the Abu Kamal crossing with Iraq.

"there's no Syrian border now"Syrian man tells CNN after driving thru rebel-controlled Bab elHawa border gate w/out getting passport stamped

— Ivan Watson (@IvanCNN) July 20, 2012

Within Damascus, government forces have retaken some areas of the city such as Midan, with rebels calling the withdrawal from the area a “tactical retreat” to avoid further civilian casualties from the shelling. The result is a Damascus that is eerily quiet with large numbers of military personnel on the ground

Streets of #Damascus are very quiet. A lot of army at positions I did not see them before. Lots of streets closed off #Syria

— Sander van Hoorn (@svhoorn) July 20, 2012

The Syrian National Security Chief, Hisham Ikhtiar, has reportedly died as a result of the injuries he sustained from the bomb blast at the National Security Building in Damascus on Wednesday. There was still significant turnout for his funeral showing Syria remains a divided country between those that support the Assad regime and those that suppirt the rebels
https://twitter.com/BintAlRifai/statuses/226294274872983552

Whilst further UN sanctions may be off the table following yesterday’s vetoes by Russia and China, the international community may still attempt to intervene further in the conflict outside of a UN mandate, with British Foreign Secretary William Hague noting in an interview with the BBC

We will all be doing more outside the Security Council and intensify our work to support the Syrian opposition, to give humanitarian aid outside the work of the Security Council… There are several things we can do: first of all to give more practical support to the Syrian opposition. We do not give lethal support… We’ve already doubled the humanitarian aid…. The flow of refugees is rising, so we’ll do our utmost to help those people

He also stated that whilst the British are not currently sending arms at to the Syrian rebels:

It is happening… [and]I don’t rule out any option for the future because we can’t foresee how it will develop. But it has never been our policy in any of the conflicts in the Middle East to send lethal assistance to any of the parties involved

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Sources:
Local Coordination Committees of Syria
Hama English News
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
Yalla Souriya
Enduring America