worrying whether those rights will be implemented or will turn out to be merely ink on paper.
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Russia presents proof of Turkey's role in ISIS oil trade - RT News - 0 views
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This report from December 2015, released news from Moscow that uncovered Turkey as ISIS' main destination for smuggling oil. Three main oil routes to Turkey have been discovered. Although ISIS' income from oil smuggling has been significantly reduced from $3 to $1.5 million per day, this still suggests Turkey was not only aware of ISIS' stealing, but aiding and buying.
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Egypt women: Rights on paper, not yet on ground - Yahoo News - 0 views
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Men hold an overwhelming near-lock on decision-making in politics, and activists say they are doing little to bring about equality.
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saying the student was "dressed like a belly dancer." She was wearing black pants, a long-sleeved pink shirt and a head-scarf.
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security forces dragged a female protester to the ground, pulled up her top to reveal her blue bra and stomped on her chest.
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female protesters at the time were forced to undergo humiliating "virginity tests" when detained by the military.
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"If there is no democratic climate, how would you benefit from these beautiful laws?" said Abdel-Hameed. "It will be the same as under Mubarak: you have a beautiful law but it's not implemented."
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The document explicitly enshrines equality between the sexes and women's rights to education, work and high political office.
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"It's not just more progressive than the 2012 constitution, it's more progressive than the 1971 constitution . from the gender perspective,
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2010 court decision barred women judges from the State Council, a powerful judicial body that regulates disputes between individuals and the state and reviews legislation.
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January she wrote to the State Council demanding it take on women judges in light of the constitution.
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activate a unit specialized in fighting violence against women and "the health sector should take into account reproductive rights.
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Syria crisis: Where key countries stand - BBC News - 0 views
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The eruption of civil conflict in Syria in 2011 very quickly provoked a deep split in the international community over which side to back and what outcome to see
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Syria regarded as the world's most pressing crisis, the US and Russia, along with other permanent members of the UN Security Council, Turkey and Arab states, have attempted to resolve their differences.
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Their Geneva Communique, which calls for a transitional government based on "mutual consent", has become the basis for peace talks in the Swiss city. But it is clear the sides have different interpretations of the plan, and have so far failed to achieve a breakthroug
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US wants Bashar al-Assad out of power, and is pushing for the transitional government called for in the Geneva communique.
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President Barack Obama sought Congressional support for military action but postponed the vote - which was not certain to pass - when Syria indicated it would surrender its chemical stockpile
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United States has been one of the most prominent advocates of firm action against the Syrian government, which it has accused of using chemical weapons and other atrocities.
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It is backing Syria's "moderate opposition" with "non-lethal" assistance, including communications equipment, generators, and office supplies - but is also believed to be supplying light weapon
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Russia is one of Mr Assad's most important international backers and has warned the US and its allies against taking one-sided action against Syria
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Russia was key to Syria agreeing to give up chemical weapons, and backs the Geneva Communique. But it has repeatedly said Syria's future should be decided by Syrians and blocked anti-Assad resolutions at the UN Security Council. It continues to supply Syria with arms, including missile systems and aircraft
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Britain has been a big critic of the Assad government and signed a statement in 2013 calling for a "strong international respons
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supported military action but had to rule out Britain's involvement when he failed to secure the backing of parliament in August 2013.
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UK, along with France, successfully lobbied for the EU's arms embargo to be lifted so as to allow further supplies to Syrian rebels
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France has been among the most hawkish Western countries and was the first to stop recognising the Syrian government and deal with the main opposition coalition instead.
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France up to join US military action until plans were put on hold. The president acknowledged that France could not, and would not, act on its own
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China has joined Russia in blocking resolutions critical of Syria at the UN Security Council. It has criticised the prospect of strikes against Syria, insisting any military action without UN approval would be illegal.
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Turkish government has been one of the most vocal critics of Syrian President Assad since early on in the uprising and signalled its willingness to join international action even without UN approval
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Saudi Arabia has been a rival of the Syrian government for years. It has been particularly active in pushing for action against Mr Assad, and called for "all legal means possible" to be used to stop the bloodshed
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Qatar is thought to be one of the main suppliers of weapons to Syrian rebels and says outside military intervention has become a necessity to protect the Syrian people.
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ebanon there is deep division between supporters and opponents of President Assad. The country has suffered from an overspill of violence, including bomb attacks, as well as a huge flood of refugees. It has said it thinks military intervention might make the situation worse.
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Jordan has also received hundreds of thousands of refugees and has called for a political solution to the conflic
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Israel regards President Assad as an enemy, but has refrained from publicly backing military action against him. It fears its backing could alienate the Arab world,
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Main Syria-Jordan Crossing Under Insurgent Assault - NYTimes.com - 0 views
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The main border crossing between Syria and Jordan remained closed and chaotic on Friday, with insurgents
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he power struggle at the Nasib crossing, coupled with Syrian government airstrikes that hit nearby on Thursday, is the latest cross-border spillover from Syria’s four-year war, and it has led to new tensions between Jordan and Syria.
