Dictatorship refuse to go despite rebel gains as battlefield grows, slowly destroying Syria nation

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Syrian power balance to tilt towards rebels: think tank

Zac Baillie/AFP/File

Abu Khalil, a sniper of the Free Syrian Army, watches government positions on February 17, 2013 in Jbiela, a neighborhood of Deir Ezzor. The balance of power in Syria will eventually shift to rebel forces but a protracted civil war risks destabilising the whole region.