SYRIA: Syrian forces loyal to embattled President Bashar al-Assad launch an attack near the border town of Azmarin, explosions and smoke are filmed from the Turkish side of the border

Record ID: 281438

  • Title: SYRIA: Syrian forces loyal to embattled President Bashar al-Assad launch an attack near the border town of Azmarin, explosions and smoke are filmed from the Turkish side of the border
  • Date: 12th October 2012
  • Summary: AZMARIN, SYRIA (AS SEEN FROM TURKEY) (OCTOBER 11, 2012) (REUTERS) VIEW OF AZMARIN WITH AUDIO OF EXPLOSION MORTAR SHELL HITTING A TARGET AND EXPLODING, SMOKE RISING MORTAR BEING FIRED FROM SHRUBS SMOKE RISING BETWEEN BUILDINGS VARIOUS VIEWS OF AZMARIN ON HILLSIDE VARIOUS MORE OF SMOKE RISING BETWEEN BUILDINGS IN TOWN, MORTARS BEING FIRED FROM SHRUBS NEARBY, SOUNDS OF
  • Embargoed: 27th October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5X93DDAAH5X65XGQ4UFGP6F6S
  • Story Text: Syrian forces loyal to embattled President Bashar al-Assad struck border town of Azmarine on Thursday (October 11) as frightened residents rushed to evacuate the town and flee to Turkey.
    Several mortar bombs landed outside the Syrian border town of Azmarin and heavy machine-gun fire could be heard as clashes between the Syrian army and rebels intensified. Plumes of smoke rose into the sky between the bursts of gunfire.
    Turkey has been massing troops along its 900 km (560 mile) long-border in the past week after gunfire and shells from northern Syria hit Turkish territory, prompting it to respond in kind.
    It is not clear whether the shells that have hit Turkish territory were aimed to strike there or were due to Syrian troops overshooting as they attacked rebel positions.
    NATO-member Turkey was once an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad but turned against him after his violent response to an uprising in which more than 30,000 people have died, according to the United Nations.
    A sharp rise in casualties in Syria in the past month indicates the growing intensity of the conflict, which spiralled from peaceful protests against Assad's rule in March 2011 into a full-scale civil war.
    Turkey shelters nearly 100,000 Syrian refugees in camps on its territory, has provided sanctuary for rebel leaders and fighters and has led calls for Assad to quit.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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