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Syrian rebels unite to retake strategic town near Damascus

Thomson ReutersMay 11, 2013 14:45

By Mariam Karouny BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels including the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front have counter-attacked east of Damascus to retake a town that served as a conduit for arms from Jordan into the capital before it was seized by government forces last month, rebel sources said. The rebels' struggle to end four decades of Assad family rule has been complicated in part by internal divisions along ideological and political lines, as well as a shortage of heavy weaponry that could decisively turn the tide of conflict.

Death toll in car-bomb blasts near Turkey's border with Syria rises to 40

Agencia EFEMay 11, 2013 13:00

Ankara, May 11 (EFE).- At least 40 people were killed and 100 others were wounded in a pair of car-bomb blasts Saturday in a town near Turkey's border with Syria, Turkish authorities said. Interior Minister Muammer Guler provided the new death toll, which had risen sharply from an initial report of four dead, and noted that 29 of those listed as wounded in the explosions were in serious condition. The car bombs exploded around 1:45 p.m. near the town hall and post office in Reyhanli, a town of 60,000 inhabitants in the southern Turkish province of Hatay.

Syria army warns civilians to leave Qusayr

Agence France-PresseMay 10, 2013 21:30

Syria's army has warned citizens to evacuate the town of Qusayr ahead of an attack, a military source said on Friday, but an activist denied that and said there was no safe route out. "Leaflets were dropped over Qusayr asking civilians to leave the city, with a map of a safe route by which to evacuate, because the attack against the city is coming soon if the rebels do not surrender," the military source told AFP on condition of anonymity. Activist Hadi al-Abdullah, who spoke to AFP over the Internet, denied the claim.

Russian relations with Syria since uprising began

Agence France-PresseMay 10, 2013 14:45

Syria, which has been rocked by a revolt against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad since March 2011, has close links with Russia, an ally since Soviet times from which it buys most of its arms. Moscow has drawn Western criticism for its dogged support for the Damascus government even as the death toll has risen to more than 70,000. Following is a timeline of key developments: -- 2011 -- - April 27: Russia and China block a declaration submitted by Western countries at the UN condemning repression of peaceful protests by Assad's government.

Turkey condemns Israeli air strikes in Syria

Thomson ReutersMay 7, 2013 11:00

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan condemned on Tuesday Israeli air strikes on targets near Damascus, saying they were an opportunity for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government to cover up its own killings. "The air strike Israel carried out on Damascus is completely unacceptable. There is no rationale, no pretext that can excuse this operation," Erdogan told a parliamentary meeting of his ruling party.

American journalist held in Syria believed to be in detention center

Thomson ReutersMay 7, 2013 10:47

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The family and employer of James Foley, a U.S. journalist missing in Syria since November, say they now believe he is being held by the Syrian government in a detention center near the capital, Damascus. That conclusion follows a five-month investigation by Foley's family and his employer, GlobalPost, and was announced on Friday in an article posted on the news organization's website.

Senator seeks to arm Syrian rebels

Thomson ReutersMay 7, 2013 10:32

By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, the chairman of the influential Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a bill on Monday that would provide weapons to some vetted groups of Syrian rebels. Menendez, a Democrat, was one of a few senators pushing the White House to provide for lethal aid to some of the rebels fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad even before reports that chemical weapons had been used on a small scale in the conflict.

Lebanon urges U.N. to condemn sovereignty violation by Israel

Thomson ReutersMay 7, 2013 10:30

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Lebanon has called on the U.N. Security Council to condemn violations of its airspace by Israel, which carried out raids in Syria to target what it said were Iranian missiles bound for Hezbollah militants. Lebanon urged the 15-member council to "compel Israel to halt its violations of Lebanon's sovereignty by air, sea and land, and carry out all its obligations in accordance with resolution 1701," according to a letter obtained by Reuters on Monday.

AFP 0100 GMT News Advisory

Agence France-PresseMay 6, 2013 21:45

Duty Editor: Mike Patterson Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + North Korea moves missiles from launch sites + Fears of Syria escalation after Israeli strikes + Thousands hold protest against Putin in Moscow NKorea-SKorea-US-military,WRAP SEOUL North Korea moves two missiles from launch sites on its east coast, signalling a lowering of tensions even as Pyongyang and Seoul exchange fresh warnings of swift and severe military retaliation to any sign of provocation.

Israel raids on Syria killed at least 42 soldiers

Agence France-PresseMay 6, 2013 09:30

Israeli air raids on three military sites near Damascus killed at least 42 soldiers at the weekend, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in an updated toll on Monday. "At least 42 soldiers were killed in the strikes, and another 100 who would usually be at the targeted sites remain unaccounted for," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. The Britain-based monitoring group had earlier given a toll of at least 15 soldiers killed.