Statement regarding the latest massacres committed by the Assad regime, specifically, the Holeh massacre

The uprising Syrian people continue to see off convoys of fallen heroes, who are sacrificed at the altar of freedom. Meanwhile, the Assad regime, which is on the verge of collapse, is staying the course of brutality and criminality, unleashing its barbaric gangs to kill, rob, and burn, without excluding even women and children. It seems as though Mr. Kofi Annan’s initiative was nothing more than a new deadline for the illegitimate regime to exploit and to kill more of the Syrian people in a desperate attempt to suppress the Revolution for freedom and dignity.

The Assad regime is not satisfied with the daily killing and sniping of the unarmed civilians, but also adds to it heinous massacres in many areas, of which the neighborhoods and towns of Homs have received the biggest share. The latest of those massacres was the horrific massacre of Holeh, the victims of which included tens of women and children. These victims were killed inside their homes as they got shelled by mortars or fired at by the regime thugs (Shabiha) who were driven by blind sectarian hatred from villages near Holeh. They came and burned their own futures with their hands and chose to be in the same trench with the Assad family and become an enemy of the Syrian people. Here they are, dancing and boasting in the media about the crimes they had committed. Meanwhile, the international community remains busy with its deals and interests.

At the same time, and despite our absolute and utter cooperation with the UN observers delegation and our continuous communication with them, informing them of all the regime’s violations as they occur, nevertheless, the observers delegation remained helpless and did not take an initiative to intervene, except to count the victims the day after the massacre just as the UN did in Sarajevo and Srebrenica in Bosnia. This happened again in the last few days when the massacres of Shammas, Talkalakh, and Holeh took place.

In light of all of these events, members of the political committee of the Revolutionary Council of Homs, officers of the Free Syrian Army, and leaders of Popular Resistance groups met to and announce the following:
1- Declare a state of high alert among all the battalions, Popular Resistance groups, and the relief and civilian defense teams in the governorate of Homs, to be prepared for immediate intervention from now on to address attacks by the regime’s gangs and using all available means.
2- Declare a state of mourning and a general strike, initially for three days.
3- Holding the idle international community directly responsible for the massacre in Holeh.
4- Halting all political meetings with the UN delegation.
5- Maintain coordination with the observers delegation in matter related to humanitarian relief.

We are fully confident in the courage of our great people and their absolute faith in the Revolution, and therefore, we are confident that the regime’s massacres will only increase our commitment and determination to move forward with our Revolution until we attain victory and serve justice to the Assad family and all the killers who have and are contributing to shedding the blood of Syrians.

May the fallen heroes rest in peace, the wounded be healed, and the detained be freed

Homs Revolutionary Council
Homs, Syria
26- May-2012