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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Rebel leader promises Damascus rocket storm |
| 2015-02-04 |
| [Beirut Daily Star] A Syrian rebel leader has vowed a resumption of rocket fire on Damascus beginning Wednesday. Zahran Alloush, the leader of the Islam Army, made the vow in a statement released Tuesday and said the barrage would come in response to a series of deadly regime air raids on the Damascus suburbs. "Because the capital is full of military barracks, intelligence centers, artillery and rocket facilities ... we declare the entire city of Damascus a military zone and an arena for [military] operations," Alloush said. "We ask all civilians, diplomats and students to stay away from any regime center, checkpoint or vehicle" throughout the day, he added. Alloush's Islam Army militia carried out a similar threat late last month, also citing several deadly regime Pro-opposition circles were divided on the value of last month's barrage; some maintained that the rebels should inflict pain on regime-held areas while others argued that causing civilian casualties would only turn more people against the armed opposition. Damascus has largely been spared the ravages of the war, although jihadi groups have claimed a number of car kabooms, often targeting government or military targets. |
| Posted by:Fred |