SYRIA: Video obtained by Reuters shows dozens of Free Syrian Army fighters camping in a rural area near the southern city of Deraa.

Record ID: 276371

  • Title: SYRIA: Video obtained by Reuters shows dozens of Free Syrian Army fighters camping in a rural area near the southern city of Deraa.
  • Date: 18th May 2012
  • Summary: LAJAT NEAR DERAA , SYRIA (MAY 15, 2012) (REUTERS) FREE SYRIAN ARMY (FSA) FIGHTERS WALKING THROUGH A MOUNTAIN MORE OF FIGHTERS WALKING GROUP OF FIGHTERS SITTING CLOSE OF FIGHTERS WEAPONS AND BULLETS ON GROUND MACHINE GUN IN FOREGROUND / FIGHTERS IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED FREE SYRIAN ARMY LEADER ADDRESSING THE FIGHTERS SAYING: "When we are orga
  • Embargoed: 2nd June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAF2MFCLN8Q0EE8YXBLWK3ZX9DD
  • Story Text: Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters have stepped up their efforts in the fight to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
    Video obtained by Reuters filmed on Tuesday (May 15) shows dozens of FSA fighters gathered in a mountain area near the southern city of Deraa in what appears to be their military camp.
    "When we are organised we can defeat any army," said one of the leaders.
    "The most important thing is organisation and discipline. And as long as we are on this path, all of us will be disciplined," he added.
    The fighters were in Lajat, to the east of Deraa; but the leader said that there were many other groups in the country.
    "We have many groups here, brother Safi Qassem is here and we also have many groups in the western area," he said.
    "Every group leader will do the same within his group, the leader of the group will send out the person in charge of arming fighters to the leaders of the brigade when we want arms, and the leaders will discuss the request. So if they think someone is qualified and wants a gun he will get it, they will buy it for him. There is no discrimination, we are from villages all over Syria - some from Homs, others from Idlib. This revolution is for all," he added.
    One of the fighters said he was a lieutenant in Assad's army but has now defected and joined the FSA.
    "I'm Lieutenant Alaa Abdul Rahman, from the fifth Brigade, 15th infantry division, and this is my identity card. I announce my defection from the Assad brigades and my joining the Free Syrian Army and I also announce the unification of the following brigades, Dera'a al Islam, Al Jazeera and Soqour al Lajat in one Brigade called al Farouq Brigade in the province of Deraa. And we promise to protect civilians and fight Assad brigades who are committing crimes against Syrian people."
    FSA, the main armed opposition group, is a loose group of fighters including army defectors who have a formal leader based in Turkey and some central command over units in Syria.
    More than 200 United Nations observers are in Syria to monitor the implementation of an April 12 ceasefire intended to stem the bloodshed in a 14-month-old uprising against Assad.
    Rebels and government forces alike have violated the ceasefire deal and activists say hundreds of people have been killed since the middle of last month.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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