InfoAnda - Syria forces storm town, fight defectors: residents |

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

Huge marks advance for fat acceptance in Hollywood | | 30 June 2010
Pakistan arrests gang over Danish embassy attack | 30 January 2009
Philippines, rebels reach election violence pact | 24 April 2010

Palestinians agree to new peace talks with Israel | 9 May 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Syria forces storm town, fight defectors: residents |

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 Green Business Legal Deals Earnings Summits Business Video 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 Afghan Journal Africa Journal India Insight Global News Journal Pakistan: Now or Never? World Video Politics Politics Home Front Row Washington Politics Video Technology Technology Home MediaFile Science Tech Video Opinion Opinion Home Chrystia Freeland Felix Salmon Jack Shafer Breakingviews George Chen Bernd Debusmann Gregg Easterbrook James Pethokoukis James Saft John Wasik Christopher Whalen Ian Bremmer Mohamed El-Erian Lawrence Summers The Great Debate Unstructured Finance Newsmaker MuniLand Money Money Home Analyst Research Global Investing MuniLand Reuters Money Alerts Watchlist Portfolio Stock Screener Fund Screener Personal Finance Video Life & Culture Health Sports Arts Faithworld Business Traveler Left Field Entertainment Oddly Enough Lifestyle Video Pictures Pictures Home Reuters Photographers Full Focus Video Article Comments (0) Full Focus Editor's choice A selection of our best photos from the past 48 hours. Full Article Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read "L Word" star booted off plane over kissing dispute 26 Sep 2011 In letter, Knox says is tired, thinks of Seattle 25 Sep 2011 UPDATE 1-Particles found to break speed of light 22 Sep 2011 Libyan interim government forces close in on Sirte | 26 Sep 2011 World stocks bounce on hopes for euro zone action | 2:22am EDT Discussed 107 Particles recorded moving faster than light: CERN 90 House unexpectedly defeats spending bill 73 UPDATE 1-Particles found to break speed of light Watched Heathrow moves forward with pod cars Mon, Sep 26 2011 Boeing Dreamliner comes true Mon, Sep 26 2011 Human skin strengthened with spider silk can stop a bullet Tue, Sep 20 2011 Syria forces storm town, fight defectors: residents Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Syrian forces kill 4 defecting soldiers: activists Mon, Sep 26 2011 Syrian tanks pound rebel town near Homs, 3 injured Sun, Sep 25 2011 Syrian forces kill two in attacks on Friday protests Fri, Sep 23 2011 Sectarian tensions rise in Syria's Homs, 2 killed Thu, Sep 22 2011 Syria crackdown risks sectarian strife: U.S. Thu, Sep 22 2011 Analysis & Opinion Don’t dismiss the Wall Street occupation U.S. should react strongly to Pakistan’s involvement in embassy attack Related Topics World » United Nations » Syria » By Khaled Yacoub Oweis AMMAN | Tue Sep 27, 2011 1:58am EDT AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian forces backed by tanks and helicopters stormed a strategic town on Tuesday after fighting with army defectors, in a major operation to subdue pro-democracy protests in the center of the country, residents said. Tens of tanks and armored vehicles entered Rastan, a town of 40,000 on the highway to Turkey near the city of Homs, after pounding it overnight with heavy machineguns from tanks and attack helicopters following a two-day siege, they said. The region, together with the province of Idlib on the border with Turkey to the northwest, has emerged as a center of an armed resistance to the rule of President Bashar al-Assad after six months of street protests. The popular protests are demanding an end to more than four decades of the Assad family's rule over the country of 20 million at the heart of the Middle East. "Tanks closed in on Rastan overnight and the sound of machine guns and explosions has been non-stop. They finally entered this morning," said one of the residents, who gave his name as Abu Qassem. Another resident said machine guns had been fired from helicopters near his house on the southern edge of Rastan, where hundreds of army defectors who took refuge in the town in the last few weeks -- including some in tanks -- had been resisting loyalist forces. "We have not been able to go out onto the streets for two days and we have no idea of the casualties," he said. RESPONDING TO PROTESTS Assad has responded to the protests by sending tanks and loyalist troops across the country in a campaign which the United Nations says has killed 2,700 people, including 100 children. The 46-year-old president is a member of Syria's minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam. He has ruled the mainly Sunni Muslim country -- dominating the state, the army and security apparatus -- since inheriting power from his late father Hafez al-Assad 11 years ago. Diplomats say Assad's younger brother Maher, who effectively commands the military, is in charge of the army's attempts to subdue the uprising. Their father faced a secular and Islamist challenge in the 1980s and used the military to crush his opponents, killing tens of thousands of people. Bashar al-Assad has repeatedly said the use of his forces has been constrained and that any other country would respond to such an uprising with similar tactics. The authorities say 700 troops and police have been killed by terrorists and mutineers. