SYRIA: Residents of Taftanaz say they were attacked by government forces who destroyed and burnt down their homes

Record ID: 280666

  • Title: SYRIA: Residents of Taftanaz say they were attacked by government forces who destroyed and burnt down their homes
  • Date: 10th April 2012
  • Summary: TAFTANAZ, SYRIA (APRIL 8, 2012) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS) ROAD SIGN READING: "TAFTANAZ WELCOMES YOU" STREET WITH RUBBLE AND DAMAGED BUILDINGS ON EITHER SIDE BADLY-DAMAGED BUILDINGS STREET WITH DESTROYED AND BURNT BUILDINGS SMOKE-BLACKENED APARTMENT BUILDING PARTIALLY-COLLAPSED BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED RESIDENT SAYING: "They burnt the building, t
  • Embargoed: 25th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7GQYY9WQOSY2QERUXF6C3EQEL
  • Story Text: The Syrian town of Taftanaz was a scene of destruction on Sunday (April 8) after Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad pounded opposition areas, according to local activists.
    Video obtained by Reuters showed destroyed and burnt-out buildings in the town in the rebellious Idlib province.
    Refugees and activists reported hundreds of casualties from shelling near the border with Turkey in the last few days, including 120 people killed in Taftanaz, to the northeast of Idlib city, which was stormed by 50 tanks and armoured vehicles.
    "They burnt the building, they left nothing. I am an old man, 80 years old. They pointed a gun at me and threatened to shoot me," wept one local resident.
    Nearby villages rushed to provide residents with aid, collecting the supplies in a local mosque.
    Residents said the town had been devastated following days of shelling by government forces aiming to dislodge anti-Assad activists.
    "Our only fault was that we called for freedom. We paid a heavy price for this word, but we are determined to continue on this path. This town has been devastated, between 400 and 500 sites and homes in this town have been burnt and totally destroyed, 60 to 70 houses. We have not seen such a criminal act anywhere in the world," said one resident.
    Accounts of the violence cannot be verified because Syrian authorities have placed tight restrictions on access by independent media.
    However, Turkish officials say more than 2,800 Syrians fled into Turkey from the region of Idlib, focus of military action, last Thursday - a sharp increase from the flow, well below a thousand, on most previous days.
    Assad says his forces have been battling foreign backed Islamist militants in the year-old uprising and denies civilians are being targeted by anyone except those militants.
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