satellite image of Idlib, Syria showing armored vehicle deployment as photographed on April 4 and April 5 (photo credit: US Embassy to Syria/Facebook)
US Ambassador to Syria Robert Stephen Ford released US satellite images showing Syrian military deployment. Ford said the images showed “the truth behind Assad’s claims that he is removing his military forces from cities around the country.”
Images published on Facebook Friday evening indicate Assad has removed forces from places such as Da’el in Daraa province and Taftanaz in Idlib. But images of Homs and Zabadani show artillery units remained in close proximity to residential areas.
Satellite image showing troop deployment in Da'el, Syria on April 3 and April 5 (photo credit: US Embassy to Syria/Facebook)Satellite imagery showing artillery units in Homs, Syria (photo credit: US Embassy to Syria/Facebook)
“This is not the reduction in offensive Syrian government security operations that all agree must be the first step for the Annan initiative to succeed,” wrote Ford.
Ford asserted that Assad should allow international journalists to enter the country freely so that they could verify the regime’s claims.
“In their absence, US and other governments have other means, including the satellites that took these images, of verifying the regime’s compliance or lack thereof. The regime and the Syrian people should know that we are watching. The regime cannot hide the truth.”
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Editionby email and never miss our top stories
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
