(Guardian-UK) Martin Chulov and Harriet Sherwood - The Syrian government has withdrawn several thousand soldiers from the Golan Heights in recent weeks to battle fronts closer to Damascus, Western diplomats said. "They have moved some of their best battalions away from the Golan," said a Western diplomatic source. Separate media reports in Israel suggest the Syrian redeployments could amount to as many as two divisions - up to 20,000 soldiers. Rebel groups have moved into the vacuum, and Israel fears that jihadists will use the area as a staging ground for attacks on territory it controls.
2013-04-08 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive