Syria Watch

Syrian Air Force Chief, Gen. Hussein Ishaq, Dies amid Fighting

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Managing Editor

DAMASCUS, Syria – The head of Syria’s Air Defense Forces, General Hussein Ishaq, was reportedly killed in combat according to a security official. Ishaq died as a result of injuries suffered during an attack on the Air Defense headquarters near the town of Mleiha southwest of Damascus.

The death of General Hussein Ishaq is a psychological blow for the Assad Regime, in three years of fighting he is one of the only high ranking officials to have been killed by opposition forces. (Photo Courtesy of the BBC)

The director of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, said Gen Ishaq’s death was an “important psychological blow” to the regime. The observatory reported that General Ishaq was killed in clashes with fighters from the al-Nusra Front and other Islamic rebel groups. Because the rebel groups have no air force the Air Defense Forces are rarely used for defense and instead have been deployed against the rebel forces, bombarding rebel held areas. The Syrian Air Forces has conducted numerous bombardment campaigns against rebels and rebel held areas, often using destructive barrel bombs that indiscriminately target areas sympathetic to rebel forces. Rami Abdel Rahman told the press, “the regime’s Air Defense Force is to face a possible US attack, but in this war it is using its firepower against the rebels,”

The city of Mleiha has been under regime bombardment for more than a year but in recently weeks Mleiha has seen heavy fighting between regime and rebel forces which is strategically important due to its proximity to the capital. Forces loyal to the Assad Regime have carried out a heavy bombing campaign round the region. General Ishaq is one the only high ranking military officers to have been killed in the Syrian Civil war so far.

The Observatory reported that despite the regimes initial advancements in the city, rebels have regained ground and have seized several buildings around central town hall. While the military remains in control of the Capital of Damascus the rebel’s continue to hold a number of towns and villages on the outskirts of the city; despite frequent airstrikes and a crippling blockade enforced by the military.

More than 150,000 people have been killed over the past three years of Syria’s bloody Civil War and millions of civilians have become refugees and internally displaced peoples.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Syrian Air Force Chief Dies in Combat – 18 May 2014

BBC News – Syria War: Air Defense Chief Gen Hussein Ishaq Killed – 18 May 2014

Times of Israel – Syrian Air Force Chief Said Killed Near Damascus – 18 May 2014

The Wall Street Journal – Syrian Air Defense Chief Killed, Says Official – 18 May 2014

1.38 Million Children have been vaccinated in Syria during the Fifth Round

 

Polio Control Task Force announced that 1,386,719 children have been vaccinated during 6 days within the fifth round of the mobile polio campaign in Syria, which covers the liberated areas in seven governorates: Aleppo, Idleb, Hama, Deir al Zour, Lattakia, Raqqa and Hasaka.

polio in Syria

The fifth round commenced on May 3rd 2014 and lasted till May 8th 2014 through which the team faced many difficulties, the most important of which was inhabitant’s migration from one area to another or refuging to neighboring countries in addition to shelling Aleppo and its countryside.

Abdulkader Andalu, member of Polio team, martyred of an explosive barrel in Sheikh Fares-Aleppo. In addition, there were security difficulties and armed clashes in Raqqa and Deir al Zour, which affected the number of vaccinated children in these areas In comparison with the previous round.

Muthana Shaher, member of Polio team, martyred after being shot during performing duties in vaccinating children in Basirah- Deir al Zour.  The number of vaccinated children as per Governorates was 576,797 in Aleppo, 253,996 in Idleb, 206,362 in Raqqa, 266,162 in Deir al Zour, 38,375 in Hasaka 40,161 in Hama and 4,866 in Lattakia.

The Team had started the House to House vaccination campaign in the beginning of 2014 to covers the areas out of the control of the Assad regime in seven governorates after discovering polio outbreak; the campaign was of six consecutive rounds, out of which five were accomplished. In the first round, 1,25 million children had been vaccinated; 1,4 million had been vaccinated in the second round; 1,41 million children had been vaccinated in the third round; 1,44 million children had been vaccinated in the fourth round; 1,38 million children in the fifth round . The Team intends to launch the sixth round on the end of this May.

Polio Control Task Force was established by combining the efforts of the ACU, Local Councils, Health departmants and a number of None Governmental Local and International Organizations, Polio Control Task Force started “END POLIO IN SYRIA” campaign with more than 8,000 volunteers including more than 200 physicians.