Search Result in All

Foreign-backed insurgents in Syria have kidnapped 12 nuns from a convent in the Christian town of Ma\'lula. Local authorities say the insurgents have taken the nuns to the nearby town of Yabrud. There is no word on the fate of the nuns, but militants are usually known to kill people they kidnap. The insurgents have entered Ma\'lula several months after they were pushed out of the historic town. The Syrian army has been battling the insurgents in the regions near the capital Damascus. The army has cleared many towns and villages of the insurgents. Sources close to the militants have admitted that government forces have been making significant gains near Damascus and elsewhere in the country.

Al-Qaeda-linked militants in Syria have killed at least 50 rival insurgents amid continued infighting among militant groups. Opposition sources say the insurgents were killed in attacks, car bombings and summary executions by militants loyal to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or I-S-I-L. Sunday\'s deaths came on the third day of infighting that began when militants of the so-called Free Syrian Army attacked checkpoints and bases manned by the I-S-I-L. The clashes have mostly centered in the northern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib. Opposition sources say the I-S-I-L militants summarily executed thirty of their civilian and non-civilian hostages after their base was surrounded by rival insurgents in the Harem district of Idlib province. Meanwhile, a group calling itself the Islamic Front, which is the biggest insurgent alliance in Syria, issued a strong warning to the ISIL militants, vowing to fight against the group.

Here is al-Qusayr; the most important supply station for foreign-backed insurgents and one of their last strongholds in western Syria. And now, the town becomes a turning point in the government\'s fight against insurgents in the country.The Syrian Army\'s operation in central Syria has reached its final destination in al-Qusayr; the army gave a final warning to the militants to allow the remaining of the 40 thousand civilian population a safe passage out of the town before starting its operation inside Qusayr. Some of the insurgents seized the opportunity and surrendered to the army and for those who wanted to go on fighting, the military operation started. Alaa Ebrahim, Press TV, al-Qusayr

The chaos in Syria just continues to get more confusing. As the Syrian military continue to gain ground, the insurgents not only continue to fight the military, but are now are turning their guns on each other. The power struggle continues between the western, Turkish and Arab backed insurgents. Even one of the commanders of the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) was killed by other insurgents, which seems to be the trademarks of a group which Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to as organ eaters. So are these the representatives of human rights that Washington and its Arab allies and the Turks are pushing for taking over Syria?

The Syrian army steps up its attacks against foreign-backed insurgents and their strongholds across the country. Army units ambushed militants of the Liwa\'a al-Islam, a brigade of the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front in Eastern Goutah, near the capital Damascus, killing scores of them. Syrian sources say many of the dead were foreign nationals. A large cache of weaponry including anti-tank missiles were also seized. Several militants of anther al-Qaeda-affiliated group known as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant were also killed in clashes with Syrian forces near Aleppo. Meanwhile, people in several towns across the Aleppo Province demonstrated against armed groups, demanding their pullout from civilian areas. Elsewhere, Kurdish fighters engaged in battles with insurgents in a town near Iraqi border.

Foreign-backed insurgents in Syria have reportedly massacred at least 30 civilians in Idlib province. The killings took place as members of an al-Qaeda-linked group-- known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-- fired a series of mortar shells on Kafteen village. The insurgents in a separate incident also fired mortar shells on a town in Hasakah province. The attack primarily targeted a police station and led to the injury of a number of civilians. Locals say they\'ve seen some people vomiting after the shelling-- in what could be a sign of a chemical attack.

Foreign-backed insurgents in Syria have reportedly massacred at least 30 civilians in Idlib province. The killings took place as members of an al-Qaeda-linked group-- known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-- fired a series of mortar shells on Kafteen village. The insurgents in a separate incident also fired mortar shells on a town in Hasakah province. The attack primarily targeted a police station and led to the injury of a number of civilians. Locals say they\'ve seen some people vomiting after the shelling-- in what could be a sign of a chemical attack.

Foreign-backed insurgents in Syria are increasingly using kidnapping as a means to fund their activities in the northern city of Aleppo. Militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have been named as the main culprits in insurgent-controlled areas. A London-based opposition group says that 80-percent of kidnappings target activists and journalists. Only this week, two Swedish journalists were abducted by insurgents. The missing are a combination of foreign and Syrian journalists. 30 journalists are currently being held and 52 have been killed in the country since early 2011.

Press TV sources say the insurgents were trying to infiltrate into Syrian territory from Lebanon. But the Syrian army chased them, killing a dozen and injuring many others. Syrian troops have on many occasions blocked such attempts by the foreign-backed insurgents over the past months. Syria has been rocked by deadly unrest since March 20-11. Damascus says armed terrorists are the driving factor behind the deadly violence while the opposition accuses the security forces of being behind the killings.

