Syria’s armed rebels say they will “surprise the whole world”
A protester in the flahspoint central Syrian city of Homs throws a tear gas bomb back towards security forces, on December 27, 2011. The commander of the rebel Free Syria Army threatened to escalate attacks against government forces if Arab League monitors did not solve the crisis in Syria.
The commander of Syria’s armed rebels threatened Tuesday to escalate attacks against government forces, after growing frustrated with the inability of Arab League monitors to halt a 10-month old crackdown on anti-regime protestors, Reuters reports.
"If we feel they (the monitors) are still not serious in a few days, or at most within a week, we will take a decision which will surprise the regime and the whole world," the head of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), Colonel Riad al-Asaad, told Reuters in an interview.
A team of monitors arrived last week to ensure the government of president Bashar Al Assad is implementing an Arab League peace initiative by withdrawing troops from key cities and releasing prisoners detained in the uprising.
But Reuters says it counts 192 killed since the mission arrived, and Syrian activists say the bloodshed continues. The United Nations says more than 5,000 people have been killed so far.
Earlier today, a natural gas pipeline was attacked near Homs, at the epicenter of the uprising, reports CNN. But both rebels and government forces blamed the other for the attack, according to United Press International.
Read GlobalPost's encounter with the rebel Free Syria Army (FSA) here.
The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?