Opposition forces did not allow the family of Bashar al-Assad to leave Syria. There are battles for the suburbs of Damascus
The opposition Syrian Free Army (FSA) on Sunday last thwarted an attempt by members of the family of President Bashar al-Assad to leave the country. This was reported by the newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm, referring to the CCA field commander.A former officer of the Syrian army, on condition of anonymity, said that "on Sunday evening, a convoy of government vehicles attempted to get to Damascus International Airport, but the SSA troops did not allow this."
According to the source, there was an exchange of fire between the presidential guards accompanying the convoy and the opposition’s armed detachments, reports RIA "News". To help the special forces was sent a helicopter, covering the convoy from the air. After this, the car turned around and headed for Damascus in the direction of the residence of President Al-Assad.
In the column, according to the assumption of the field commander, were the mother of Bashar Assad, Anis Makhluf, his wife with children and the nephew of the Syrian President Rami Makhluf with his family. The authorities did not comment on the incident.
In addition, on Sunday, the opposition SSA, which consists mainly of deserters from the regular army of Syria, led military operations with government forces in the suburbs of Damascus, including in the airport area.
As the Reuters news agency notes, the defensive positions and even their own roadblocks were prepared by the deserters opposing the regime.
Arab satellite TV channels today report that government forces are winning and regaining control over the suburbs of the Syrian capital. According to their information, there are fierce clashes in Jisrein and Ain-Tarme, there are wounded and dead.
In turn, Major Maher al-Nuaimi, an official spokesman for the Syrian Military Council, the coordinating body of the opposition’s armed forces, said government forces were deployed into the clash area Tanks. However, he stated that the opposition forces were far from retreating and are still near the city.
Also, an-Nuaimi said that there is a split among the soldiers in the Guta oasis. The major claims that in the Duma, Haraste, Sakbe, Hoteyt al-Turkman and Humuria, hundreds of soldiers are moving to the side of the militants. He acknowledged that the ruling regime still has enough strength and it uses all the reserves to quell insurrections.
The fighting took place in the suburb of Ein-Tarm, four kilometers from the Syrian capital. According to media reports, around 30 people were killed during the shelling by the army of the village of Rankus.
On the whole, 66 people died in various parts of the country on Sunday during clashes and terrorist acts, RIA Novosti reports. The victims include 5 law enforcement officers, 26 military personnel, 10 deserters from the army who joined the opposition and 26 civilians.
Information