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Syria rebels 'capture oilfield' Syria rebels 'capture oilfield'
(about 4 hours later)
Syrian rebels captured an oilfield in the east of the country on Sunday after three days of fierce fighting with government troops protecting the facility, activists said.Syrian rebels captured an oilfield in the east of the country on Sunday after three days of fierce fighting with government troops protecting the facility, activists said.
The head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdul-Rahman, said rebels overran the al-Ward oilfield in the province of Deir el-Zour near the border with Iraq. About 40 soldiers were guarding the facility that the rebels had been pounding for the past three days, he said, adding that opposition fighters also captured several regime troops.The head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdul-Rahman, said rebels overran the al-Ward oilfield in the province of Deir el-Zour near the border with Iraq. About 40 soldiers were guarding the facility that the rebels had been pounding for the past three days, he said, adding that opposition fighters also captured several regime troops.
Oil was a major source of revenue for the cash-strapped regime of President Bashar Assad before the and US imposed an embargo on Syria's crude exports last year to punish the government for its crackdown on protesters early on in the uprising. Oil was a major source of revenue for the cash-strapped regime of President Bashar al-Assad before the US imposed an embargo on Syria's crude exports last year to punish the government for its crackdown on protesters early on in the uprising.
"This field used to supply the regime with fuel for its tanks and our aim was to stop these supplies," Omar Abu Leila, an activist in Deir el-Zour, told the Associated Press by telephone. He said there had been heavy fighting recently near the oil facility just east of the city of Mayadin."This field used to supply the regime with fuel for its tanks and our aim was to stop these supplies," Omar Abu Leila, an activist in Deir el-Zour, told the Associated Press by telephone. He said there had been heavy fighting recently near the oil facility just east of the city of Mayadin.
Both activists said the rebels had shot down a fighter jet near the oilfield. It was not clear if the warplane was taking part in fighting.Both activists said the rebels had shot down a fighter jet near the oilfield. It was not clear if the warplane was taking part in fighting.
Abu Leila said that the oilfield had been functioning until shortly before the rebels seized it. It was not clear whether the facility was damaged in the fighting or sabotaged by regime forces. Abu Leila said the oilfield had been functioning until shortly before the rebels seized it. It was not clear whether the facility was damaged in the fighting or sabotaged by regime forces.
Separately, disparate opposition factions started talks in Qatar on Sunday to align groups overseas with fighters on the ground. But there were early signs that the four-day discussions in Doha would not go smoothly, with some looking to dilute the influence of the existing Syrian National Council, a move that SNC leaders oppose.Separately, disparate opposition factions started talks in Qatar on Sunday to align groups overseas with fighters on the ground. But there were early signs that the four-day discussions in Doha would not go smoothly, with some looking to dilute the influence of the existing Syrian National Council, a move that SNC leaders oppose.
In other developments on Sunday, state media said rebels detonated a car bomb near a major hotel in the capital, wounding several people. They also said the rebels – the government refers to them as terrorists – were behind the assassination of a leading member of the ruling Ba'ath party in north-east Raqqa province.In other developments on Sunday, state media said rebels detonated a car bomb near a major hotel in the capital, wounding several people. They also said the rebels – the government refers to them as terrorists – were behind the assassination of a leading member of the ruling Ba'ath party in north-east Raqqa province.
The powerful car bomb shook the Dama Rose hotel and shattered much of its glass, according to an AP reporter at the scene. The hotel has been used in the past by UN observers visiting Syria, including the Damascus representative of the new UN-Arab League envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi. The powerful car bomb shook the Dama Rose hotel and shattered much of its glass, according to an AP reporter at the scene. The hotel has been used in the past by UN observers visiting Syria.
In Raqqa province, gunmen broke into the home of Ba'ath party official Ismail al-Hamadeh at dawn and sprayed him with bullets as he slept, according to a SANA report.
Elsewhere in Syria, activists said the army clashed with rebels in the northern cities of Idlib and Aleppo, as well as in Damascus and the southern border town of Daraa, where the uprising began.Elsewhere in Syria, activists said the army clashed with rebels in the northern cities of Idlib and Aleppo, as well as in Damascus and the southern border town of Daraa, where the uprising began.
In the Damascus suburbs of Harasta and al-Hajira, the army and opposition fighters exchanged heavy fire, killing a handful of rebels, SANA said. The fiercest fighting took place in Harem on the edge of Idlib, where 30 civilians were allegedly killed in clashes between rebels and the army, the agency said. In the Damascus suburbs of Harasta and al-Hajira, the army and opposition fighters exchanged heavy fire, killing a handful of rebels, news agency Sana said. The fiercest fighting took place in Harem on the edge of Idlib, where 30 civilians were allegedly killed in clashes between rebels and the army, the agency said.
The observatory said the Syrian army launched air strikes on rebel hideouts in Idlib's suburbs, mainly the strategic area of Maaret al-Numan, which rebels captured three weeks ago. Their presence in the city, along the main highway between Damascus and Aleppo, has disrupted the military's main supply route to the northern front. Activists say more than 36,000 people have been killed in 19 months of fighting in Syria. The observatory said the Syrian army launched air strikes on rebel hideouts in Idlib's suburbs, mainly the strategic area of Maaret al-Numan, which rebels captured three weeks ago. Their presence in the city, along the main highway between Damascus and Aleppo, has disrupted the military's main supply route to the northern front.
Activists say more than 36,000 people have been killed in 19 months of fighting in Syria.