Syrian Observatory: Rebels Seize Key Army Position in Hama

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Syrian rebels seized on Thursday a key army position in the central province of Hama, which lies on the road linking Damascus to Aleppo in the north, a monitoring group said Thursday.

The military responded by deploying en mass to try to take back the position at Morek and began shelling it, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added.

"Rebel fighters took control of an army position situated at the northern edges of Morek village in the north of Hama province, capturing ammunition and weapons from the military after fierce clashes," said the Britain-based Observatory.

The group said six soldiers were killed.

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said the position is strategically important because it lies on the main road linking the capital to Aleppo, large swathes of which are under rebel control.

The road is the military's main supply route to Aleppo and to Khan Sheykhoun in the northwestern province of Idlib. It also leads to Maaret al-Noman, which the army has been trying to take back from rebel hands since its capture in October.

The capture of the Morek position comes days after pro-regime media announced an upcoming campaign to take back Aleppo from rebel hands.

Meanwhile, the Observatory reported shelling on the Qaboun suburb northeast of Damascus at dawn, as well as fierce clashes on the edges of Barzeh in the north of the capital.

Battles have raged for weeks in Barzeh, most of which is under rebel control.

At least 90 people were killed across Syria on Wednesday.

Comments 4
Missing realist 13 June 2013, 19:09

it is more like the other way around, the revolution was over when they invaded daraa and took bab amr, and now over after Qusair. you are funny man, as though it is the people who have the scuds, migs, and chemicals. and that was not enough so lets bring in the hizb from lebanon and iraq maybe they would succeed where the regime failed.. it is a quagmire, and the people who can take all these killings and keep going can not be defeated. Read some history, read about afghanistan in the 80's, good luck.

Thumb jabal10452 13 June 2013, 20:09

It says 6 soldiers were killed in the postion. It doesn't say how many soldiers were in the postion before it fell.

Thumb Senescence 13 June 2013, 23:59

I believe everyone is quite aware that 'the observatory' is biased towards the rebels. I also believe the observatory doesn't report rebel deaths accurately and underestimates them due to the biased nature of the reportings ( from rebels ) and overestimates the death toll for the Syrian Army soldiers ( which he gets supposedly from 'civilians doctors etc.' ) due to the inherent nature and source of reported information.

The rebels did not definitely take Hama since shelling is ongoing and the rebels have been drained out from most areas that were subjugated to such operations.

Besides, Hama was supposedly a rebel 'stronghold', how did they lost it? By being weak. It seems to me that they will lose Hama again as more information regarding terrain and logistical data is gathered by the Syrian governmental forces.

Hopefully a year from now, at worst, there will be elections, and the popular vote will determine who the population sides with.

Default-user-icon dddd (Guest) 14 June 2013, 13:42

Go Rebels Go! the kitty's gona get tired at some point