This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/10/world/middleeast/rebels-seize-syrian-army-base-in-a-blow-to-assad.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Rebels Seize Syrian Army Base in a Blow to Assad Rebels Seize Syrian Army Base in a Blow to Assad
(35 minutes later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Insurgents seized a major army base in the southern Syrian province of Dara’a on Tuesday, the latest in a series of blows to government forces. But the victory was claimed this time by one of the few remaining rebel groups not dominated by hard-line Islamists.BEIRUT, Lebanon — Insurgents seized a major army base in the southern Syrian province of Dara’a on Tuesday, the latest in a series of blows to government forces. But the victory was claimed this time by one of the few remaining rebel groups not dominated by hard-line Islamists.
Commanders of a coalition called the Southern Front of the Free Syrian Army, which includes elements trained and armed by the United States and its Arab allies, declared that they had seized the sprawling base in a six-hour lightning advance. That suggests that the group still has some bite, even as the Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s arm in Syria, and its rival, the Islamic State, amass power and territory.Commanders of a coalition called the Southern Front of the Free Syrian Army, which includes elements trained and armed by the United States and its Arab allies, declared that they had seized the sprawling base in a six-hour lightning advance. That suggests that the group still has some bite, even as the Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s arm in Syria, and its rival, the Islamic State, amass power and territory.
If it holds, the advance could invigorate Syrian insurgent groups that have increasingly been squeezed into irrelevance. Groups that once called themselves the Free Syrian Army have been caught in some areas between government forces and the extremist Islamic State, and, in other areas, operate with Nusra out of choice or necessity.If it holds, the advance could invigorate Syrian insurgent groups that have increasingly been squeezed into irrelevance. Groups that once called themselves the Free Syrian Army have been caught in some areas between government forces and the extremist Islamic State, and, in other areas, operate with Nusra out of choice or necessity.
American efforts to aid insurgents deemed sufficiently moderate have long been plagued by disagreements among allies, complaints from insurgents that the support was too anemic to be meaningful, fighters’ open cooperation with Nusra and angry accusations from the Syrian government and its allies that the United States and Arab allies were supporting terrorists. American efforts to aid insurgents deemed sufficiently moderate have long been plagued by disagreements among allies, complaints from insurgents that the support was too anemic to be meaningful, fighters’ open cooperation with Nusra and angry accusations from the Syrian government and its allies that the United States and its Arab allies were supporting terrorists.
But the battle Tuesday pointed to possible improvements in the effort. It was the Southern Front’s most significant victory in several months and came after weeks of claims by insurgents in the area that they were planning a major offensive with strengthened international support. But the battle on Tuesday pointed to possible improvements in the effort. It was the Southern Front’s most significant victory in several months and came after weeks of claims by insurgents in the area that they were planning a major offensive with strengthened international support.
The Southern Front includes elements run from an operations room in Jordan through a covert C.I.A. program. It is one of the few major insurgent groups still operating under the banner of the Free Syrian Army, or F.S.A., the name used early in the uprising by a loose constellation of rebel groups made up mostly of army defectors and villagers.The Southern Front includes elements run from an operations room in Jordan through a covert C.I.A. program. It is one of the few major insurgent groups still operating under the banner of the Free Syrian Army, or F.S.A., the name used early in the uprising by a loose constellation of rebel groups made up mostly of army defectors and villagers.
But Southern Front groups have also regularly cooperated with Nusra in what they say is a battlefield necessity.But Southern Front groups have also regularly cooperated with Nusra in what they say is a battlefield necessity.
Seizing the post, known as Base 52, was the latest in a series of insurgent advances in the north and in the central desert that have shaken up the Syrian battlefield and put new pressure on President Bashar al-Assad. Seizing the post, known as Base 52, was the latest in a series of insurgent advances that have shaken up the Syrian battlefield and put new pressure on President Bashar al-Assad.
The advance means that the government’s territory along the country’s heavily populated western spine is being threatened from three directions. An Islamist coalition that includes Nusra is advancing in the northern province of Idlib. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, is making inroads from the east, where it seized the desert city of Palmyra last month. The fighting on Tuesday resumed recent advances in the south, where Southern Front and Nusra insurgents two months ago seized a border crossing into Jordan.The advance means that the government’s territory along the country’s heavily populated western spine is being threatened from three directions. An Islamist coalition that includes Nusra is advancing in the northern province of Idlib. The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, is making inroads from the east, where it seized the desert city of Palmyra last month. The fighting on Tuesday resumed recent advances in the south, where Southern Front and Nusra insurgents two months ago seized a border crossing into Jordan.
The base, just 60 miles south of the capital, Damascus, is an anchor of the government’s presence in the south.The base, just 60 miles south of the capital, Damascus, is an anchor of the government’s presence in the south.
“This base has a black history of shelling civilians in the area over the last four years,” the Southern Front spokesman, Issam al-Rayyes, said in a statement. “Its liberation brings relief to thousands of civilians in the surrounding villages.”“This base has a black history of shelling civilians in the area over the last four years,” the Southern Front spokesman, Issam al-Rayyes, said in a statement. “Its liberation brings relief to thousands of civilians in the surrounding villages.”
It could not be independently confirmed whether Nusra took part in the battle on Tuesday; in the seizure of the Naseeb border crossing on April 1, Nusra seized parts of the area amid chaos and looting, a setback for the F.S.A. groups that seek increased Western support.It could not be independently confirmed whether Nusra took part in the battle on Tuesday; in the seizure of the Naseeb border crossing on April 1, Nusra seized parts of the area amid chaos and looting, a setback for the F.S.A. groups that seek increased Western support.
Mr. Rayyes said that the victory on Tuesday was the first since a reorganization that put the groups of the Southern Front under a single operations room.Mr. Rayyes said that the victory on Tuesday was the first since a reorganization that put the groups of the Southern Front under a single operations room.
Farther north, Islamic State fighters for the first time attacked Hezbollah fighters on the border between Lebanon and Syria but were repelled, according to Al Manar, the channel of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia that is fighting alongside the Syrian government. Farther north, Islamic State fighters for the first time attacked Hezbollah fighters on the border shared by Lebanon and Syria but were repelled, according to Al Manar, the channel of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia that is fighting alongside the Syrian government.