Rebels move command center from Turkey to Syria

Free Syrian Army rebels hold a revolutionary flag during a demonstration in the Bustan al-Qasr neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria, Sept. 21, 2012. Arabic on the flag is reversed, but reads, "God welcome, free people." / AP Photo/Manu Brabo

(AP) BEIRUT - The leaders of the rebel Free Syrian Army said Saturday they moved their command center from Turkey to Syria with the aim of uniting rebels and speeding up the fall of President Bashar Assad's regime.

Brig. Gen. Mustafa al-Sheikh, who heads the FSA's Military Council, told The Associated Press that the group made the move last week. He would not say where the new headquarters is located or give other details.

The FSA is the most prominent of the rebel groups trying to topple Assad, though its authority over networks of fighters in Syria is limited. Its commanders have been criticized for being based in Turkey while thousands are killed inside Syria.

Despite the announcement of the command move, rebels still have to rely on Turkey as a rear base for supplies and reinforcements. In the past few months, rebels have captured wide swaths of Syrian territory bordering Turkey, along with three border crossings, allowing them to ferry supplies and people into Syria.

FSA commander Col. Riad al-Asaad announced the move of the command center in a video with the title "Free Syrian Army Communique Number 1 from Inside." Wearing a military uniform and surrounded by a dozen gunmen, the commander said the aim is to "start the plan to liberate Damascus soon, God willing."

In this image taken from video obtained Friday, Sept. 21, 2012 (which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting), a government warplane is shown dropping a bomb on Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Sept 19, 2012.

/ AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video

Al-Sheikh, the other top FSA commander, said moving the command "will speed up the fall of the regime because it will give a big boost to the morale of rebels and there will be a command to follow-up on operations."

"There are liberated areas now and it's better for the command to be with the rebels instead of being abroad," al-Sheikh said in a phone interview from Turkey. The general said he has been going back and forth to Syria.

In recent months, rebels have succeeded in taking the fight to Damascus, but the regime has reasserted control in many areas. In the summer, rebels also launched an offensive on Syria's largest city, Aleppo, and are holding several neighborhoods there, despite daily battles with regime forces.

Activists say nearly 30,000 people have been killed since Syria's crisis began in March 2011. The uprising began with largely peaceful protests against Assad's regime, but has since morphed into a civil war in the face of a brutal government crackdown.

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The Syrian conflict has increasingly spilled into neighboring Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, with several hundred thousand Syrians seeking refuge there and battles occasionally being fought along Syria's borders.

On Saturday, the Turkish military deployed three howitzers and an anti-aircraft gun near Tal Abyad, a Turkish-Syrian border crossing captured by the rebels earlier in the week, the Turkish news agency Dogan reported. Dogan video showed at least three large military trucks towing the guns along a highway.

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[speakthetrut]

STOP referring to them as Rebels. They are not rebels; they are terrorists sponsored by Saudi Arabia, Quatar, Turkey, Israel, and USA.

[Gerolddd]

If the FSA station moves headquarters into Syrian they will be a target for the Syrian government. FSA is losing this war and maybe this move is to get more support from U.S. Or maybe the Turkey government asks them to move out of Turkey.

[Syriathetruth]

Syria The Truth is addressed to the english or non arabic speaking individuals to show and explore the truth about the Syrian conflict. Away from the lies, manipulated, fabricated and deformed media . In "Syria The Truth" you will read articles or see some video clips that will never be published or reported on major western media companies. Just follow us in the below mentioned links, like our page on Facebook in order to receive all the Truth updates.
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[Syriathetruth]

Syria The Truth is addressed to the english or non arabic speaking individuals to show and explore the truth about the Syrian conflict. Away from the lies, manipulated, fabricated and deformed media . In "Syria The Truth" you will read articles or see some video clips that will never be published or reported on major western media companies. Just follow us in the below mentioned links, like our page on Facebook in order to receive all the Truth updates.
website: https://syriathetruth.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/syttruth

[airtight2]

So its not a border that was infiltrated. the whole sit is murkey because we dont like Assad.

[airtight2]

so let me see....sorry no map here but based in Turkey fighting in Syria and on two other borders. Turkey is protecting a border already infiltrated. Ouchh!

[john92021]

seeing Turkey is suppose to be an Allie of the US we probably already have our hands into this mess already.

[robtemery]

What a Crock. If they are in Syria they can be recognized as the legitimate government and US forces are off the coast.