SYRIAN REBELS SHOW AFTERMATH OF RECENT CLASHES
(15 Jun 2012) Rebel Syrian soldiers claim they have secured a military checkpoint in Jabal al-Zawiya in the province of Idlib, from government forces after a 10 hour battle on 29 May. The rebels said some 300 fighters took part in the attack on five key buildings that made up the Meghara checkpoint used by the army to try to control the local area. In the battle, they allegedly destroyed two armoured personnel carriers, captured one tank and killed at least 35 government soldiers. AP cannot independently verify their claims. Defected soldiers claim the fight resulted in the capture of significant military hardware such as ammunition and a T55 tank. Chadi Bakor an ex-police officer for the Assad regime who defected and joined the rebels said the checkpoint was a problem in the area. "It wouldn't allow any demonstrations, it was shooting at kids, or killing women, it was really painful to have it here. Thank god we got rid of it, and a lot of regime soldiers have defected since, like around hundred and thirty have defected," he said. However, the Syrian army still poses a challenge to the area. Rebels claim that at dawn on Thursday, at least two military helicopters flew over the village of Deir Sunbil and fired about a dozen missiles at a group of homes. The missiles allegedly injured a man who was sleeping on the roof of his house and killed a cow belonging to local farmer, Ata al-Marouf. "They shelled us with rockets and my cow was killed and this one is injured," he said. For more than a week, Syrian troops have been sweeping through villages and towns in Syria's northern, central, southern and seaside provinces, attacking rebel-held areas and opposition strongholds in what appears to be the largest offensive since an internationally-brokered cease-fire went into effect two months ago. The regime and the opposition have both largely ignored the April 12 truce. UN observers have reported a steep rise in violence and a dangerous shift in tactics by both sides in Syria in recent weeks. Car bombings and suicide bombings have become increasingly common as the 15-month uprising against President Bashar Assad becomes militarised. Most have targeted security buildings and police buses, symbols of Assad's regime. Activists say some 14,000 people have been killed since the uprising against Assad began in March 2011. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
