Syrian forces clash with armed rebels in Dara’a, Aleppo

Syrian forces clash with armed rebels in Dara’a, Aleppo

Syrian security forces (shown) have cleared most neighborhoods in Damascus of armed gangs. (File photo)

Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:23AM GMT

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UPDATE 1

Syrian forces have clashed with armed rebels in the southwestern city of Dara’a, while fighting between the two sides continues in the cities of Aleppo and Homs.

The clashes broke out in Dara’a, about 114 kilometers (70 miles) south of the capital, Damascus, and several nearby villages during the early hours of Wednesday. 

On Tuesday, armed rebels attacked security checkpoints in the northwestern city of Aleppo and there were reports of sporadic clashes between Syrian troops and rebels in the western city of Homs. 

Meanwhile, Syrian security forces have been engaged in clearing various areas of the armed rebels. In Damascus, the Naher Aisheh suburb was the latest area that was fully cleared of foreign-backed rebels. Most neighborhoods are now calm in the capital. 

Security forces have also foiled repeated attempts by armed groups to infiltrate into the Syrian territory from neighboring countries.

The latest clashes between Syrian forces and armed groups come at a time when the anti-Syria Western regimes have been calling for President Bashar al-Assad to step down. 

On July 23, foreign ministers of the Arab League also called on Assad to step down after an emergency meeting in Qatar. 

Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi censured the Arab League stance in a press conference in Damascus on the same day. 

“All who take up weapons in the face of the state will be responded [to] in the same way,” Makdissi told reporters. 

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 and many people, including large numbers of security forces, have been killed in the turmoil. 

HSN/MA/HJL

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/07/25/252645/syrian-forces-rebels-clash-in-daraa/