Syrian troops seize hotbed town

Syria: Syrian troops on Sunday seized the flashpoint northern town of Jisr al-Shughur, state television said, as international outrage mounted at the regime’s harsh crackdown on protesters.

Rights activists had earlier reported heavy gunfire and explosions in the town near the Turkish border after troops backed by helicopter gunships and around 200 tanks launched a two-pronged assault early on Sunday.

State television said the army now completely controlled Jisr al-Shughur and that troops were pursuing “armed elements” into the woods and nearby mountains.

Official media also reported the discovery of a mass grave in the town containing the mutilated bodies of 10 security agents whose hands, head and feet had been cut off.

“Armed groups had mutilated the corpses which were removed from the mass grave,” the broadcaster said.

It said the army entered the town “after defusing dynamite placed on the bridges and roads by the armed groups”.

It added: “two armed men were killed and many more arrested, with machine guns also seized.”

Rights activists told AFP by telephone that the army had bombarded Jisr al-Shughur before entering the town, which was largely deserted after thousands of people fled ahead of the expected onslaught.

“The army started at about 7:00 am (0400 GMT) to shell the town intensively with tanks and heavy weaponry before launching an assault from the east and south,” one activist said. “Explosions were heard and helicopter gunships patrolled over the city.”

Another activist, citing residents, said explosions had been heard throughout the morning and columns of smoke could be seen rising from the town.

Damascus, Monday, AFP