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WORLD NEWS A9
Tuesday 4 April 2017
Syrian government forces besiege rebel-held Damascus area
PHILIP ISSA have suffered major de- In this frame grab, a Syrian army rocket launcher fires at insurgent groups position, in Hama, north
BASSEM MROUE feats in recent months, Syria. Syrian troops intensified their bombardment of opposition-held areas around Damascus on
Associated Press including the loss of east- Monday.
BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian troops ern neighborhoods of the
intensified their bombard- northern city of Aleppo, (Syrian Central Military Media, via AP)
ment of opposition-held ar- Syria’s largest, and the
eas around Damascus on western Damascus suburb Earlier on Monday, Syr- calation north of Hama in than 70 bombs and rockets
Monday and besieged a of Wadi Barada, a main ian government forces the directions of Maardes had fallen on the adjoining
rebel neighborhood north- source of water for the stepped up the bombing and Souran,” said a local village and town.
east of the city, the latest in capital, earlier this year. of opposition-held areas in media activist who goes Syrian state media said
the government’s push to In March, insurgents and near Damascus and by the name of Obeida government forces had re-
erase battlefield advanc- launched a counter-at- the central city of Hama. Hamawi fearing for his own claimed Maardes by mid-
es made by insurgents in tack, capturing several ar- “There’s been a major es- safety. He estimated more day. q
March. eas northeast of Damascus
Airstrikes on the rebel- before losing much of them
held Damascus suburb of over the past few days.
Douma killed at least 16 Assad’s forces are seeking
people, including three to capture rebel-held parts
children, according to the of Qaboun, Tishrin, Jobar
Britain-based Syrian Obser- and Barzeh — areas that
vatory for Human Rights. opposition fighters have
Douma-based activist Ma- held for years. Losing them
zen al-Shami said 16 peo- would deal a new blow to
ple were killed in Douma, the opposition.
including a whole family. The Hafez road represents
He gave no further details. a strategic artery, though
The government’s siege of the rebels have been wide-
the Barzeh neighborhood ly known to use tunnels in
came as President Bashar the nearby neighborhoods
Assad’s forces work to ex- to smuggle fighters, weap-
pand their security belt ons and food.
around Damascus, his seat
of power. President’s party wins Armenian parliamentary vote
After hours of fighting un-
der the cover of airstrikes AVET DEMOURIAN Serzh Sargsyan, won 49 per- control of the country after vants and employees of
and intense bombard- Associated Press cent of the vote, and the he steps down in 2018 due private companies.
ment, government forces YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — bloc led by businessman to term limits. If his party “Reform is a never-ending
and their allies captured Armenia’s ruling party has Gagik Tsarukian trailed with controls parliament, he process,
Hafez Road, according to won just under half of the 27 percent, the Central could be appointed prime and I encourage the par-
the Observatory and op- vote in the nation’s parlia- Election Commission said minister after that. liamentary majority and
position activist Anas al-Di- mentary election, enough on Monday after all ballots The observer mission of the new government to
mashqi, who is based near to claim a majority of seats, were counted. the Organization for Secu- continue their efforts to
Damascus. authorities said Monday. Two more parties cleared rity and Cooperation in Eu- transform the country’s po-
The capture of the road Sunday’s election was the the 5-percent barrier nec- rope said in a statement on litical culture, in partnership
cut off Barzeh from the Qa- first since the ex-Soviet na- essary to get seats in parlia- Monday that the vote was with the opposition, civil so-
boun and Tishrin neighbor- tion modified its constitu- ment. “well administered and fun- ciety and the international
hoods, which are partially tion to expand the pow- The official results are to be damental freedoms were community,” Ignacio San-
held by the rebels. ers of parliament and the announced later this week. generally respected.” The chez Amor, the mission’s
Monday’s developments prime minister. Critics see the constitution- mission, however, pointed special coordinator, said in
will increase pressure on The Republican Party of al amendments as part of to reports of vote-buying, the statement.q
opposition fighters who Armenia, led by President Sargsyan’s efforts to retain and pressure on civil ser-
