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Syria hunts down 'Turkish, Gulf' militia in Aleppo

Xinhua, August 5, 2012

• Syria's state media said Sunday the army troops have continued hunting down "Turkish and Gulf" militia in a number of neighborhoods in Aleppo city, in reference to the Western and Arab-backed rebels that have recently been reportedly re-enforced with foreign and Arab fighters.

  Quoting a source in Aleppo, the state-run news agency SANA said residents of Sayyed Ali district confronted on Sunday the "terrorist" militia and kicked them out of the area.

  SANA said the army troops on Sunday confronted armed groups, including Afghanis, who had been entrenching in the faculty of science in Aleppo, adding that they were all eliminated.

  In al-Kawakbi area of Aleppo, the government troops carried out a "qualitative" operation and tracked down armed militia, killing a big number of them, said SANA, adding that among the killed were Turks.

  Syria has for long said that a third party has joined the battles in Syria, adding that foreign intelligence and Arab extremists have become part of the daily cycle of violence.

  In central Homs province, meanwhile, an arms store used by armed groupsas a hideout was blasted Sunday in Jouret Ashayah neighborhood, killing many "terrorists," said SANA.

  It said the store contained ammunition and explosive devices, pointing out that dozens of "terrorists" were killed or injured in the explosion, which has damaged nearby buildings as well.

  On the opposition side, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said violent clashes have been taking place since Sunday morning in the Sayyed Ali area between members of the rebel battalions and pro-government gunmen.

  It said the al-Qasr al-Adli area, in old Aleppo, has been violently bombarded by government forces, adding that explosions have been heard in the neighborhoods controlled by the armed rebels.

  The observatory also said clashes are taking place at the entrances of Salahuddien neighborhood, the main battleground of the days-long clashes in Aleppo.

  In Homs province, the observatory said the city of al-Rastan has being violently bombarded by government forces, claiming that more than 60 rockets have hit the city so far, at a rate of four to five rockets per minute.

  It placed the death toll of Sunday's incessant violence over 40, including 25 unarmed civilians, five rebel fighters, one defected soldier and no less than 10 members of the Syrian regular forces.

  Yet the opposition's claim could not be independently checked.

  The capital Damascus and the largest city Aleppo have been witnessing intense clashes lately in what appeared to be a death match between the conflicting sides of Syria's 17-month unrest.?

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