SYRIA: Buildings have been left in ruins in the town of Atarib, on the outskirts of Aleppo, as government forces clash with rebels

Record ID: 280356

  • Title: SYRIA: Buildings have been left in ruins in the town of Atarib, on the outskirts of Aleppo, as government forces clash with rebels
  • Date: 3rd March 2012
  • Summary: ATARIB, SYRIA (MARCH 1, 2012) (REUTERS) GIANT BOULDERS LYING ON STREET EMPTY STREET DAMAGED BUILDING AND SHATTERED BALCONY INSIDE DAMAGED BUILDING HOLE IN WALL BULLET DAMAGE TO WALL DEBRIS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FREE SYRIA ARMY FIGHTER, NAME WITHHELD, SAYING: "We ask the international community and the humanitarian organisations to protect us from Assad's criminal g
  • Embargoed: 18th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8G2K0AFLXHXQS93LUTI02S0D4
  • Story Text: The town of Atarib in Syria was a virtual ghost town after government forces shelled the city to crush the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, according to rebel fighters on Thursday (March 1).
    Atarib lies near the city of Aleppo, Syria's main commercial and industrial hub.
    Activist groups have reported dozens of deaths in the area in recent months, including five deaths last week.
    Rebel fighters told Reuters they had no support from the international community or humanitarian organisations when the government forces attacked in Atarib.
    "We ask the international community and the humanitarian organisations to protect us from Assad's criminal gangs. Here is a shell that Assad sent to the children of the city of Atarib after attacking schools and building. Where are you oh Arabs? Where are you oh Muslims?" a member of the Free Syria Army, who did not disclose his name, said.
    Elsewhere in the country fighting continued on Friday (March 2) after a rebel pullout from the opposition enclave of Baba Amro and shelling in Homs.
    Analysts say that if the rebels are defeated in Homs the opposition will be left without any major stronghold in Syria, easing the crisis for Assad, who has remained confident he could survive.
    President Assad is increasingly isolated internationally in his struggle to crush the armed insurrection.
    In a rare show of unity with Western powers, Russia and China joined other Security Council members at the United Nations in expressing "deep disappointment" at Syria's failure to allow the U.N. humanitarian aid chief Valerie Amos to visit the country, and urged that she be allowed in immediately.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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