Syrian Rebels Claim Army Killed 100 People Fleeing Qusayr

Thousands Flee Captured Town Amid Chaos

The Syrian government’s recapture of the town of Qusayr, along the Lebanese border, capped several weeks of bloody fighting and a massive exodus of thousands of the tiny towns residents, both civilians and fighters, hoping to escape when the battle was ending.

Rebel officials are claiming that the chaotic scene left “at least 100” people dead, killed in the continued fire as they attempted to get away from the battlezone. The identities of the victims were unclear.

It was likely difficult to tell the difference between rebels and bystanders, with one of the rebels reporting he escaped as part of a group that included both civilians and fighters fleeing the town on foot. And as always the lack of media on the ground makes it impossible to confirm any of the details.

Qusayr was considered a strategically important town primarily because of its location. It lies along the border with neighboring Lebanon and also along a major highway connecting Damascus to the rebel-dominated northern areas of the country.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.