Syrian regime says soldiers killed in fighting with 'terrorists'

[alp227]

Source: Reuters

Seven Syrian soldiers and police have been killed in an operation against "terrorists" in the central town of Rastan, where armed resistance has emerged after months of mostly peaceful protests, according to the state news agency.

The deaths were reported in the first official comment on a three-day government offensive to recapture the area from army defectors.

"The units responsible have inflicted big losses on the armed terrorist groups," the agency said, quoting a military spokesman. "The confrontation resulted in the killing of seven personnel, among them two officers, and the injuring of 32, including seven officers, from the army and security police."

Syria's army and security forces have remained mostly loyal to the regime of Bashar al-Assad during the six months of protests demanding his overthrow in which the United Nations says 2,700 people have been killed.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/30/syrian-regime-soldiers-killed-terrorists

[Elmergantry]

1. Yeah everyone is a "terrorist" these days.... NT

[pampango]

2. "there were also clashes between troops who have joined the protesters and those loyal to Assad."

'Defections' in al-Rastan

There were reports that the security forces opened fire on protesters at several of the demonstrations on Friday, and that there were also clashes between troops who have joined the protesters and those loyal to Assad.

Amateur videos posted online by activists show thousands of people shouting in support of the army defectors in al-Rastan, which is home to 40,000 and is located 180km north of Damascus. "Rastan will overthrow the regime," read one banner waved by protesters in the Damascus neighbourhood of Qadam.

Many of the protesters were seen expressing solidarity with residents of the town of al-Rastan, just north of Homs, where fighting has been raging for three days between pro- and anti-government troops.

State media say that seven government soldiers have been killed and 32 wounded in those clashes, and that the army had "inflicted big losses on the armed terrorist groups". Opposition activists say the number of people killed in al-Rastan is 32.

http://english.aljazeera.net//news/middleeast/2011/09/20119301527522457.html