Hizbullah trains Syrian Shi’ites in Bekaa Valley to defend hometowns from rebel attacks

Hizbullah trains Syrian Shi’ites in Bekaa Valley to defend hometowns from rebel attacks

Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah has been training Shi’ites from Syria. Arab diplomatic sources said Hizbullah has trained Shi’ites in combat skills in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. They said the Shi’ites would be sent to defend their villages in southwestern Syria from attacks by Sunni rebels. “Hizbullah has been establishing a force as […]

Intel: Syria firing advanced Iran missiles in ‘game-changer’

Intel: Syria firing advanced Iran missiles in ‘game-changer’

Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — The Syrian military has begun firing newly-acquired Iranian missiles toward Sunni rebel targets. Western intelligence sources said the Syrian military has been firing advanced Iranian surface-to-surface missiles toward rebel strongholds in central and northern Syria. The sources said the short-range missiles were far more accurate than Syria’s huge arsenal of […]

Syrian rebels plan united ‘professional military’ to topple Assad

Syrian rebels plan united ‘professional military’ to topple Assad

NICOSIA — After 20 months of fighting, Syrian rebels are examining the prospect of forming a professional force that could topple the regime of President Bashar Assad. Rebel commanders have been meeting in northern Syria to draft plans for so-called special operations forces that could overcome the last regime bastions around and in Aleppo. They said […]

Syria’s regular Army nears the breaking point

Syria’s regular Army nears the breaking point

Special to WorldTribune.com By Brian M. Downing, FreePressers.com Recent fighting in Damascus and Aleppo has differed markedly from that of only a couple of months ago when the regular army swiftly defeated rebel enclaves in Homs, Idlib, and Deraa. Fighting in Damascus has persisted for several weeks now and while it trails off at times, […]

Syrian opposition reports sightings of Iran drones

Syrian opposition reports sightings of Iran drones

Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — Iranian-origin unmanned aerial vehicles have been seen flying over Syria. Witnesses and opposition web sites have reported the sighting of unidentified Iranian UAVs over Damascus and Homs. The reports included images of UAVs over major Syrian cities as part of what was termed counter-insurgency operations. The Open Source GEOINT web site […]

Hamas okays first anti-Assad protest in Gaza

Hamas okays first anti-Assad protest in Gaza

Special to WorldTribune.com GAZA CITY — For the first time, the Hamas regime allowed a protest against Syrian President Bashar Assad in the Gaza Strip. On Feb. 21, Hamas authorities permitted a demonstration against the Assad regime at the Islamic University in Gaza City. About 300 Palestinians at the Hamas-aligned institution held a rally in […]

Syrian rebels capture Homs, claim government counteroffensive repelled

Syrian rebels capture Homs, claim government counteroffensive repelled

Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — The Syrian opposition has reported the rebel capture of a major Sunni city. Opposition sources said the rebel Free Syrian Army has captured most of the central Syrian city of Homs. They said FSA was withstanding heavy missile and artillery shelling by the Syrian Army and security forces. “The rebels […]

U.S. intel: Syrian regime could survive 2012 thanks to backing from China, Russia, Iran

U.S. intel: Syrian regime could survive 2012 thanks to backing from China, Russia, Iran

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The U.S. intelligence community has assessed that a fragmented opposition and powerful foreign support could sustain the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad throughout 2012. Officials said the assessment took into account the strong military, intelligence and financial support the Damascus regime has received from China, Iran and Russia. The […]

U.S. says Syria’s Assad ‘no longer in full control of the country’, may close embassy

U.S. says Syria’s Assad ‘no longer in full control of the country’, may close embassy

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The State Department said it was examining the prospect of closing the U.S. embassy in Damascus and evacuating American staffers. The department said a final decision could be taken by next month. “While no decision has been made, we have serious concerns about the deteriorating security situation in Damascus,” the […]