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Syrian troops storm areas near capital of Damascus
 it gets closer..In dozens of tanks and armored vehicles, Syrian troops stormed rebellious areas near the capital Sunday, shelling neighborhoods that have fallen under the control of army dissidents and clashing with fighters. At least 62 people were killed in violence nationwide, activists and residents said. what's a Sunday without indiscriminate killing in Islam? The widescale offensive near the capital suggested the regime is worried that military defectors could close in on Damascus, which has remained relatively quiet while most other Syrian cities descended into chaos after the uprising began in March. time for the wives and kiddies to take that "early-early-summer-vacation" in France? The rising bloodshed added urgency to Arab and Western diplomatic efforts to end the 10-month conflict. The violence has gradually approached the capital. In the past two weeks, army dissidents have become more visible, seizing several suburbs on the eastern edge of Damascus and setting up checkpoints where masked men wearing military attire and wielding assault rifles stop motorists and protect anti-regime protests. Their presence so close to the capital is astonishing in tightly controlled Syria and suggests 1) the Assad regime may either be losing control or 2) setting up a trap for the fighters before going on the offensive. betting on option #2 Residents of Damascus reported hearing clashes in the nearby suburbs, particularly at night, shattering the city's calm. Posted by: Frank G 2012-01-29 |
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