In Syria, insurgent groups continue to fight one another. A group calling itself the Islamic Front has killed and captured a number of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant insurgents in the town of Al-Nairab. The Islamic Front, which is the biggest insurgent alliance, had earlier announced that it would fight against the group. Earlier in the day, Al-Qaeda-linked militants killed at least 50 rival insurgents. The insurgents were killed in attacks, car bombings, and summary executions by militants loyal to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as the ISIL. It was the third day of infighting, which began when militants of the so-called Free Syrian Army attacked checkpoints and bases manned by the ISIL. Previously, the clashes were mostly in the northern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, but opposition sources say the fighting has now spread to the east.

Insurgents in Syria have expressed doubt about the implementation of a new deal reached at the Geneva peace conference, under which the government has agreed to let women and children leave besieged districts of the city of Homs. Insurgents operating in the city have called for a complete end to the siege of the areas, which have been under a blockade since June 20-12. They also say they want guarantees from the UN or the International Committee of the Red Cross that the people leaving the areas will not be arrested by Syrian forces. Earlier, UN and Arab League special envoy on Syria Lakhdar Brahimi said Damascus has agreed to let women and children leave the areas. The agreement was reached on the third day of the peace talks between the Syrian government and the foreign-backed opposition in Geneva.

Syrian army units in a major push against insurgents across the country. Troops have carried out large-scale operations in several towns and cities. The mop-up operations covered vast areas in the Idlib and Aleppo countryside and the cities of Dara\'a, Homs and Dayr al-zawr. The Syrian army says scores of foreign-backed militants including Saudi and Tunisian nationals were killed during the offensives. It also adds that a large number of heavy weapons were seized from militant hideouts. Meanwhile, mortar attacks have left over a dozen civilians injured in residential areas in Damascus. The government has blamed the insurgents for the mortar shells.

[14 Oct 2012] Insurgents wage guerilla warfare in Syria - English

[28 Oct 2012] US helps send aid to Syria insurgents - English

[07 Jan 2013] Syrian army fighting insurgents around Yarmuk camp - English

[13 Feb 2013] Insurgents are destroying Syria\'s infrastructure: Assad - English

[27 Mar 2013] NY Times: CIA arms Syria insurgents - English

[1 Sept 2013] Insurgents received the chemical weapons from Saudi Arabia - English

[03 Sept 2013] Syrian forces continue their mop-up operations against insurgents - English

[5 Sept 2013] Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents attack a Christian mountain village in Syria - English

[09 Sept 2013] Syrian insurgents preparing to launch chemical attack on israel: Reports - English

[13 Sept 2013] Iran president warns against arming Takfiri insurgents fighting Syrian govt - English

[15 Sept 2013] Three rockets fired by insurgents in Syria hit Lebanese cities - English

[25 Sept 2013] Assad: Insurgents chemical arms caches, labs uncovered - English

[11 Oct 2013] Lavrov: Insurgents trained in Afghanistan to handle chemical weapons - English

Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents have executed seven militants from a rival group in Syria. This unverified video shows the al-Qaeda-linked militants shooting Hassan Jazera, the commander of the insurgent group Ghurabaa al-Sham and six of his men in the head. Divisions among insurgents have been deepening in recent months. And the groups have engaged in many deadly clashes in different parts of Syria. Several insurgent commanders have been killed on both sides during the fighting.

Latest media reports from Syria say insurgents fighting against the government plan to use a group of nuns kidnapped from their convent in the town of Ma\'loula as human shields. The 12 Syrian and Lebanese nuns were kidnapped from a Greek Orthodox convent after the notorious al-Nusra Front militants took over parts of the Christian town. The nuns were then taken to Yabrud - a town under insurgent control north of Damascus. This, as Syrian forces have been deployed to the historic town to restore security there. The militants took over the town on Monday after rolling explosive-filled tires down the hills onto government forces, following three days of intense fighting. The kidnappings have drawn condemnation from the Vatican. Iran has also slammed the assault on the Christian religious site and called for the immediate release of the nuns. It\'s also urged the international community to take immediate action to prevent such criminal acts from taking place in the future.

Syrian government forces have seized a large cache of drugs from foreign-backed insurgents in Idlib province. Syrian troops found the drugs in a warehouse in Idlib countryside. Several men were also arrested at the warehouse. The militants have been receiving funds and other supports from their regional backers, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Reports say Riyadh and Doha give them millions of dollars each month, and also buy them weapons from black markets around the world.