Hundreds of people were fleeing Damascus flashpoints on Thursday after the army warned of a violent clashes with rebels following a bomb blast that killed three security chiefs, witnesses said.
Major General Robert Mood, head of the UN monitoring mission, meanwhile warned that Syria was not on track for peace and that the violence was spiralling, as President Bashar al-Assad appeared to have gone to ground. The military gave residents 48 hours to leave areas where clashes are taking place between security forces and rebels pushing their “Damascus Volcano” offensive. “These extremely violent clashes should continue in the next 48 hours to cleanse Damascus of terrorists by the time Ramadan begins” on Friday, a security source told AFP, referring to the Muslim holy fasting month.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights watchdog said that in the western district of Mazzeh alone, hundreds of people were on the move, “fearing a large-scale operation by regime troops.” Residents also fled the southern district of Tadamon and the Palestinian refugee camp Yarmuk, it said. The developments come a day after a bombing in the city killed three top security officials, including the defence minister and Assad’s brother-in-law, in a severe blow to the regime.
“There is an escalation by the Syrian regime to avenge the operation that targeted the (security chiefs),” said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Observatory. “The rebels have also escalated (the violence) to reap the fruits of the attack, and to try to finish off the battle” for Damascus, he added. “Clashes and shelling have engulfed Syria, and they are taking place day and night.” The whereabouts of Assad are still not known and he has not commented on the bombing or appeared in public since the attack.
However, he was cited by state media as appointing Fahd al-Freij defence minister to replace Daoud Rajha, who was among those killed when the National Security headquarters was targeted. State media have yet to distribute images of the aftermath, unlike on previous occasions when there have been attacks in the capital. The deaths on Wednesday of Rajha, Assad’s brother-in-law Assef Shawkat and General Hassan Turkmani, head of the regime’s crisis cell, marked the first time in the 16-month revolt that Assad’s inner circle has been targeted.
“The army has so far exercised restraint in its operations, but after the attack, it has decided to use all the weapons in its possession to finish the terrorists off,” the security source said. “The army has told residents to stay away from combat zones, as the terrorists are trying to use residents as human shields.” The Damascus blast came on one of the deadliest days in the conflict. At least 214 people — 124 civilians, 62 soldiers and 28 rebels died on Wednesday, the Britain-based Observatory said, revising an earlier toll. That figure did not include the three regime members.
US in talks with Israel on Syria weapons
US defense officials have held talks with their Israeli counterparts over whether Israel might strike at Syria’s weapons facilities as its regime faces possible collapse, the New York Times reported. The Times on Wednesday cited officials as saying that the Pentagon is not advocating military action because it feels that such an attack would help Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rally support against foreign intervention. US President Barack Obama’s national security advisor Thomas Donilon was in Israel over the weekend to discuss the growing crisis, the Times said.
