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Subscribe to RSSFighting continued for a fifth day near key government installations, indicating that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's control is faltering. As the opposition advances, Russia and China still refuse to support a resolution calling for tougher sanctions. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
Updated at 2:00 p.m. ET: As more Syrian rebels flooded into the country's capital, President Bashar Assad had reportedly left Damascus and was directing the response to the assassination of three top lieutenants on Thursday.
A day after a bombing killed his brother-in-law and two other key military figures, Assad was in the coastal city of Latakia, opposition sources and a Western diplomat told Reuters.
"Our information is that he is at his palace in Latakia and that he may have been there for days," said a senior opposition figure, who declined to be named, according to Reuters.
Latakia province is home to several towns inhabited by members of Assad's minority Alawite sect.
NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports on the escalating crisis in Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad is reportedly planning his response to Wednesday's bombing, which struck the heart of his regime.
On Thursday evening, Syrian television showed Assad swearing in Brig. Gen. Fahed Jassim el Friej as defense minister, the president's first public appearance since the stunning bomb attack on a crisis meeting of defense and security chiefs.
U.S. State Department officials said Thursday afterthey were not sure
A diplomat, who is following events in Syria, told Reuters: "Everyone is looking now at how well Assad can maintain the command structure. The killings yesterday were a huge blow, but not fatal."
NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin answers your questions about Syria
Ghazi Balkiz / NBC News
Ali Bakran is a commander of a Free Syrian Army brigade that operates out Jabal al-Zawiya.
Meanwhile, rebel fighters streamed into Damascus convinced that they could take over the capital and isolate the government.
"Taking Damascus will be a morale blow to Assad's regime," Ali Bakran, a commander of a Free Syrian Army brigade that operates out Jabal al-Zawiya, told NBC News.
Rebels from his region has sent about 1,000 fighters to Damascus over the last two days, he said.
Bakran said that once the rebels had taken control of the capital, they planned seize state radio and television stations -- a huge symbolic and tactical victory for anti-Assad forces.
PhotoBlog: Who are the Syrian rebels?
"Once we take over the TV and radio stations, the army will collapse," Bakran said.
'We will not stop'
And after Damascus, the rebels planned to march to Latakia, where Assad was reportedly staying, to "finish the job," Bakran added.
"We will continue our work, we will not stop, not after all this blood has been shed, not after all those innocents' deaths," he told NBC News.
Syrian rebels have kept up pressure following Wednesday's assassinations in Damascus, fighting loyalist troops within sight of the presidential palace and near government headquarters, residents said.
Residents said there was no let-up in the heaviest fighting -- now in its fifth day -- to hit the Syrian capital in a 16-month revolt against Assad, whose family has dominated the pivotal Arab country for 42 years.
The battles encroached within sight of the presidential palace, near the security headquarters where Wednesday's emergency meeting was held, with videos showing clouds of smoke rising over the skyline.
The defense minister, his deputy and a vice president were all killed in the blast but it is unclear if Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was nearby. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
The U.N. Security Council put off a scheduled vote on a Syria resolution until Thursday and President Barack Obama telephoned President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Assad's main ally, to try to persuade Moscow to drop support for him.
Nevertheless, Russia and China vetoed the resolution threatening sanctions against Syria.
The bombing that killed Assad's brother-in-law, defense minister and a top general triggered fierce army retaliation with artillery unleashed on rebels massed in several districts and armed mostly with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.
A video from overnight in Damascus' neighborhood of Sayed Zainab shows a makeshift clinic in a house, with blankets and medical supplies strewn all over the floor and a man shouting directions on a megaphone as men carry in mutilated bodies on sheets.
Some of the bodies were blackened, perhaps from a blast or a fire. Others were blown apart apparently by high explosive.
Residents in the Midan and Kafr Souseh districts reported constant blasts and heavy gunfire as helicopter gunships buzzed overhead.
"The shelling did not stop all night. Shelling could be heard in all the city. It was loud. There were also sounds of clashes. Not many people are venturing out. I can't even find a taxi, so I'm waiting for somebody to pick us up," a resident in Damascus told Reuters, speaking by telephone.
PhotoBlog: Behind Syrian rebel lines
"Everyone in the neighborhood is arming themselves. Some with machineguns, some with shotguns. Some even just with knives. And whoever doesn't have anything just tries to stay awake and stay alert as much as they can," said another resident, speaking by phone from the Midan area.
For a third straight day, Syrian military fought rebels in the capital where activists say government tanks are fighting back. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
"I can't even tell you what is going on outside because I've shuttered the windows and locked the doors. I just hear every now and then the gunfire, it's like it's in the room."
Many Damascenes were reported fleeing pockets of fighting.
"We've had a lot of people come in from last evening, from other neighborhoods like refugees, and people gather around them to hear what they've seen. My neighbor tries to see if they have relatives here or see if there is someone that can host them for a while," said a woman contacted by telephone.
Checkpoints around Midan and the ancient walled Old City of Damascus had been removed, residents said. It was unclear if security forces had changed tactics to stop rebels targeting soldiers, or if it was a temporary move in the heat of battle.
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Leave a Comment:
Defections and now bomb attacks - sounds like Libya all over again. History has a way of repeating itself. Something this dictators just don't seem to get.
Go Rebels!!
Hummm, I read a news report a few days ago about the Syrian Gov moving Chemical weapons. I wonder if they moved them with the intent on using them.? Assad not being in the capital anymore, the army could just start bringing out the nerve gas.