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said in a speech to the United Nations on Monday that member states should halt the "foreign intervention" that he described as being behind the demonstrations demanding political freedoms. "We deeply regret the surge in the activities of armed groups in Syria, which have not waned and instead continued to spiral," Moualem told the U.N. General Assembly during its annual session in New York. Washington, which had courted Assad before the uprising, said the intensified crackdown was beginning to spur armed resistance. "It's not surprising, given the level of violence over the past months, that we're now seeing...members of the opposition begin to use violence against the military as an act of self-preservation," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a news briefing. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in Britain, said four soldiers were killed by military police on Monday when they tried to flee their post in Idlib province. Another seven soldiers were arrested. Idlib and Homs have traditionally provided the bulk of the majority Sunni rank and file soldiers in the military, which is led by Alawite officers. The two regions have been the scene of some of the biggest street protests against Assad in the last few weeks. (Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Amman newsroom) World United Nations Syria 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. Social Stream (What's this?) 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 Contact Us Advertise With Us Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use 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 Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Analysis: U.S., Palestinians race for votes at U.N. council |
Demise of PA plan for low-income adults leaves many uninsured
Iraq signs deal to buy 18 F-16 warplanes |
Elmo and Harry Potter among the top 20 holiday toys
Syrian forces kill 4 defecting soldiers: activists |
New data backs early HIV treatment cost-effectiveness
Ex-president's killing plotted abroad
Japan gets offers for new fighter jets
Laughter Yoga the newest rage in Vietnam
Less gaudy stats in week 3, but Panthers' Newton excels in deep passing game
Somalia: Four Burundians face trial in death of Malaysian journalist
Supreme Court reconvenes with tumultuous decisions ahead
Gold continues to fall as investors raise cash
Somali president calls on Mogadishans to return to homes
Blog platform Tumblr wins $85 million in financing |
Acer sees HP changes chance to grab customers, report |
Samsung seeks Dutch ban on 3G iPhone, iPad |
T-Mobile USA promises speed boost from new phones |
China urges police use microblogs to dispel rumors |
The Situation: Christie Vetoes $420,000 break for Jersey Shore |
Jackson appeared drunk at news conference: lawyer |
Jay-Z to perform first concert in Brooklyn arena |
Libyan interim government forces close in on Sirte |
Syria forces storm town, fight defectors: residents |
Special report: Matriarch puts Gandhi dynasty at crossroads |
Fister's arm, Tiger bats too much for Indians in Monday night rout
Insight: Blunt talk from China ex-premier stirs reform pot |
MAC Commissioner says Toledo's loss to Syracuse has to stand
Fister's six shutout frames boost Tigers to 6-0 lead over Indians
Part owner Jay-Z set to open Nets' new arena with concert
U.S. avoids another looming government shutdown, for now
Analysis: U.S., Palestinians race for votes at U.N. council |
Yanks seek Cash back: want GM to return in 2012
Ohio: Children's Hospitals Expanded Even As Number Of Kids In State Declined
Influential Charity Applies Political Pressure To Win Florida Hospital Approval On Third Try
New Children's Memorial Hospital Will Rank Among The Most Expensive
U.S. and Pakistan continue war of words on Haqqani Network
Iraq signs deal to buy 18 F-16 warplanes |
Insurgents commit war crimes in Thai south: Amnesty |
Australia to end ban on women in combat |
Asian tech firms face stiff challenge in mobile systems |
Nokia Siemens enters dongle, router business |
Netflix signs pay TV deal for Dreamworks animation |
Lenovo in $300 million JV with Compal, shares jump |
Michael Jackson's doctor on trial in singer's death |
Charlie Sheen settles lawsuit over Men firing |
Sarah Palin threatens to sue author of Rogue book |
Ellen DeGeneres is fine after chest pain scare |
L Word star booted off plane over kissing dispute |
Latin Grammys name Shakira person of the year |
Selena Gomez to host MTV Europe Music Awards 2011 |
Russia's Putin rebuilds economic team, seeks unity |
Trial begins for Jackson's doctor
Pakistan pushes back against U.S. charges, woos China |
Coffee may reduce depression risk for women
Stafford's impressive start has Lions' fans optimistic for rest of season
Judge: Spend time with Jesus or in jail
Saudis tussle over a textbook
Turkey’s sinking lira defies soaring economy
Shanghai subway trains collide injuring more than 270 |
Egypt eyes new arms suppliers
Pools and water play arreas spread disease
Marlins next for Ozzie? White Sox, manager Guillen part ways
Kosovo Serbs clash with NATO; ten people hurt |
Google celebrates 13th birthday with google doodles
Iran says could deploy navy near U.S. coast: report |
Suicide bomb, blast kill 18 civilians in Afghanistan |
Iraqi air defense: A work in progress |
Amanda Knox was faithful girl in love, lawyer says |
Apple expected to unveil new iPhone next week |
RIM shares jump on Icahn stake talk |
Activists meet to defend Internet from state control |
Huawei and Discovery team up to make waterproof phone |
Acer sees HP changes chance to grab customers: report |
North Irish farmer boots scantily clad Rihanna off land |
L Word star booted off plane over kissing dispute |
Governor vetoes tax break for Jersey Shore |
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