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Sunday, January 06, 2013

The Two-Way

In Rare Public Speech, Assad Says Syria Must Defend Itself

January 6, 2013 The president outlined a plan that includes a new constitution, but said it could only take place once other countries stop funding the opposition. He maintained his assertions that the violence is fueled by terrorists and gave no hint he would step down.

Summary

Sunday, December 23, 2012

The Two-Way

Syrian Airstrikes Hit Bakery: 'Piles Of Bodies'

December 23, 2012 Syrian activists are reporting that a government airstrike has killed tens of people at a bakery near the central city of Hama. As the situation continues to worsen, special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is arriving in Damascus for talks with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

Summary

Thursday, December 13, 2012

The Two-Way

Diplomatic Shift? Russia Acknowledges Assad May Be On Way Out

Northwest of Aleppo, Syria, this week, rebels were in control of this Syrian military base.

December 13, 2012 For the first time, a top Russian diplomat has said that the Syrian president may be toppled. Coming from a country that has been among Assad's strongest supporters, the words are significant, analysts say.

Summary

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The Two-Way

Syrian Defector: Assad Will Use Chemical Weapons If He's Desperate

Syrian President Bashar Assad in 2009.

December 11, 2012 The major general who was head of Syria's chemical weapons division until he defected in July says that if rebels advance on Damascus, President Bashar Assad will deploy his deadly arsenal.

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Monday, December 10, 2012

The Two-Way

U.S. To Add Syrian Rebel Group To Terror List

December 10, 2012 The decision to add Jabhat al-Nusra to the list of foreign terrorist organizations is meant to marginalize extremists who are among the groups working to oust President Bashar Assad. A State Department spokeswoman said the group was an al-Qaida front.

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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The Two-Way

Bashar Assad: Syrian Conflict Cleanses The Nation

Screen grab from Syrian President Bashar Assad's televised interview.

August 29, 2012 Syrian president Bashar Assad appeared in a pre-recorded interview today, saying the military situation in his country is improving and that Syrian government troops just need more time. He says the conflict is cleansing his nation.

Summary

Friday, August 17, 2012

The Two-Way

New Syrian Envoy Brahimi Takes On 'Crucial Task'

August 17, 2012 Lakhdar Brahimi, a former Algerian foreign minister and longtime U.N. troubleshooter, will try to broker a peace between the Assad regime and its opponents.

Summary

Friday, August 10, 2012

The Two-Way

Fighting Has Forced More Than 1.5 Million Syrians To Move, U.N. Says

In northwestern Syria earlier this year, this man and boys fled fighting.

August 10, 2012 The ongoing crisis is underscored by the enormous number of people who have been forced to flee their homes. While nearly 150,000 have sought refuge in other countries, far more have been uprooted but remain in Syria.

Summary

Thursday, August 09, 2012

The Two-Way

Assad Names New Prime Minister; Fighting Continues In Aleppo

August 9, 2012 There are conflicting reports about whether the regime has retaken territory in the key city. Meanwhile, a prime minister has been named to replace the one who defected earlier this week.

Summary

Thursday, July 19, 2012

The Two-Way

Fighting Rages In Damascus

An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube on Wednesday shows smoke billowing from burning tires and trash containers in Damascus.

July 19, 2012 "There is a crisis in the heart of the regime" after the deaths of three insiders and as clashes near the presidential palace, Washington Post correspondent Liz Sly tells Morning Edition.

Summary

Friday, July 06, 2012

The Two-Way

Syrian General Defects, Heads To France As Assad's Opponents Meet There

Then-Col. Bashar Assad (left) and Manaf Tlass in 1999. Tlass, now a brigadier general, has reportedly defected and is headed to France.

July 6, 2012 Brig. Gen. Manaf Tlass and his family have been close to the Assads for decades. He is the most prominent member of the Syrian military to part ways with the regime since anti-Assad protests began in March 2011.

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Tuesday, July 03, 2012

The Two-Way

'Torture Centers' Stretch Across Syria, Human Rights Watch Reports

From the Human Rights Watch report: "Detainees described being folded at the waist and having their head, neck, and legs put into a car tire so that they were immobilized and could not protect themselves from beatings on the back, legs, and head including by batons and whips."

July 3, 2012 The watchdog group says interviews with hundreds of former detainees and defectors show that an "archipelago of torture centers" has been created. Opponents of the Assad regime report being beaten, sexually assaulted and subjected to mock executions.

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Friday, June 29, 2012

The Two-Way

Syrian Opposition Says 190 Civilians Killed In Deadliest Day So Far

June 29, 2012 Thousands have been killed in Syria since March 2011. But the past 24 hours have been especially deadly, anti-Assad activists say.

Summary

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The Two-Way

Violence In Syria Is As Bad As, Or Worse Than, Before Cease-Fire, U.N. Says

May 26, 2012: In this picture provided by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network, people watch the mass burial of victims in Houla.

June 27, 2012 The peace plan clearly isn't being implemented, says the U.N.'s deputy envoy for Syria, Jean-Marie Guehenno. Meanwhile, the U.N. says most evidence points at the Assad regime for last month's massacre in Houla.

Summary

Thursday, June 21, 2012

The Two-Way

Syrian Fighter Jet Lands In Jordan, Pilot Reportedly Seeks Asylum

June 21, 2012 A Jordanian official says the pilot wants to defect. The Syrian government is only confirming it lost contact with the aircraft. Activists say this would be the first such action by a Syrian military pilot since anti-Assad protests began in 2011.

Summary

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