Syrian Army On The Move

The Canadian Press:

CBC -- Syrian security forces have moved into Jisr al-Shughour after spending more than a day bombing the city to quell an uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime.

Witnesses reported random shootings on Sunday and said troops, backed with tanks, set houses and crops on fire in and around the mutinous northwest city.

An Associated Press reporter travelling with the military said troops entered Jisr al-Shughour Sunday morning and arrested some "gunmen" while others fled.

"Many homes were burned and many people were arrested. In some places there was shelling against houses," said a pro-democracy activist in Damascus identified only as Rosanna, who said she has been talking to residents of Jisr al-Shughour by phone.

The region near Turkey's border has a history of hostility toward the Syrian regime and is posing the biggest challenge yet to Assad's struggle to crush the anti-government revolt.

The Syrian government said the city of 40,000 was under the control of "armed men" who killed 120 police officers last week.

The government said it deployed the army to restore order, although residents and pro-democracy activists said the fighting was between security units that refused to shoot demonstrators and those who carried out the orders.

Meanwhile, Syrians are still streaming across the border into Turkey after fleeing the fighting. More than 4,000 Syrians have registered at refugee camps since Friday.

There are reports that hundreds of troops and security personnel have defected to the opposition in the last few days. However, Reem Haddad, a spokeswoman for the Syrian information ministry, has rejected reports of a mutiny.

Human rights groups say more than 1,400 people nationwide have died in the government crackdown since the uprising erupted in southern Syria in mid-March.

Read the whole story: The Canadian Press

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/06/12/syrian-army-on-the-move_n_875552.html

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