FOREIGN INTERVENTION IN SYRIA : Rebel fighters kill 20 Hezbollah militiamen in Homs

Syrian Revolution News Round- up / Day 572-  Heavy fighting was reported throughout the country whereby the rebels managed to inflict heavy losses on regime forces and seize control of new areas near the Turkish border.

The heaviest clashes and shelling were reported in the province of Homs as regime forces supported by hundreds of Hezbollah militiamen launched the largest military offensive in a bid to recapture the rebels’ strongholds. Regime forces used all kind of heavy weaponry including fighter jets in shelling the neighborhoods of Old Homs, Khaldiya, Jouret Sheyah and Qosour as well as the provincial towns of Houelh, Qosayr, Rastan and Talkalakh, resulting in the death of more than 24 civilians and rebel fighters including 12 in the town of Houleh.

Activists confirmed that about 25 busses carrying hundreds of Hezbollah militiamen entered Homs in order to support the Assad’s forces. However, rebel fighters managed to repel their ground assault after killing 60 army soldiers in the city of Homs and at least 20 Hezbollah militiamen as they were trying to enter the town of Qosayr. In a related development, at least 40 army soldiers were killed as rebel fighters stormed the village of Khirbet al-Jouz in the Jesser Shoghour district of Idlib province. Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the rebel Free Syrian Army said that regime forces withdrew from the Jabal Akrad district of Latakia province after receiving several attacks by rebel fighters who seized control of the village of Bedama near the Turkish border and arrested at least 75 militiamen.Clashes between pro and anti-Assad Alawite militias have spread into Damascus as anti-Assad Alawite militia bombed a bus carrying pro-Assad Shabiha militiamen resulting in the death of at least 10 of them.

Regime forces executed dozens of civilians across the suburbs of Damascus, at least ten of them fell in the town of Douma. This came as the regime heavy artillery and fighter jets resumed their fierce shelling of the suburbs of Damascus, mainly targeting the Eastern Ghouta district, leaving many civilians dead and dozens more wounded. Scores of civilians died and many more were injured while dozens of houses were destroyed, thus prompting a mass exodus as regime forces resumed their attacks on several areas in the provinces of Aleppo, Deir Azzour, Daraa, Hama, Idlib, Raqa, and Qunaitera.