InfoAnda - Smuggling path of death a lifeline for Syria revolt |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Pakistani c.bank sells 33.50 bln rupees of T-bills | 22 January 2010
French minister calls for full ban on burka: report | 16 August 2009
Obama hints missile shield flexibility to Moscow | 3 March 2009

Foxconn says plant worker jumps from apartment | | 14 June 2012

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Smuggling path of death a lifeline for Syria revolt |

Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Home Business Business Home Economy Technology Media Small Business Legal Deals Earnings Social Pulse Business Video The Freeland File Markets Markets Home U.S. Markets European Markets Asian Markets Global Market Data Indices M&A Stocks Bonds Currencies Commodities Futures Funds peHUB World World Home U.S. Brazil China Euro Zone Japan Mexico Russia India Insight World Video Reuters Investigates Decoder Politics Politics Home Election 2012 Issues 2012 Candidates 2012 Tales from the Trail Political Punchlines Supreme Court Politics Video Tech Technology Home MediaFile Science Tech Video Tech Tonic Social Pulse Opinion Opinion Home Chrystia Freeland John Lloyd Felix Salmon Jack Shafer David Rohde Bernd Debusmann Nader Mousavizadeh Lucy P. Marcus David Cay Johnston Bethany McLean Edward Hadas Hugo Dixon Ian Bremmer Mohamed El-Erian Lawrence Summers Susan Glasser The Great Debate Steven Brill Jack & Suzy Welch Breakingviews Equities Credit Private Equity M&A Macro & Markets Politics Breakingviews Video Money Money Home Tax Break Global Investing MuniLand Unstructured Finance Linda Stern Mark Miller John Wasik James Saft Analyst Research Alerts Watchlist Portfolio Stock Screener Fund Screener Personal Finance Video Money Clip Investing 201 Life Health Sports Arts Faithworld Business Traveler Entertainment Oddly Enough Lifestyle Video Pictures Pictures Home Reuters Photographers Full Focus Video Reuters TV Reuters News Article Comments (0) Full Focus Editor's choice Our best photos from the last 24 hours. Full Article Images of January Best photos of the year 2011 Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Microsoft unveils Windows 8 for public test 12:18am EST Boeing delivers biggest 747 to secret VIP buyer 28 Feb 2012 Romney survives in Michigan, eyes on Super Tuesday | 9:36am EST Banks gorge on 530 billion euros of ECB funds | 8:00am EST Ohio school shooter confesses as death toll climbs | 28 Feb 2012 Discussed 109 Taliban urge Afghans to attacks Westerners 104 Analysis: Can United States defuse Koran burning uproar? 80 Putin praises Cold War moles for stealing U.S. nuclear secrets Watched Sacha Baron Cohen gets a warning from Oscar Fri, Feb 24 2012 U.S. Navy kicks off rail gun tests with a bang Tue, Feb 28 2012 Dual victories for Romney Tue, Feb 28 2012 Smuggling "path of death" a lifeline for Syria revolt Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Elite Syrian army units attack rebel districts 11:10am EST WRAPUP 5-Syria civilian death toll "well over 7,500"-UN Tue, Feb 28 2012 Syria approves new constitution amid bloodshed Mon, Feb 27 2012 Syria referendum goes ahead amid military onslaught Sun, Feb 26 2012 As violence rages, Syria holds referendum Sat, Feb 25 2012 Analysis & Opinion It’s time for OpenTable to think about diners Red carpet moments Related Topics World » A man looks at his destroyed home in Sirte city, Syria February 27, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Anis Mili By Erika Solomon AKKAR VALLEY, Lebanon | Wed Feb 29, 2012 9:12am EST AKKAR VALLEY, Lebanon (Reuters) - Inspecting his machinegun and wrapping ammunition belts around his chest, Samhar braces himself for another night's work. The scrawny 26-year-old calls his secret route through the mountainous Syrian-Lebanese border "the path of death." But for nearby rebel-held areas in Syria, it is their only lifeline. Samhar brings desperately needed supplies to neighborhoods in the Syrian city of Homs, about 40 km (25 miles) from the border. They are encircled and under heavy bombardment by Syrian troops trying to snuff out the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad's rule. Activists smuggling in aid are also a target. "We lose double the amount of people on these trips," he said. He is from Homs but now works from a Lebanese border town nestled in a valley in northern Akkar region. "We used to lose one person a month. But since the crackdown got worse last month we already lost seven." Syrian forces have intensified their violent response to the 11-month-old uprising against four decades of Assad family rule, especially in Homs's rebellious district of Baba Amro. Samhar has not seen his parents or siblings in months. He keeps a picture in his phone of a cousin he just found out was killed in Baba Amro last week. Hundreds have been killed in a 25-day-old bombardment of Baba Amro, activists say, and more die due to the scarcity of medicine and blood transfusion bags. Getting supplies in is complicated. Lurking in the darkness that blankets the mountains around the town, Syrian forces across the border hunt for people like Samhar, who must negotiate landmines and checkpoints. Sometimes activists have even been hit by fire from their own comrades in the confusion of night operations. "I've had friends die in front of me," he said. "We can't send the bodies to their families as it could put them in danger with security forces. So we bury them where we can." Smuggling has long been a profitable business between Syria and Lebanon. In better days, the town, which the sources asked not be identified, was a fuel smuggling hub. But even the high dividends of war profiteering is not enough to tempt professional smugglers to risk their lives. This is a business now left to activists like Samhar, who get advice from smugglers, but not much else. "This is our path for jihad (holy war)," Samhar says, nervously twirling a cigarette around his long fingers as he waits to leave. "I'm not afraid of death, but being caught. No one wants to be tortured. Better to die quickly with dignity." FIFTY-FIFTY CHANCE During the day, the town is filled with children kicking tattered soccer balls along unpaved roads and old men leading their cows home from pasture. Syrian refugees gather around mosques, getting bags of bread, clothes and old shoes. But at night, the calm is shattered by gunfire as Syrian troops, smugglers and rebels play cat and mouse in the dark. Smugglers zip along on motorbikes. Only the glow of their cigarettes is visible as they rumble past, scoping the border. Samhar visits Sheikh Mleihan, an old Lebanese man draped in a black cloak with a red and white kerchief on his head. He shoos away children and chickens gathering around his door and points to boxes of antibiotics, sterile needles, infant milk formula and blood bags stacked inside. "In Homs, these blood bags are more valuable than anything else," says the old man, holding up plastic transfusion bags. As night falls, Samhar and his friends gather at a sprawling house belonging to a professional smuggler, who asked to be called Mahmoud. He houses refugees in the front of the house. But in a concrete back room, blankets are taped over the window. Outside, the twinkling lights of a Syrian village seem uneerily close. Some local smugglers share their routes with groups of young Syrian activists. Mahmoud is a brawny young Lebanese man who eyes visitors with suspicion - he was arrested last year on arms smuggling charges which he insists are false. He won't say if he is paid to help Samhar's group of eight. "It's 10 km (6 miles) to their meeting point in Syria. But it will take them about six hours and they have a 50-50 chance of it going right," he said. "If you're still out there at 6 a.m., you're finished." The men have packed blue suitcases with medicine and drop plastic bags filled with bullet belts on the floor. Activists say they sometimes start shooting to create diversions to distract Syrian troops from the people carrying supplies. ARMS SMUGGLING? Samhar says he and his friends get their orders from the Free Syrian Army (FSA), the loosely organized group of army deserters and rebels who say their insurgency is to protect civilian protesters. His ties to the FSA make some suspect that weapons, as well as medicine, are being smuggled. Some activists privately acknowledged that they bring in weapons. Many fear that loose talk will increase scrutiny by Lebanese security forces. Asked about weapons, Samhar avoids a straight answer. "I'll be brief. Whatever the FSA needs, I'm ready." It is also unclear who pays for the supplies. Activists say locals and Syrian exiles donate money for them. Some say hard-line Islamist groups funded from the Gulf are involved. Khaled, an activist based in Beirut, blames arms smugglers for making it more dangerous to transfer medical supplies. "Medicine smuggling has become so much harder in the past few months," he said. "They are ruining our chances." Pacifists like Khaled sneak in smaller quantities, sometimes putting blood bags or pills under the hubcaps and bonnets of cars heading into Syria legally. But Samhar's friend and guide, the smuggler Mahmoud, says other activists must accept that the rebels need weapons. The young men jump on motorcycles to head down to the river that winds through green fields and thickets along the border. They will carry their heavy packs on foot the rest of the way. "I am still dreaming of martyrdom," Samhar says, frowning. "Every time I come back alive, I'm frustrated." Asked about the impact of their casualties, Mahmoud shrugs. "There are so many young guys who want to do this. We have no problems finding recruits," he says, stubbing out his cigarette. But as Samhar and his team leave, Mahmoud admits out of their earshot that he frets about his new friend. "He's shared my room with me for two months. I sympathize with his cause, I understand he is eager. But every night I worry he's the one who won't come back." (Editing by Alistair Lyon) World Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above. Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index Legal Bankruptcy Law California Legal New York Legal Securities Law Support & Contact Support Corrections Advertise With Us Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use Copyright Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electronic trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Top French court strikes down genocide bill |
Egyptian judge resigns from NGO case |
New, faster Apple iPad expected next week |
Dancing With the Stars avoids conflict with new cast |
Jean Dujardin wins best actor Oscar for 'The Artist' |
More than 7,500 killed in Syria, U.N. says |
Iran says making nuclear bombs a great sin |
Clinton says Japan, E.U. working to comply with Iran sanctions |
Iran: two worlds meet, over tea |
NATO urges focus on Afghan stability after Koran burnings |
Guatemala extradites alleged drug kingpin to U.S. |
Wrecked ship's officers plead guilty to NZ grounding |
U.S. sees more of the same from new North Korea leader |
China higher court hears Apple's iPad appeal |
M&A angle seen in Yahoo patent demand on Facebook |
New, faster Apple iPad expected next week |
Wired world to be boon, bane for Generation Y: survey |
HTC shares soar, new phone models get upbeat reviews |
Retrial between Oracle and SAP set for June 2012 |
NZ court rejects bid to rejail Megaupload boss, frees cash |
Twitter expands mobile advertising |
Lindsay Lohan no longer party girl, now a homebody |
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck welcome son: report |
Streep donates $10,000 in Davis's honor to R.I. school |
Michel Hazanavicius wins directing Oscar for The Artist |
Behind NY's catwalks, legal contracts abound |
U.S. says North Korea agrees to nuclear moratorium |
Afghan forces face threat from within, says official |
Venezuela says ignore rumors in Chavez cancer saga |
Egypt presidential vote starts May 23 |
Egypt detains Islamist, confusion over al Qaeda link |
Smuggling path of death a lifeline for Syria revolt |
Costa passengers endure tropical climes without power |
Barter, other steps help Iran firms beat sanctions |
Facebook revamps pages for businesses |
Europe to investigate Google's new privacy policy |
Chinese relish crack in Great Firewall, log on to Facebook |
HTC says to sell more smartphones in 2012 |
Universal Display slides on Samsung deal concerns |
A Minute With: Kristen Chenoweth on her new show CGB |
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01