Government Forces in Retreat as Syria Rebels Take Town: Is This Another Libya?

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AFP – Army deserters on Saturday took the town of Douma northeast of Damascus on Saturday after fierce fighting, activists said, a day before the Arab League decides the future of its Syria observer mission. The League looks set to extend the mission at a ministerial meeting on Sunday, despite heavy criticism that it has failed to stem the violence, and fresh reports on Saturday of civilian deaths. International pressure has been steadily growing on Damascus with, according to UN figures, more than 5,400 people killed in the 10 months since anti-government protests started last March.

There was no independent confirmation that Douma had been taken or of fighting there, as foreign reporters are generally not allowed access. But the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, citing militants on the ground, said the mutineers had seized control of the entire town, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the capital.
“Groups of deserters took control of all districts in the town of Douma, near Damascus, after fierce fighting on Saturday with Syrian security forces,” the Observatory’s chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

He said there were reports of fighting continuing late Saturday.

Earlier, the Observatory said four civilians were killed in Douma when security forces fired on mourners at a funeral. On the political front, opposition Syrian National Council leaders pressed the Arab League in Cairo to turn the Syria crisis over to the United Nations.

SNC chief Burhan Ghaliun met League head Nabil al-Arabi in the Egyptian capital and lobbied against extending the mission, SNC spokeswoman Basma Qadmani said.