Tweet
BATTLE TO 'LIBERATE' ALEPPO HAS BEGUN: REBELS
Agence France Presse
July 22, 2012 Sunday 1:38 PM GMT
The rebel Free Syrian Army announced on Sunday the start of the battle
to "liberate" the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's commercial hub
and a traditional bastion of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
The site of violent weekend clashes, several areas of Aleppo reportedly
fell to rebel hands as the FSA pledged to protect religious and ethnic
minorities, notably Christians, Alawites and Kurds.
In a video posted on YouTube, the FSA military council's Colonel
Abdel Jabbar al-Oqaidi announced "the start of an operation aimed at
liberating Aleppo from the blood-stained hands of Assad's gangs."
Oqaidi said the FSA would protect civilians, including "the minorities
-- Christians, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Alawites, Shiites and
Druze," among others.
The ancient city of Aleppo is home to several religious and ethnic
minorities, most notably Christians and Armenians.
The FSA colonel told the Alawites that they need not fear even as
fears of revenge attacks against the community to which Assad's family
belongs rose.
"To our brothers in the Alawite sect, we tell you that our war is
not with you, but with the Assad family gang, that God has destined
to be of your blessed sect," said Oqaidi.
Aleppo is one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities and
its Old City is listed among UNESCO's world heritage sites.
Sunday's statement of Oqaidi on Aleppo said rebel forces were being
mobilised to move towards the city from the neighbouring countryside.
"The FSA has succeeded so far to liberate most areas of northern
Aleppo province, and the road for us to liberate the city of Aleppo
is now open," Oqaidi said.
"We announce a general mobilisation by all rebel brigades in the
province of Aleppo," he added.
Clashes broke out in Aleppo days after violence engulfed several
districts of the Syrian capital Damascus.
The FSA's military council announced the start of the "battle for
the liberation of Damascus" last Sunday, and fighting ratcheted up
after a Wednesday bombing that killed four senior regime members.
The FSA's Supreme Military Council head General Mustafa al-Sheikh told
AFP on Sunday that "a real war of attrition" was underway in Damascus.
"The regime is collapsing, the speed at which it is falling has
increased. That means it will use greater violence in order to try
and save itself."
Sheikh said rebels were capturing weapons from the army as defections
multiplied and neighbourhoods were seized.
"As the regime resorts to all means at its disposal, the FSA still
only has light and medium weapons," Sheikh said.
"But it is gaining new weapons as more and more defections take place
and more arms are captured from defeated troops."
Agence France Presse
July 22, 2012 Sunday 1:38 PM GMT
The rebel Free Syrian Army announced on Sunday the start of the battle
to "liberate" the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's commercial hub
and a traditional bastion of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
The site of violent weekend clashes, several areas of Aleppo reportedly
fell to rebel hands as the FSA pledged to protect religious and ethnic
minorities, notably Christians, Alawites and Kurds.
In a video posted on YouTube, the FSA military council's Colonel
Abdel Jabbar al-Oqaidi announced "the start of an operation aimed at
liberating Aleppo from the blood-stained hands of Assad's gangs."
Oqaidi said the FSA would protect civilians, including "the minorities
-- Christians, Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Alawites, Shiites and
Druze," among others.
The ancient city of Aleppo is home to several religious and ethnic
minorities, most notably Christians and Armenians.
The FSA colonel told the Alawites that they need not fear even as
fears of revenge attacks against the community to which Assad's family
belongs rose.
"To our brothers in the Alawite sect, we tell you that our war is
not with you, but with the Assad family gang, that God has destined
to be of your blessed sect," said Oqaidi.
Aleppo is one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities and
its Old City is listed among UNESCO's world heritage sites.
Sunday's statement of Oqaidi on Aleppo said rebel forces were being
mobilised to move towards the city from the neighbouring countryside.
"The FSA has succeeded so far to liberate most areas of northern
Aleppo province, and the road for us to liberate the city of Aleppo
is now open," Oqaidi said.
"We announce a general mobilisation by all rebel brigades in the
province of Aleppo," he added.
Clashes broke out in Aleppo days after violence engulfed several
districts of the Syrian capital Damascus.
The FSA's military council announced the start of the "battle for
the liberation of Damascus" last Sunday, and fighting ratcheted up
after a Wednesday bombing that killed four senior regime members.
The FSA's Supreme Military Council head General Mustafa al-Sheikh told
AFP on Sunday that "a real war of attrition" was underway in Damascus.
"The regime is collapsing, the speed at which it is falling has
increased. That means it will use greater violence in order to try
and save itself."
Sheikh said rebels were capturing weapons from the army as defections
multiplied and neighbourhoods were seized.
"As the regime resorts to all means at its disposal, the FSA still
only has light and medium weapons," Sheikh said.
"But it is gaining new weapons as more and more defections take place
and more arms are captured from defeated troops."