Rebels in Syria Clinch Key Region in Oil-Producing East
Free Syrian Army fighters pose on a tank in the town of Ras al-Ain. (Photo: Reuters)
Syrian rebels say they’ve won control of a strategic region in the east of the country, bordering Iraq.
Rebel commanders say the Syrian army artillery base at Mayadeen has fallen to opposition hands after a 21 day siege. So far there’s been no response from the Syrian government.
Amr Al-Azm is a professor at Shawnee State University and a prominent member of the Syrian opposition here in the United States. He says the victory is strategic for the rebels, but not enough to change the balance of power.
“We need to see major cities fall, that’s when the balance of power will really begin to shift,” says Amr Al-Azm. “We need those first dominoes to drop.”
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.