If you think about it, it would make sense. Assad knows if it gets tossed out that he will be dead or in jail, so what dose he have to lose by dropping the WMD?
i heard yesterday he already has used them
No jail, only dead. While I don't necessarily believe in the death penalty, when the Iraqis hung Saddam, it made sense if you look at things form their point of view. If the "rebels" get Assad, he is dead for sure.
Because of one man, thousands die. Sounds familiar.
The United Nations Treaty to Ban weapons/guns will be signed by Hillary Clinton. Guns owned currently by Private Citizens are not banned but Inventoried, controled, tracked, and confiscated if not handled according to the United Nations directives.
Hunters/campers must file a Trip report and get permission to carry their weapons. If you do not have permission to carry your gun and they catch you then you will be tried under the United Nations Gun Ban Treaty.
Only bad guys will have guns. The Black Mexican Gang killings in Obama's Neighborhood will not be affected. The law only pertains to law abiding Citizens.
@ jimmyfox...when they come for mine, I will let them have them all...bullets first!!
Robert............they had help from the CIA in laying the ground work for unrest and eventual over throw of Assad.
If true, money well spent
Ya, good question...and they do it all with our help and encouragement (then our reconstruction $$$$).
These Rebels are reporting that they are coming across huge cashe's of WMD. But, they are not Syian. They are from Iraq. Come to find out from the Rebels and from Syian defectors, that there was a Russian operation called "Sarandar", where Putin had his Spetsnaz move most the Iraqi WMD out of Iraq and into Syria prior to the U.S. invasion.
If true, Bush got played big time Putin; a man he claimed he could trust by looking into his eyes.
Even worse, what becomes of this WMD now???
The CIA did the same thing in Libya, Iraq, and Egypt.
Welcome another Arab country to the Muslim Brotherhood. Obviously the western solutions have not worked any better in the region than the home-grown despots.
Keep going rebels!! Don't stop until the "butcher" is eliminated as well.
so they think they will be free under the Muslim Brotherhood? LOL !!!!!
Ok, now thank the CIA for their part in this win..now they can get our reconstruction $$$
I hope not they blew there own country apart !!!!! let them live in there rubble or rebuild it them self's
Oh goody! Bashie's days are numbered. So sweeeeet!!
Yea soon there will be another radical Islamic Theocratic Regime in place.
One day they will be matching on Paris, London and New York City.
Anyone who thinks otherwise is sadly mistaken.
The religion that preaches murdering gays, where women and children are seen as property receives a free pass by the PC press.
But why?
Your Right !!!!! I hope more can see this coming !!!!!!
I find it anazing these "leaders" cannot understand when the people want a chance at democracy. Why not just say "OK, we will have an election in 6 months, everybody cool down. I will leave a day after the elections and I will not run". The tell the UN they want 10 million dollars and immunity for any actions that may have happend. Get out rich and with some level of honor as the dictator that gave his people back their choices and their country..Then move to a warm friendly country and live good..
Dream on ! no Islamic country want democracy as we know it in the west !
I agree. Wait and see! We can't count on ANY media now days (especially since they black out confirmed important new Government laws {NDAA of 2012 for example}). I do however feel so very sorry for him and his wife for him not surrendering first. They will probably hang him and his wife on meat hooks like they did Mussolini.
Assad is finished.
A tactical tip for the rebels: never fire your weapon over a protective barrier; either have firing ports or fire from the sides while lying down. Fire short bursts of 3 to 4 rounds to increase accuracy and conserve ammo.
UHM...I don't think the Rebels will read this article.
UHM..Corn...perhaps have have not noticed (maybe you're from the Typewritter Age) the Internet is a powerful tool for communication-someone in Detroit reads this, calls a relative in Syria, word gets around-the Internet was responsible for a lot of uprisings and coordination of tactical situations including the Wall Street protests.
Hardly surprising - I recall Bush and Cheney heading for parts unknown when our capital was hit on 9/11. It seems to be a typical 'leader' response. I am not sure it means much more than that.
tick tock assad tick tock
Use a bigger bomb next time !!! You missed him. You may not get many more chances to rid the Earth of this Scum Bag.
@ wakani...you must be smoking crack! Fear the government that fears your guns! And doesn't Obammy have better things to do than try to be the world police?
The chess player had visited assad too. Its funny how the russian chess player visits all these guys months before they are lynched by the mob.
It is funny hoe Cowards kill with impunity.but they are so afraid to die. This guy has already wasted the lives of 25'000 people but when Mother Time knocking on their doors they run and hide under the ground. Assad is about to suffer the fates of Saddam an Moamar Khadaffi. In another week or two, it will be over for him.
You would have never thought Hilary and gang could pull this off. They think they are so clever that noone knows it is them. I wonder what they have for us for part two. Whatever it is I hope they have some loyalty to America. The Muslim Brotherhood grows stronger they will not realize what they have done till it's over. Guns and bombs and now a power grab what next ? Above the law or hijacked take your pick !
@ wakani...if they do ban guns in America, I hope you are the first "resident" at the FEMA camps!
The scary part would be if hilary and Barack were not involved as they watch this thing grow and do nothing to stop it so Hilary is right in the middle acting like we know nothing. This is an insult to YOUR intelligence ! We know nothing about nothing is what they tell us the fact that they LIE so much would make you think we can't trust them.