Ammar Kalau | Today in Syria

Martin Lidegaar, Denmark’s Foreign Minister, said there is no cooperation between Syrian Intelligence and many European countries on counter-terrorism. He also confirmed that EU countries do not cooperate with the Syrian government, but instead work with the Interim Government and the Syrian National Coalition.
The Ministry of Social Affairs dissolved the boards of 15 charities and replaced them with temporary boards. Ammar Kalau, a member of the Executive Office of Damascus said that the boards of directors were replaced due to factors affecting the integrity of their work, or due to manipulation of trade in aid.
On Sunday, residents of Manbij in Aleppo province went on a general strike in protest of abuses perpetrated by the ISIL, such as the execution of 2 men accused of rape whose corpses were then hung from a tree.

–There were claims that the ISIL fired on demonstrators, killing one and wounding 3.

–Manbij is about 90 kilometers northeast of Aleppo city. It was captured in December 2013 and has remained in ISIL hands, although they have been ejected from most of the rest of Aleppo province.

On Monday the government continued its counter-offensive in Daraa province, conducting airstrikes on Nawa, al-Sheikh Miskeen, Enkkhil, Ataman, Tariq al-Sad, Daraa al-Balad, and Daraa camp.

–There were clashes between rebels and regime forces in the west of Ataman and near Nawa.

Russia said it would veto a draft UN resolution to refer Syria to the ICC. Both Russia and China said that any forcible intervention in Syria is “impermissible”.
Electricity in Aleppo has been restored after being cut off for 2 days.

The US will provide conditional lethal weapons, intelligence, and military training to rebels.

–The parties must stop any connection with Jahbat al-Nusra and continue to fight the ISIL. They must also keep foreign fighters out of their ranks.

Activists in Hama claim that 2 people were killed and more than 100 were injured in a chlorine gas attack on Kafr Zita.
The Daily Beast reported that there are more than 100 Americans fighting in Syria.
The Italian Navy rescued 500 refugees off of it’s coast, most of whom were Syrian, including 100 children.
An interview from The Guardian with Abu Assad, commander of Aleppo’s tunnel forces: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/20/aleppos-most-wanted-man-rebel-leader-tunnel-bombs
Rocket fire from helicopters killed 10 people in Azaz, a small town in Aleppo.
Rebels reportedly took control of several buildings in Aleppo, killing 25 government forces and destroying 2 tanks.
Abu Lukam, the Emir of the ISIL, ordered him men to break the locks of shops on strike in Manbij.
The ISIL is offering parents in ar Raqqah money to send their children to ISIL camps.
Jaish al-Islam is considering suspending it’s membership in the Islamic Front due to the revolutionary covenant. Jahbat al-Nusra refused to sign it and has asked those that did to repeal it.

–The Syrian National Coalition voiced it’s support for the covenant, which was signed by mainly Islamist groups.

There was heavy shelling in Homs on the al-Waer neighborhood.
The ISIL seized Taw’amiyah in Deir Ez Zor, cutting the rebel supply line.