TURKEY/SYRIA: Rebel FSA fighters seize a Syrian army outpost, as fighting between troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebel gunmen continues in villages close to the Turkish border

Record ID: 281452

  • Title: TURKEY/SYRIA: Rebel FSA fighters seize a Syrian army outpost, as fighting between troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebel gunmen continues in villages close to the Turkish border
  • Date: 8th October 2012
  • Summary: HARABJOZ, SYRIA (AS SEEN FROM TURKEY) (OCTOBER 7, 2012) (REUTERS) FORMER SYRIAN ARMY OUTPOST NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE FREE SYRIAN ARMY (FSA) WITH AUDIO OF GUNFIRE ABANDONED BUILDING NEAR THE BORDER WITH AUDIO OF GUNFIRE VARIOUS OF HOUSES ON THE SYRIAN SIDE OF THE BORDER WITH AUDIO OF GUNFIRE FSA FIGHTERS DRIVING ALONG BORDER ROAD IN TRUCK WITH AUDIO OF GUNFIRE PLUME OF
  • Embargoed: 23rd October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Syrian Arab Republic
  • City:
  • Country: Turkey Syrian Arab Republic
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA9FTJOLJQL43WF9ZMJXHM822F4
  • Story Text: Syrian rebels have seized a government army outpost near the Turkish border province of Hatay and a rebel flag flew over the building on Sunday (October 7), while clashes could be heard in a nearby Syrian village.
    The rebels took control of the three-storey white building, around 1 km from the border on a hill overlooking the Turkish village of Guvecci on Saturday (October 6), and raised the flag of the Free Syrian Army above it, villagers said.
    Clashes could be heard on Sunday in the area of the Syrian village of Harapjoz, behind the hill where the military outpost was located. Smoke could be seen rising from the area.
    Mortar bombs fired from Syria landed in areas near Guvecci village on Saturday (October 6), prompting a fourth day of retaliatory fire from Turkish forces. The Syrian mortar rounds hit empty land and there were no casualties.
    The exchanges are the most serious cross-border violence in Syria's conflict, which began as pro-democracy protests but has evolved into a civil war with sectarian overtones Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan warned Syria on Friday (October 5) that Turkey would not shy away from war if provoked in the wake of artillery fire from Syrian forces which killed five Turkish civilians further east at Akcakale on Wednesday (October 3).
    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, according to the United Nations, more than 30,000 people have died.
    Turkey has nearly 100,000 Syrian refugees in camps on its territory, has allowed rebel leaders sanctuary 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
Register