Rebels Threaten More Attacks, Accuse Govt of Not Keeping Ceasefire

Rebels Already Attacking Every Day, Syrian Troops Note

by Jason Ditz, May 10, 2012

With the Syrian capital of Damascus still reeling from a massive terror attack which killed 70, Free Syrian Army (FSA) commander Col. Riad al-Assad is threatening to launch even more attacks against targets inside Syria, insisting that his supporters are demanding it, and that the regime is violating the ceasefire.

The threat by the FSA chief to violate the ceasefire even more than his group already is didn’t appear to phase anyone, and Syrian troops in the contested north shrugged off the comments, saying that rebels are attacking them every single day as it is.

The FSA is composed in large measure of defectors from the Syrian military, and has fought the military in a number of major battles, particularly in the city of Homs. They have stalled a few times, claiming to be running out of ammo, while pushing for more Western backing.

Today marks the fourth week since the UN brokered ceasefire began. Both sides have been blaming one another for violating the ceasefire virtually every day since then, and both seem to be correct in that assessment. Though violence is at least somewhat down on average since the ceasefire began, Western officials have been pushing for the plan to be scrapped, with a suggestion that invading the nation and propping up the rebels would be a good alternative.

Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz