Sunday, March 10, 2013

Syrian Rebels Launch "Surprise" Assault On Key Homs District

(AFP) Syrian rebels on Sunday launched a surprise dawn attack on Baba Amr, a former rebel stronghold in the central city of Homs, a year after it was taken by the army in a bloody battle, a monitoring group said.

"At dawn, the rebels launched a surprise attack on Baba Amr, which they have entered," Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman, who was in contact with the rebels, told AFP.

"The rebels infiltrated Baba Amr during the night. Those manning the army checkpoints barely had time to realise what was going on," said Omar, an activist who was also in touch with the insurgents.

The Homs district gained notoriety when hundreds of Syrians were killed last year during more than a month of army bombardment and combat with the outgunned rebels, who were finally driven out by troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

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