More than 8,500 Syrian refugees in Turkey

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“I, Colonel Hussein Harmoush, am leaving the Syrian army…” This is a rather captivating and moving video, showing a former Syrian Colonel discussing the refugees who have fled to Turkey, seeking to escape the oppression and violent brutality the Assad government has unleashed. Harmoush details seeing soldiers refuse to fire on civilians when given the terrible order, while others complied. This is in keeping with reports of internal fracturing in Syria, including military soldiers reportedly shot dead by government security forces for refusing to slay civilians. source

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08 Jun 2011 16:44

The Syrian army vs. security: It’s being reported that defections among soldiers in the Syrian military are on the rise, thanks in part to the grisly nature of the deeds they’re being asked to carry out. So says Human Rights Watch researcher Nadim Houry: “…in Daraa, for example, we know there have been some defections and in some cases some soldiers have come under fire from the security forces for defecting.” This allegation isn’t new; security forces have reportedly turned their guns on soldiers unwilling to shoot at civilians for some time now. (Warning: the source article features a graphically unpleasant image of a Syrian policeman who’s been shot dead.) source

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» So say British officials: Koussa, the former Libyan Foreign Minister who defected yesterday, had been a cornerstone of the Gaddafi regime dating back to the 1969 revolution. As such, it wasn’t unreasonable upon learning of his defection to wonder just how dirty his hands were. The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court lists Koussa as having had command control over Libyan forces suspected of “crimes against humanity” during his long career as Gaddafi’s confidant. If he has indeed defected with no assurance of legal immunity, that might be indicative of how Gaddafi’s inner circle is feeling right now. Here’s hoping more of these dominoes start to fall.

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Gaddafi suffers high-profile defection: This man, Moussa Koussa, was the Foreign Minister in Libya. That ended today as Koussa, who according to Britain’s Foreign Office was “one of the most senior figures in Gaddafi’s government,” defected from Libya and flew into the UK’s Farnborough Airport. British officials say that he left of his own free will, and that he was no longer willing to act as an international representative of Gaddafi’s Libya. With recent reports suggesting tough losses for the rebels (while world leaders mull more active arms support), any news of Gaddafi’s officials defecting makes us hopeful for an internal weakening of his command. source

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Gaddafi’s advisors may be cracking: A U.S. intelligence official, as reported by CNN, has suggested that advisors and aides to Muammar Gaddafi may be losing some of their resolve, as NATO airstrikes continue against the dictator’s forces. The official suggests that the perception that rebel forces are beginning to close in on Tripoli, following battles in Sirte and their victory in Ajdabiya, is going to increase pressure on those around Gaddafi who are averse to going down with the ship. As the battles continue, the possibility of Gaddafi’s people turning on him remains a tantalizing hope to end the violence in Libya. source

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