(New York Times) Rick Gladstone - UN monitors in Syria reported fiery devastation, the smell of death, vacated homes, looted stores and vestiges of heavy weapons on Thursday during a visit to Al Heffa in northwestern Syria, a Sunni-populated village besieged for days by Syrian forces and pro-government militiamen. Anti-Assad activists reported the extensive use of Russian-made helicopter gunships in the siege of Al Heffa and attacks in the nearby port of Latakia, a possible reflection of rebel success in damaging Assad's fleet of Russian-made tanks. "The town appeared deserted," reported Sausan Ghosheh, spokeswoman for the UN monitor mission in Syria.
2012-06-15 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive