Syrian Observatory: Rebels Seize Town on Key Highway to South
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Syrian rebels have seized a key town on a main highway between Damascus and the south in their latest advance in Daraa province on the border with Jordan, a watchdog said on Friday.
"Rebels seized control of Dael after destroying the three army checkpoints at the entrances to the town," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "The town is located on a main road linking Daraa to Damascus."
The Britain-based watchdog said that a child was among 10 civilians killed in the fighting for the town over the past 24 hours.
At least 15 rebels and a media activist working with them were also killed, along with 12 loyalist troops, it added.
"Large swathes of Daraa (province) are now under rebel control. Their advance in the south is escalating," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told Agence France Presse.
"The rebels are inching closer to the provincial capital, and several towns and villages are now out of army hands. Daraa city is cut off almost completely from Damascus," he added.
The capture of Dael came a day after a loyalist MP from the province raised the alarm in parliament.
Walid al-Zohbi said the rebels are advancing "in all towns and villages in Daraa province, which is torn from east to west after the army withdrew from many positions".
"They may have pulled out for tactical reasons, we don't know. But at any rate, terrorists from Al-Nusra Front have taken their place," he added of a jihadist group with roots in Iraq which is blacklisted by Washington as a terrorist organization.
On Sunday, the Observatory reported that the rebels had seized a swathe of land stretching 25 kilometers (15 miles) east to west along the Jordanian border to the sensitive ceasefire line between Syria and Israel.
On the outskirts of the capital, new violence erupted in several districts including Qaboon and Yarmuk, the Observatory said.
It came after at least 15 people -- 14 students and a child -- were killed in a mortar attack on Damascus University on Thursday, the Observatory and state media reported.
They were among at least 150 people killed nationwide -- 52 civilians, 61 rebels and 37 soldiers, according to the Observatory's figures.
In all, more than 70,000 people have been killed in Syria since March 2011, the U.N. says.
29 March 2013, 11:48
312
The Freedom fighters seem to be getting tactically smarter by the day, reminiscent of when hezb used to be a legitimate resistance, just picking off the enemy like shooting pigeons. Assads forces must be so demoralized, soo it would just be mercenaries from Lebanon & Iran fighting on behalf of Assad
29 March 2013, 12:29
28
They withdrew because they had too, you force the enemy into a withdraw, just like playing a sport, you put pressure.
29 March 2013, 13:02
24
Regardless, a unit will not withdraw & give up ground for no reason Mowatan, esp as it resulted in the many deaths & attacking 3 checkpoints which they might of thought was secure.
29 March 2013, 13:17
13
lets just agree to disagree, it seems the Syrian army has made inches in one part of homs while it has lost 100s of km in the south and the north of the country, the syrian army is the most unprofessional fighting force i have ever seen, i reckon the Lebanese army outgunned could give them a a good run their money. just like the Freedom fighters are doing, and its only getting worse for the Syrian army with the influx of tactical weaponry that is starting to flow in. The R"B"G is heaven sent for urban warfare.
29 March 2013, 13:29
26
Woopy doo, there are thousands of Syrian toy soldier stuff up videos, and thousands more barbaric torture videos on youtube that shows the barbaric true face of the assad farsi killing machine, and remember everyday i see news of the syrian army copping a good beating & losing ground, to bad for you its not the other way around. Assad has lost this war, its beyond the point of control Syria will never again be the alawi farm. just accept it. its change for ever
29 March 2013, 13:43
26
You are one funny man, everything you said is the exact truth for the FSA & the opposite of the Syrian army, the shabiha are the ones killing, torturing , raping , beheading, beard shaving. I swear , i know know what people mean when they call you pure deceptive liars. Mowatan, you are a liar my friend, it is really true, you people are taught to lie.
29 March 2013, 13:46
25
The mujahideen are using guerilla warfare tactics. Hit and run operations. Also utilizing IEDS, and remote controlled snipers. Digging trenches . Very strategic operations. Inshallah one day a free Syria without bashar and his gang
29 March 2013, 18:01
24
Mowaten, if you are sure then lets see what the coming days will tell. But please tell how come you support the Syrian regime. Don't say it's because this regime is a safe guarantee against islamist extremist that represent a danger to Christians. Tyrannical regime are the ones that foster extremism and moderate regime is the only viable way for multi ethnic and confessional society. Unfortunately there are extremist fighting along the FSA, well armed and trained while the main core of the FSA has been left unsupported until not long ago. We should all support a moderate democratic regime in Syria and hate any things that comes from the tyrannic iran/assad axis.
29 March 2013, 21:29
11
Mowaten you should be hired by Assad for your strategic combating expertise.
29 March 2013, 12:39
210
It stresses you guys out so much, it is so obvious, your party "hezb" made its bed, not you can all sleep in it, Assad will never ever be the real leader of Syria again, even is syria is cut into 2, the dream of a shia crescent has been weakened by the natural sunni,druze, christian & kurd inhabitants of syria, No one ever gave the alawi the right to rule the country. This is life FT, accept it. i was always going to happen, just like the shia took iraq
29 March 2013, 12:49
36
The Syrian people are facing the exact same situation as the Lebanese people did for a bloody 15 years. The only problem is the innocent lives lost in between. Assad is a murder and him and his father burnt Lebanon time and time again, and they still are - but the rebels aren't portraying the most attractive future for Syria either, particularly with the terrorist groups and extremist Islamists. May God bring peace, stability, sovereignty and an end to pointless deaths.
29 March 2013, 14:04
27
I think the entire “terrorist” groups charade is being blown out of proportions, I you ask me, you had the FSA VS the Syrian Army, then you had Hezbollah, Iranian revolutionary guards & the notorious shabhia who are the most bloody & cold bloodied barbaric killers of all * it has been proven by 100s of account witnesses , most notably the massacres of children & using rape as a tool of war, Nusra front may be brutal, but they are not a spec of the shabhia and they are a natural response to the alawie forces, Nusra may be into car bombs that kill innocent people as collateral damage, but tell me how this differs from airstrikes on buildings, from what I see they are effective fighters and a current necessary evil to confront Assad’s most brutal forces, I think they will melt back into the FSA once the FSSA has the upper hand.
29 March 2013, 14:09
35
I do not doubt that the Syrian Army is receiving significant support from Hezbollah, Iranian guards and the shabiha, who yes, are extremely brutal and barbaric. The problem with Syria is that it is not Bashar al Assad vs FSA. It is Bashar al Assad vs FSA vs a number of Syrians who are Islamists, extremists and terrorists. The only way the FSA can guarantee the Syrian people a bright, peaceful, progressive and prosperous future is to curtail the power of the extremist minority - if the FSA can defeat Assad and then clean up Syria from any extremists then things will be good, but it will be an extremely tough and unlikely task.
29 March 2013, 14:47
24
Well james, the Iranian mouthpieces arrived with their bullshit, ofcourse the usual crap, King assad the innocent.
Hey you liars, Answer me this, Why did you HATE SADDAM But LOVE Assad. Is it because ll your interests are aligned with Iranian SHIA interests, PATHETIC PRIMITIVE people, Your game is up, you are just following your religious calling to defend all shia interests at the expense of any christian or muslim. We know what is going on, we are not stupid. Hypocrites
29 March 2013, 16:08
36
I agree with both of you Sarkis and James. I do believe James has a very objective and unbiased opinion on what is happening in Syria. Let’s not kid ourselves. This is a barbaric war being waged by an army on its own citizens; you would have to be a complete tool to think that the people aren’t going to respond with barbaric tactics that are clearly defined as war crimes. We saw it first hand in Lebanon. Name one group that did not commit war crimes during our civil war!
29 March 2013, 14:06
28
This is why Nusra front exists, If i were a syrian, i too would also seek protection from what ever force there was against this I quote: "The first thing he saw was a woman in the corner of the basement. "They were raping her. It was clear that they were raping her. There was blood coming out of her body and she just stayed in the corner."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19718075
29 March 2013, 14:08
28
The witness was working as an activist with a church-based human rights group when he was arrested last November. Yes , a white christian not even an arab was the witness, so let let us see the Pro Assadis try and say oh its an arab liar
29 March 2013, 14:33
29
Dear Sarkis: Why do you engage with people or sub-humans who are well known for being paid mouthpieces for Hizb of terror and Iran. There are thugs in here whose sole job is to post and get paid for their propaganda. They have eyes, but don't see; they have ears but they don't hear. They are driven by hatred, prejudice, and ego. They claim to be knowledgeable on every topic and speak like experts. Their egos know no limits..... That is my advice dear Sarkis, and have a good day!
29 March 2013, 15:54
01
Tactical strategy of the syrian army, naharnet always posts such articles and never posts anything about the syrian army achievements and their victories, if it was that easy to advance in the field that the rebels would have achieved victory long time ago. the army retreats and then hit back these check points by air!! and by bigger ground troops.
naharnet next time u can show some pics of dead mercenaries fighting in syria..
29 March 2013, 16:57
14
you will be impressed more and more in the coming days. Lucky you.
29 March 2013, 20:39
01
Ft I definitely agree that it will not be party time after assad's fall. But it does not mean that Assad should rule for ever. The mess that will probably result if and after Assad falls will also be the responsibility of the previous tyrannical regime that led the country to such a situation. Now on top of the fact that I am against this and all tyrannical regimes, I personally have a big hatred to this regimes due to what they I'd and still are doing in Lebanon.
30 March 2013, 00:57
10
It is really fascinating how Nazi people like muwaten refuse to live in reality and yes the regime is balf kheir and will defeat the ' conspiracy' and whatever TIBN manor and 3alam feeds them lol, muwaten ya racist thug, your likes will lick the boots off the rebels one day and ask for forgiveness. Live in your fantasy, the rebels are defeating the real 'conspiracy' which is the one against the Syrian people. Did your resume take back Aleppo or raqa or thousand other places? The Quran that you supposedly follow says 'die in your hate'. Walla khasak LA Hussein walla Ali
