The UN asked for more humanitarian assistance for Syria, where four million Syrian children are in need. The Syrian army is said to be preparing an offensive on Yabroud near the Lebanese border. A new sharia council, formed by the unification of several armed battalions into “The gathering of Mujahidi al-Qa’qa,” took over the oilfields of Deir Azzour. The Al Nusrah Front and other Islamist factions killed at least 32 civilians, mainly Alawites, in Reef Dimashq. At least 22 civilians were killed by explosive barrels dropped by regime forces in Aleppo. Al Nusrah, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham, and other Islamist factions clashed with regime forces including Hezbollah and NDF fighters in both Reef Dimashq and Aleppo. In a response to a request from 13 news organizations, the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army said it would try to protect journalists in Syria.