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The chaos on the border was a blow to Syria’s government, which lost the last crossing it had still controlled along the 230-mile border. But it could also be embarrassing for Jordan, the United States and other allies involved in a covert program to train insurgents who, they insist, are relatively nationalist and moderate.
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admitted in an interview that some members of army-affiliated battalions had taken part in the looting, but he insisted that they had not coordinated with Nusra.
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“I admit there was chaos and looting even by members of the Free Syrian Army, but we are working on returning some of the stolen goods and equipment,”
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He said that factions linked to the Free Syrian Army had seized the border crossing without Nusra fighters, who rushed in later to take credit. Antigovernment activists in the area have said that a deal was made with Nusra to remain in the background.
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Nusra and Free Syrian Army groups were controlling different parts of the complex, with a Free Syrian Army group called the Southern Falcons objecting to Nusra’s efforts to seize control of the crossing and its spoils. He said a Nusra fighter told him they were holding 22 drivers, not for ransom, but as a way to put pressure on the Free Syrian Army “to let Nusra run the whole place.
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Egypt's political cartoonists say they won't let Sisi off the hook | The National - 0 views
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Islamic State gains Libya foothold - BBC News - 0 views
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"It is a failed state. Unlike other countries in the region, it does not have a semblance of government. This makes it the most vulnerable,"
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Moreover, Libya is rich in oil and, earlier this month, gunmen claiming to represent IS raided a French-run oil facility in al-Mabruk, south of Sirte city,
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many IS-aligned fighters collect salaries from the Libyan state," Jason Pack, a researcher in Libyan history at the UK's Cambridge University, told the BBC.
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Mr Pack points out that the country has three main power blocks: Libya Dawn (a mixture of Islamist and non-Islamist militias allied with the Tripoli-based government), Operation Dignity (led by forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar and allied with the internationally recognised government based in the eastern city of Tobruk) and Jihadist groups (which include IS, al-Qaeda and Ansar al-Sharia - the most powerful of them). "There is a civil war between the two main groups [Libya Dawn and Operation Dignity]. The jihadists act as spoilers," Mr Pack says.
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Syria allies: Why Russia, Iran and China are standing by the regime - CNN.com - 1 views
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It believes humanitarian concerns are often used an excuse for pursuing America's own political and economic interests.
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Putin's existential fear for his own survival and the survival of the repressive system that he and al-Assad represent
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not only driven by the need to preserve its naval presence in the Mediterranean, secure its energy contracts, or counter the West on 'regime change
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The West handles the Islamic world the way a monkey handles a grenade," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin tweeted
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Russia is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. It has the power to veto Security Council resolutions against the Syrian regime and has done so repeatedly over the past two years
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Islamic Republic has provided technical help such as intelligence, communications and advice on crowd control and weapons as protests in Syria morphed into resistance
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The last thing Iran wants now is a Sunni-dominated Syria -- especially as the rebels' main supporters are Iran's Persian Gulf rivals: Qatar and Saudi Arabi
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Iran counted on Syria as its only Arab ally during its eight-year war with Iraq. Iraq was Sunni-dominate
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Many believe Iran is Washington's greatest threat in the region, especially with its nuclear potential
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Rather than siding with either Assad or the opposition and standing aside to 'wait and see,' Beijing is actively betting on both
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China said it is firmly opposed to the use of chemical weapons and supports the U.N.'s chemical weapons inspectors.
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China is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. And like Russia, China has repeatedly blocked sanctions attempts against the Syrian regime
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Syria's allies, Russia, Iran, and China, all stand by them despite western powers opposing the Syrian government. There are different reasons to why these powers seem to stay with Syria such as Russia's ideologies, Iran's strategy, or China's trading. Either way, these government will stand by them until there is nothing left to lose.
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Are China and Russia Moving toward a Formal Alliance? | The Diplomat - 0 views
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China secures a long-term (30 years) provision of natural gas from Russia and Russia can reduce its dependence on the European markets as well as strengthen Russia’s position against Western sanctions
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Russia is now moving closer to China’s side with regard to the territorial disputes between China and Japan
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China and Russia last week vetoed a draft UN resolution to send Syria to the International Criminal Court for war crimes. China and Russia had vetoed three previous UNSC resolutions condemning Syria
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In the joint statement issued by China and Russia, the main message is that China-Russia relations have reached a new stage of comprehensive strategic partnership and this will help increase both countries’ international status and influence, thus contributing to a more just international order
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China and Russia will deepen cooperation under the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building in Asia (CICA), a new security framework in Asia-Pacific that conveniently excludes the U.S. and Japan.
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mutual strategic needs as both China and Russia want to create a multipolar world that is not dominated by the U.S., particularly as China faces threats from the US-led alliance in Asia
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China’s chance of winning maritime disputes with Japan partly depends on maintaining a good relationship with Russia
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the NATO expansion is a serious threat to Russia’s national security and as such Russia has to fight back
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new China-Russia alliance is now emerging and this will eventually lead to a multi-polar world order.
