SYRIA: Video obtained by Reuters shows rebels in the northern city of Taftanaz vowing to honour a ceasefire agreement brokered by U.N.-Arab League peace envoy Kofi Annan but say they will defend themselves if necessary

Record ID: 280607

  • Title: SYRIA: Video obtained by Reuters shows rebels in the northern city of Taftanaz vowing to honour a ceasefire agreement brokered by U.N.-Arab League peace envoy Kofi Annan but say they will defend themselves if necessary
  • Date: 14th April 2012
  • Summary: TAFTANAZ, SYRIA (APRIL 12, 2012) (REUTERS) REBELS TRAINING IN FIELD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED REBEL SAYING: "We are committed to the truce, but we have the right to defend ourselves. If they do not attack us, we will not attack them. Today they violated the ceasefire agreement but in a provocative way. Two BMPs approached the town. We did not confront them becau
  • Embargoed: 29th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVA9O7EQD0172U192T9JXD9V16H0
  • Story Text: Syrian rebels in northern city of Taftanaz on Thursday (April 13) vowed to honour the ceasefire agreement but warned Syrian authorities over provoking them.
    In video obtained by Reuters, a masked and unidentified rebel said his group was committed to abiding by the truce but that they would not back down if Syrian forces attack them.
    "We are committed to the truce, but we have the right to defend ourselves. If they do not attack us, we will not attack them," said a masked, unidentified rebel who left university to join the Free Syrian Army (FSA).
    Another said he saw a Syrian infantry fighting vehicle, a BMP (a Russian Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty), on the road to the city but that neither side engaged.
    "Today they violated the ceasefire agreement but in a provocative way. Two BMPs approached the town. We did not confront them because they did not fire. If they fire, we will be there waiting," he said.
    The video footage obtained by Reuters also showed rebels training in the field and praying.
    Another unidentified rebel said he saw the Syrian army shoot at protesters.
    "I left university because we used to demonstrate there and the security forces and the army and the Shabiha (pro-Assad militia) used to come and beat us and arrest us. And, this weapon in my hand, I took from the Shabiha with my own hands and my own effort because the Shabiha would beat us - and the security and the army - and we will bring down Bashar, God willing, and be victorious in our revolution - we will raise the words: There is no God but Allah, Mohammed is the Prophet of Allah - whether you like it or not Bashar," he said.
    The northern town of Taftanaz is one of many battle grounds that saw confrontations between the Syrian army the Free Syrian Army (FSA) before the ceasefire went into effect on April 12.
    While some of the FSA members are inexperienced students, the majority are believed to be army defectors.
    "I defected from the army and joined the Free Syrian Army after seeing random crackdowns and shooting at protesters," said another unidentified rebel.
    Meanwhile, Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad killed at least three people on Friday (April 13) as the opposition tried to stage protests after Friday prayers, marring a ceasefire brokered by U.N.-Arab League peace envoy Kofi Annan. Syrians took to the streets across the country in small demonstrations after prayers, trusting that the truce, now in its second day, would protect them from the army bullets that have frightened off peaceful protesters for months. There were few reports of violence elsewhere, but activists said security forces were out in strength to prevent any major anti-Assad rallies around the country.
    The U.N. Security Council was to vote on the mission later on Friday (April 13), with an advance party of 10 to 12 expected to reach Syria next week before the deployment of up to 250 monitors.
    The United Nations says Assad's forces have killed 9,000 people since an uprising against him erupted 13 months ago. Authorities blame the violence on foreign-backed militants who they said have killed more than 2,500 police and soldiers.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register