TANGAZO


Tuesday, June 3, 2014

As Assad and his British-born wife vote in Syria's 'sham' elections, 250 miles away his men barrel-bomb the families who refuse to toe the line


  • Polls have opened in Syria's government-held areas amid massive security
  • Assad is expected to win but it's been denounced by critics as a sham
  • The balloting comes amid a devastating, three-year civil war
  • It's also Syria's first multi-candidate election in more than 40 years
  • Two other candidates: Not well known and unable to have equal campaign
  • Polls are expected to close at 7 p.m. tonight
  • Reported barrel-bomb attack by government forces in Aleppo today
Polls have opened in Syria's government-held areas amid massive security for the country's presidential election, a vote Bashar Assad is widely expected to win.
Today as Assad and his British-born wife turned up in Damascus to cast their vote, 250 miles away in Aleppo a man was seen carrying a little girl in his arms after dozens of people were injured in a reported barrel-bomb attack by government forces.
The balloting, Syria's first multi-candidate election in more than 40 years, comes as a devastating, three-year civil war that activists say has killed more than 160,000 people, about a third of them civilians, rages on.
The opposition and government critics have condemned the vote as a sham. Syria's two main internal opposition groups are boycotting the vote while many activists around the country refer to it as 'blood elections'.
Syrian President Bashar Assad, centre, casts his vote as Syrian first lady Asma Assad, right, stands next to him at a polling station, in Damascus, Syria
Syrian President Bashar Assad, centre, casts his vote as Syrian first lady Asma Assad, right, stands next to him at a polling station, in Damascus, Syria


A man carries a young girl who was injured in a reported barrel-bomb attack
A man carries a young girl who was injured in a reported barrel-bomb attack

A document signed by the major revolutionary and military councils in the central Hama province . and circulated by armed opposition groups speaks of planned attacks reading:  'We warn the licentious regime that we are going to burn the land under their feet,' reported The Telegraph.
Voting is taking place only in areas under government control, as much of northern and eastern Syria is in rebel hands.
Assad, who is running for a third seven-year term, faces two government-approved challengers in the race, Maher Hajjar and Hassan al-Nouri, both of whom were little known in Syria before declaring their candidacy for the country's top post in April.
Some 2,000 civilians, including more than 500 children, have been killed in regime air strikes on rebel-held areas of Aleppo since January, many of them in barrel bomb attacks
Some 2,000 civilians, including more than 500 children, have been killed in regime air strikes on rebel-held areas of Aleppo since January, many of them in barrel bomb attacks

People make their way amid rubble in a street following the reported barrel-bomb attack by government forces in Kallaseh district in the northern city of Aleppo
People make their way amid rubble in a street following the reported barrel-bomb attack by government forces in Kallaseh district in the northern city of Aleppo

A Syrian man, wearing a shirt bearing current President Bashar al-Assad's portrait, casts his ballot as he votes in presidential election
A Syrian man, wearing a shirt bearing current President Bashar al-Assad's portrait, casts his ballot as he votes in presidential election


A Syrian woman casts her ballot as she votes in presidential election
A Syrian woman casts her ballot as she votes in presidential election

Tens of thousands of Syrians abroad voted last week, although many of the more than 2.7 million
Syrian refugees across the region either abstained or were excluded by voting laws.
In the capital Damascus, security was tight with multiple rings of checkpoints set up around the city and its entrances.
Troops searched cars and asked people for their IDs.
In the Syrian capital, Damascus, security was tight with multiple rings of checkpoints set up around the city and its entrances. Troops searched cars and asked people for their IDs.
Assad, who is running for a third seven-year term, faces two government-approved challengers in the race, Maher Hajjar and Hassan al-Nouri, both of whom were little known in Syria before declaring their candidacy for the country's top post in April
Assad, who is running for a third seven-year term, faces two government-approved challengers in the race, Maher Hajjar and Hassan al-Nouri, both of whom were little known in Syria before declaring their candidacy for the country's top post in April

Supporters of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad wave the national flags during the presidential election in Damascus
Supporters of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad wave the national flags during the presidential election in Damascus

Supporters of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad wave the country's national flags and chant slogans in front of the General Federation of Trade Unions building
Supporters of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad wave the country's national flags and chant slogans in front of the General Federation of Trade Unions building
At a polling station in the city's Dama Rose hotel, many voters refused to go behind the curtain to vote in privacy, instead publicly circling Assad's name.
At the same station in central Damascus, a box with pins was available for those who wanted to prick their finger and vote in blood - a symbolic act of allegiance and patriotism.
Odai al-Jamounai, 18, said he voted with his blood 'to express by my love to my country and my leader.'
A man votes in Damascus earlier today
A man votes in Damascus earlier today

Electoral officials put up a poster of President Bashar Assad at a polling station in Damascus
Electoral officials put up a poster of President Bashar Assad at a polling station in Damascus

Another voter, 49-year-old merchant Ahmad Qadah, who has been living in Egypt since fleeing the fighting in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, said he came back four days ago to vote for Assad.
'He is the most competent to lead the country,' Qadah said after casting his ballot. 'We need a strong leader in these difficult times.'


At least three flights from Kuwait, chartered by an anonymous Syrian businessman, were to bring Syrian expats home to vote.
The first flight landed in the morning hours with nearly 200 people, according to an Associated Press crew at the Damascus International Airport. The people said they would vote and then immediately fly back to Kuwait.
A Syrian army soldier he holds a position in a building in Jobar, a mostly rebel-held area on the eastern outskirts of Damascus
A Syrian army soldier he holds a position in a building in Jobar, a mostly rebel-held area on the eastern outskirts of Damascus

A Syrian army soldier secures the entrance of a tunnel reportedly dug by rebels fighters in Jobar
A Syrian army soldier secures the entrance of a tunnel reportedly dug by rebels fighters in Jobar

Even as voting got under way in government-controlled parts of the country, activists reported fighting, shelling and air raids in rebel-held areas of Syria
Even as voting got under way in government-controlled parts of the country, activists reported fighting, shelling and air raids in rebel-held areas of Syria

But even as voting got under way in government-controlled parts of the country, activists reported fighting, shelling and air raids in rebel-held areas of Syria.
In the rebel-held central town of Rastan, which has been under attack by government forces for more than two years, an activist who goes by the name of Murhaf al-Zoubi said all the local residents 'want Assad to go.'
'There are no elections here, this is a free, liberated area,' al-Zoubi said.
The Interior Ministry said there were 15.8 million eligible voters, both inside and outside Syria, and that 9,600 voting centers have been set up around the country.
Polls were expected to close at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evening but the ministry has said voting could be extended for five hours if there was a big turnout.

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