- Title: SYRIA: Free Syrian Army claim to capture pro-Assad forces
- Date: 10th August 2012
- Summary: DANA NEAR IDLIB, SYRIA (AUGUST 10, 2012) (REUTERS) VEHICLE DRIVING UP TO FREE SYRIAN ARMY (FSA) CHECKPOINT VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF FSA STOPPING AND SEARCHING VEHICLES AT CHECKPOINT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FSA COMMANDER FOR THE DANA UNIT, SAYING: "The aim behind this checkpoint is to capture the Shabbiha who are trying to escape. Thanks to god, we are very close to victory. So
- Embargoed: 25th August 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Syrian Arab Republic
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA960MJBJ3CC6O3JIHUFRC7RV6P
- Story Text: The Free Syrian Army claims to have confiscated weapons and captured members of the pro-Assad "shabbiha" militia at a checkpoint near Dana, close to the border with Turkey on Friday (August 10).
A commander for the Dana unit of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) said they set up the checkpoint to capture shabbiha who are trying to escape from Syria.
"Thanks to god, we are very close to victory. So we have placed this checkpoint here for the purpose of capturing the security and army forces," he said.
"Thanks to god, we have managed to stop three of them, " he added.
Activists say the feared "shabbiha" militia are the most ruthless opponents of the uprising. Opposition campaigners have claimed tattooed shabbiha youths with AK-47s descend from hilltops onto villages pounded by Syrian artillery and break into homes, slit the throats of women and children or hack them to death.
From humble beginnings as a smuggling and blackmail racket set up by Assad's relatives in the coastal city of Latakia, the shabbiha have grown into feared militia death squads blamed for the worst atrocities in the revolt.
Syrian authorities have blamed foreign-backed Islamist "terrorist groups".
At the FSA checkpoint near Dana, the commander says they don't necessarily kill the people they capture.
"We put them under investigation and based on the results, if they have not done anything, we won't do anything to them. And those who committed crimes, they will receive their punishment. We are not here to kill nor to take the soul of people. We are here to stop the injustice," he said.
In Aleppo, rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces promised on Friday they will hit back after losing ground under heavy bombardment, and residents fled in cars crammed with belongings during a lull in fighting.
The rebels were pushed back from the Salaheddine district on Thursday (August 9) by troops seeking to re-establish control over Aleppo, which is Syria's largest city and economic hub.
Reuters journalists saw residents streaming out of Aleppo, seizing on a calm spell to pack vehicles with mattresses, fridges and toys. At least two air force planes and one drone flew overhead.
In an apparent effort to project an air of normalcy, state television screened footage dated August 10 of a calm Aleppo, including images of its ancient citadel - U.N. World Heritage site - and cars flowing freely around a traffic circle.
In Damascus, residents reported shelling of the south-eastern district of Shebaa and said nine tanks could be seen on the road heading out to the airport.
The United States imposed new sanctions on Syria and its allies on Friday as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton headed to Turkey for meetings as both countries plan for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's fall.
Clinton, winding up an 11-day Africa tour, is due to fly from the small West African state of Benin to Istanbul, where she will meet on Saturday (August 11) with Turkey's prime minister and foreign minister and hold talks with Syrians who have recently joined the growing exodus of refugees fleeing the violence.
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