Syrian troops advance in Homs as aid calls mount

[FarCenter]

Syrian ground forces were mopping up the last pockets of resistance in the central city of Homs, a security source said yesterday as China urged world powers to provide humanitarian assistance to Syria.

But a human rights watchdog and an activist in the central city denied that troops had moved into the rebel neighborhood of Bab Amr, which has been pounded by regime shelling for 26 straight days, insisting that clashes were continuing on the outskirts. However, the announcement by a Syrian official of the new troop advance indicated a ground assault was beginning to recapture Bab Amr, home to about 100,000 people.

“The army has started combing the area building by building and house by house. Now the troops are searching every basement and tunnel for arms and terrorists,” an anonymous source said. “Only a few pockets” of resistance remained, the source added.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that rebel forces were “preventing an attempt to storm” the neighborhood. The Britain-based watchdog group said gunfire could be heard in several districts of the city. Access to Homs has now been completely sealed off, according to rebel commanders, who said the regular army had also blown up an underground aqueduct that had been the last viable route for smuggling in desperately needed supplies.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syrian-troops-advance-in-homs-as-aid-calls-mount.aspx?pageID=238&nID=14992&NewsCatID=352

[tabatha]

1. Actually, there are numerous reports that Assad's troops were pushed back.

I'll post them shortly.

[tabatha]

2. The activists have seized control of Baba Amr and the Assad army is positioned at the outskirts of t

Mulham Al-Jundi
?#Homs #BabAmr
In a phone call with Abu Haneen from the heart of Baba Amr, he informed us of the following:

Baba Amr has faced multiple attempts of being stormed by the Syrian National Army. Activists worked hard to save the neighborhood and protect the civilians. In the meanwhile, Baba Amr was still being shelled. Clashes continued until the evening. The Free Syrian Army succeeded in affecting loss in the Syrian National Army, both people & supplies. Some of the leaders of the Farooq Division left the site of the clashes to securely transport women and children to safer regions. Activists are still defending the neighborhood against the army that was essentially defeated at its attempts. The activists have seized control of Baba Amr and the Assad army is positioned at the outskirts of the region.

https://www.facebook.com/mulhamjundi/posts/10151353255375173