Syrian Forces Mass Near Town Where Many Soldiers Have Defected

(New York Times) Nada Bakri - At least 1,000 Syrian troops, some backed by tanks, descended on Albokamal in eastern Syria near the border with Iraq on Sunday. Residents said soldiers from at least four armored vehicles joined the popular uprising, along with dozens of personnel from Syria's Air Force. A video uploaded to YouTube showed residents standing on two tanks and an armored personnel carrier and chanting, "The people and the army are one hand," a slogan widely heard during the Egyptian uprising. On Friday, the largest protests yet were held across the country, and activists said that on Saturday at least 30 people were killed and 500 were arrested.


2011-07-18 00:00:00

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