- Title: TURKEY: Free Syrian Army spokesman sceptical of ceasefire
- Date: 25th October 2012
- Summary: HATAY, TURKEY (OCTOBER 25, 2012) (REUTERS) FREE SYRIAN ARMY (FSA) SPOKESMAN AHMED KASSEM SITTING WITH ANOTHER FSA MEMBER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FREE SYRIAN ARMY SPOKESMAN, AHMED KASSEM, SAYING: "Keeping our previous experience in mind, I think the ceasefire will collapse again. Why? Because the conditions placed on the Free Syrian Army commanders and revolutionary fighters were clear: any military movement will be considered as though they are restructuring their forces and redeploying their soldiers for reinforcement, meaning that the regime is in a state of war and that he (President Bashar al-Assad) will not stop fighting." MORE OF KASSEM TALKING TO HIS COLLEAGUE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FREE SYRIAN ARMY SPOKESMAN, AHMED KASSEM, SAYING: "We are afraid of unexpected actions from the regime during the Eid. The number of victims usually increases during the period of ceasefire and we are afraid that this will be the case again, as the regime kills Syrians and destroys the infrastructure of the cities even more during this period." MORE OF KASSEM TALKING
- Embargoed: 9th November 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Turkey
- City:
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Conflict
- Reuters ID: LVAAEG755FO1FLKMP5OOY8HC7IT
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: A spokesman for Free Syrian Army said on Thursday (October 25) there are concerns that a planned ceasefire in Syria will be broken by the Syrian Army.
Ahmed Kassem said in Turkey that the conditions laid out by the Syrian army command implied the fighting will not stop.
"Keeping our previous experience in mind, I think the ceasefire will collapse again. Why? Because the conditions placed on the Free Syrian Army commanders and revolutionary fighters were clear: any military movement will be considered as though they are restructuring their forces and redeploying their soldiers for reinforcement, meaning that the regime is in a state of war and that he (President Bashar al-Assad) will not stop fighting," Kassem said.
Kassem warned that violence and deaths could actually escalate.
"We are afraid of unexpected actions from the regime during the Eid. The number of victims usually increases during the period of ceasefire and we are afraid that this will be the case again, as the regime kills Syrians and destroys the infrastructure of the cities even more during this period," Kassem said.
Syria's army command said it reserved the right to respond to rebel attacks and bombings and that it would respond to "terrorist groups trying to reinforce their positions by arming themselves and getting reinforcements", as well as neighbouring countries facilitating the smuggling of fighters across borders during that period. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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