Syrian Army Puts Pressure on Yabroud

The AFP reports that regime forces have bombarded the outskirts of the rebel-held town of Yabroud, “the last opposition stronghold in the strategic Qalamoun region north of Damascus,” one of the hardest-fought battles in Syria in recent months.

“The move towards Yabroud comes after government forces, reportedly backed by fighters from Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement and members of a Syrian pro-regime militia, took Nabk,” the wire says.

“The capture comes as part of a broad regime campaign to seize the mountainous Qalamoun region, severing rebel supply routes that run across the nearby border with Lebanon.

U.S. Justice Department Investigating Dell Sales to Syria

The Wall Street Journal’s Digits blog today explores the U.S government’s investigation into “possible sales of Dell computers to the Syrian government.”

“A Dell official said the company has been cooperating with the Justice Department inquiry into claims Dell computing equipment had been sold to Syria through a Dubai-based distributor allied with Dell,” writes Shira Ovide.

“U.S. sanctions ban sales of most U.S.-made goods to Syria, and sales of technology gear have been further restricted recently in response to reports of human-rights abuses by the Syrian government.”

In May, the New York Times reported on “sales of Dell products to a Dubai-based distributor and then to a Damascus firm that provides computers to the Syrian government. A Dell spokesman said the Round Rock, Texas, company was investigating an anonymous complaint it received about the Syria sales.”

23 Million Children to be Vaccinated for Polio 

UNICEF, WHO and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are taking on a mass polio vaccination in Syria and surrounding countries after cases of the illness were found this fall in Aleppo.

“Inside Syria, the campaign aims to reach 2.2 million children, including those who live in contested areas and those who were missed in an earlier campaign. Many children in Syria remain inaccessible, particularly those trapped in sealed off areas or living in areas where conflict is ongoing,” it says.

“’All Syrian children should be protected from disease,’ noted Dr. Ala Alwan, regional director, WHO Eastern Mediterranean region. ‘To eradicate polio, we need to eradicate any reason for failing to reach children. We appeal to all parties of the conflict in Syria to cooperate and facilitate pauses in hostilities over the coming six months to allow vaccination campaigns to reach all children.’”

Spanish Journalists Kidnapped in Raqqa

The AP reports that veteran Spanish journalist Javier Espinosa and his photographer Ricardo Garcia Vilanova were captured on Sept. 16.

“The newspaper said the two were taken along with four members of the Free Syrian Army rebel group at the Tal Abyad checkpoint in the northern province of Raqqa. It identified the kidnappers as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria group known by its initials, ISIS,” the latest high-profile kidnappings of Western journalists by the al-Qaida linked group.

Suggested Reads from Our Editorial Team:

 ****NY Times: Delay Foreseen in Removing Syria’s Chemical Weapons

Guardian: Syrian Kidnappers Seize Spanish Reporter and Photographer

PBS: Seeing Syria’s Islamist Fighters Through the Eyes of a Journalist

AFP: Lavrov Due in Iran for Nuclear Talks, Syria

AP: UN Eyes Montreux for Peace Conference