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problems in China-Russia relations such as historical mistrust, the lack of a common threat, and conflicting interests in Central Asia
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he most important factor determining whether China and Russia should form an alliance is whether the two countries have shared strategic interests and how long such shared strategic interests can last
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China nor Russia could become a member of the Western bloc led by the U.S. because other allies of the U.S. would feel threatened by China and Russia
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, China’s number two position in the world means that China will not be supported by the U.S. with regard to most international affairs issues
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Yan also refutes the argument that a China-Russia alliance against the U.S. would lead to another cold war.
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ould be potentially high costs of such an alliance due to common problems such as fears of abandonment and entrapment
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Russia wants to maintain good relations with all Asian states and thus will not side with China when it comes to territorial disputes between China and Japan
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China-Russia alliance is unrealistic and a strategic partnership is more flexible and better for China.
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seems that in the near future a formal alliance between China and Russia will not happen due to a variety of reasons.
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CDC | Facts About Chlorine - 0 views
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In this link the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, offers information on chlorine gas poisoning including: what chlorine is, where it is found and how it is used, exposure, how it works, signs and symptoms, and long term health effects. This is beneficial for understanding one of the main chemical weapons in Syria, chlorine gas.
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Tunisia blogger gets 6 months for defaming army - Yahoo News - 0 views
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Tunisian military appeals court jailed blogger Yassine Ayari for 6 months for defaming the army. He was prosecuted over blogs he had written alleging financial abuses by army officers and defence ministry officials in a case. Ayari has alleged that he is being punished for blogs he wrote while out of the country. His family and supporters charge that his prosecution is a violation of newfound freedom of expression, which was one of the main gains of the revolution.
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Tunisia's Ghannouchi 'undecided' on Ennahda leadership | Africa | Worldbulletin News - 0 views
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The head of Tunisia's Ennahda movement, Rachid Ghannouchi, was undecided if he would run for a new term at the top of the movement during its 10th congress in the second half of this year. "Ennahda is about to formulate its main conceptions," Ghannouchi said. "We cannot start talking about the relation between religion and politics before formulating these conceptions," he added.
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Islamic State leader Baghdadi reportedly resurfaces | World news | The Guardian - 0 views
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repeatedly attacking “the Jews” and “apostate” and “treacherous” Muslim (Arab) leaders who feared the return of the Muslim faithful to the ways of the caliphate.
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“lying media” in claiming that the coalition, which includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Bahrain,
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“Be assured, O Muslims, for your state is good and in the best condition,” Baghdadi declared. “Its march will not stop and it will continue to expand, by Allah’s permission. The march of the mujahidin [Muslim holy warriors] will continue until they reach Rome. And soon, the Jews and Crusaders will be forced to come down to the ground and send their ground forces to their deaths and destruction.”
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President Sisi's Worldview - 0 views
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A former senior official at the U.S. embassy in Cairo describes how Sisi's background is shaping his approach to domestic politics, counterterrorism, Israel, and other issues. From the way Sisi is described, his main priority is the domestic economy. He knows that without creating domestic stability through lowering unemployment and generating more capital, he cannot remain in power. In addition, it appears that Sisi is a strong believer of military influence. He has a strategic plan of cooperating with great powers to grow Egypt's reputation. Sisi's plan to create a strong state, while cooperating with other strong states and focusing on military power are all evidence of his political realist tendencies.
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Analysts: Danger of Civil War in Libya is Real - 0 views
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This video talks about the different groups in Libya who are fighting against each other. General Haftar is one of the major players in the attacks. He is against islamist groups and he says that he will never retreat until islamist groups back down. The main reason for the fighting is to gain as much power and economic gain as they can.
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Post-Revolutionary Tunisia in Economic Recession | Tunisialive - 0 views
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In 2011 Tunisia experienced two quarters of decline in GDP. The size of the Tunisian economy decreased. Before 2011 the average growth of the Tunisian economy was between 4% to 5% per year. Immediate initiatives need to take place. An example of one would be banning strikes until the end of 2011, that would help reassure companies that are the main source of wealth and jobs creation.
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Syria talks in Moscow to focus on humanitarian issues | Reuters - 0 views
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(Reuters) - The Syrian government and some opposition figures will start a second round of talks in Moscow on Monday focusing on humanitarian issues, although a broader agreement is unlikely as Syria's main opposition group continues to boycott the talks.
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January's unproductive first round of consultations in Moscow was shunned by the main political opposition group, the Western-backed Syrian National Coalition
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take part only if the talks were to lead to the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Russia
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Russia says fighting terrorism in Syria should be the top priority now and has called on the opposition to work with Assad to that end
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Randa Kassis, a former SNC member who now favors talking to Damascus because of the rise of radical Islamists in Syri
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Moscow has not said which opposition figures will attend. But the line-up is likely to be similar to January, when more than 30 representatives of various groups attended, most from groups tolerated by Assad or who agree that working with Damascus is necessary to combat the rise of Islamic Stat
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released 650 prisoners from at least three prisons in Damascus on March 25-27, including women, children, political prisoners and fighter