Israel Matzav

The chickens come home to roost in Damascus

Security forces fought Islamic militants near the Defense Ministry in a gunbattle that left four terrorists and a police officer dead, the government said.

Six terrorists, including two who were wounded, were captured and two policemen were also injured.

Syria blames Israel and the United States, according to al-AP:

"What happened in the heart of Damascus is a practical translation of the American-Israeli threats. Targeting Syria is still an official policy of the US administration, the Tel Aviv leaders and some weak-willed people who have sold themselves for evil in exchange of a handful of dollars," state-run Tishrin daily said in an editorial.

...

Syria's official news agency, SANA, said all 10 militants in Friday's attack were members of a "takfiri" group. "Takfiri" refers to Sunni Muslim extremists who declare that non-radical Muslims are infidels.

SANA said police seized 10 US-made automatic rifles, along with several homemade bombs. It did not specify the weapons' brand, but said they had been supplied by a "neighboring country to carry out sabotage attacks against vital targets and national interests."

The country was not named, but Syria has alleged in the past that weapons were coming into the country from Lebanon, with whom relations have been increasingly strained since the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri last year and the subsequent withdrawal of Syrian troops.

What goes around comes around?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:29 AM