Israel Matzav

Free Syrian army claims to have US and French weapons, Bouvier still in Homs

A man claiming to be a General in the Free Syrian Army told Reuters that his group has received weapons and anti-aircraft missiles from the US and France as forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad launched an all-out assault on Homs' Baba Amro neighborhood, where several Western journalists are holed up.

Let's go to the videotape.



This morning it was reported that while British photographer Paul Conroy did escape from Homs to Lebanon on Tuesday, contrary to earlier reports, French journalist Edith Bouvier was too badly wounded to be able to escape and that she remains in a 'safe house' in Homs.

JPost adds from Reuters:

Syrian troops launched a ground attack in Homs on Wednesday in an apparent attempt to overrun the rebel-held Baba Amro neighborhood that has endured 25 days of siege and fierce bombardment, opposition sources said.

"The army is trying to go in with infantry from the direction of al-Bassel football field and fierce confrontations with automatic rifles and heavy machine guns are taking place there," activist Mohammad al-Homsi told Reuters from Homs.

He said the military had shelled Baba Amro heavily on Tuesday and overnight before the ground attack started.

Of course, reports from Homs cannot be verified.

The United Nations said on Tuesday that over 7500 civilians have been killed since the Syrian uprising started last March.

Labels: Bashar al-Assad, Homs, Syrian uprising

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:59 PM