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| Syrian jets bomb northern city overrun by rebels | Syrian jets bomb northern city overrun by rebels |
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| Syrian jets bombed opposition-held buildings on Tuesday in the strategic northern city of Raqqa, about 120 miles east of Aleppo, a day after rebels overran the onetime regime stronghold and captured its provincial governor. A toppled statue of President Bashar al-Assad's father was defaced with graffiti reading: "Tomorrow will be better." | Syrian jets bombed opposition-held buildings on Tuesday in the strategic northern city of Raqqa, about 120 miles east of Aleppo, a day after rebels overran the onetime regime stronghold and captured its provincial governor. A toppled statue of President Bashar al-Assad's father was defaced with graffiti reading: "Tomorrow will be better." |
| The rebels continued to battle pockets of government troops in Raqqa, struggling to crush the remaining resistance in the city of 500,000 people on the Euphrates river. | The rebels continued to battle pockets of government troops in Raqqa, struggling to crush the remaining resistance in the city of 500,000 people on the Euphrates river. |
| If successful, it would be the first major city they would completely control in the civil war, and would consolidate their recent gains in the northern Syrian towns along the river. | If successful, it would be the first major city they would completely control in the civil war, and would consolidate their recent gains in the northern Syrian towns along the river. |
| "This is the beginning, and other Syrian cities will soon fall, one by one, God willing," said Mustafa Othman, a Raqqa-based activist. | "This is the beginning, and other Syrian cities will soon fall, one by one, God willing," said Mustafa Othman, a Raqqa-based activist. |
| But government airstrikes and intermittent clashes, particularly around two security buildings, raised doubt about whether the rebels would be able to maintain their hold on Raqqa. | But government airstrikes and intermittent clashes, particularly around two security buildings, raised doubt about whether the rebels would be able to maintain their hold on Raqqa. |
| Rebels have been making headway in the province for weeks. Last month, they captured the country's largest dam west of the city and this week stormed its central prison. | Rebels have been making headway in the province for weeks. Last month, they captured the country's largest dam west of the city and this week stormed its central prison. |
| On Monday, they swept regime forces from much of the provincial capital, prompting residents to pour into the main square and tear down a large bronze statue of Assad's late father and predecessor, Hafez. | On Monday, they swept regime forces from much of the provincial capital, prompting residents to pour into the main square and tear down a large bronze statue of Assad's late father and predecessor, Hafez. |
| The Syrians beat the felled statue of Hafez al-Assad with their shoes in a sign of disrespect, and at least one person hit it repeatedly with a hatchet. Others tore down a huge portrait of the current president. | The Syrians beat the felled statue of Hafez al-Assad with their shoes in a sign of disrespect, and at least one person hit it repeatedly with a hatchet. Others tore down a huge portrait of the current president. |
| It was a striking scene in a city once considered so loyal to the regime that in November 2011, early in the uprising, Assad prayed at Raqqa's al-Nour mosque for the Muslim holiday of Eid in an apparent attempt to show that the regime was fully in control there. | It was a striking scene in a city once considered so loyal to the regime that in November 2011, early in the uprising, Assad prayed at Raqqa's al-Nour mosque for the Muslim holiday of Eid in an apparent attempt to show that the regime was fully in control there. |
| Some activists posted the images of the fallen statue on Facebook and Twitter along with the words "Made in Syria," a reference to homegrown nature of the rebellion. | Some activists posted the images of the fallen statue on Facebook and Twitter along with the words "Made in Syria," a reference to homegrown nature of the rebellion. |
| Activists said opposition fighters captured the governor of Raqqa province, Hassan Jalali, after clashes overnight near his office. The head of Assad's ruling Ba'ath party in the province, Salman al-Salman, was also in rebel custody. | Activists said opposition fighters captured the governor of Raqqa province, Hassan Jalali, after clashes overnight near his office. The head of Assad's ruling Ba'ath party in the province, Salman al-Salman, was also in rebel custody. |
| Several key regime figures have defected to the rebels, but Rami Abdul-Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Jalali is the highest-ranking official to be captured. | Several key regime figures have defected to the rebels, but Rami Abdul-Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Jalali is the highest-ranking official to be captured. |
| An amateur video posted online appeared to show Jalali and Salman seated on chairs surrounded by a group of rebels. | An amateur video posted online appeared to show Jalali and Salman seated on chairs surrounded by a group of rebels. |
| "We just want to get rid of the regime," one of the fighters tells the pair in the video. | "We just want to get rid of the regime," one of the fighters tells the pair in the video. |
| An activist in the city, who gave only his first name Amir, said the two were detained by Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaida-linked group that the US has designated a terrorist organisation, as well as other fighters. | An activist in the city, who gave only his first name Amir, said the two were detained by Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaida-linked group that the US has designated a terrorist organisation, as well as other fighters. |
| "They are detained in a location secured by al-Nusra and are being treated well," he said. | "They are detained in a location secured by al-Nusra and are being treated well," he said. |
| The group has emerged as one of the best organized and most effective forces on the opposition side, leading successful rebel assaults on military installations. | The group has emerged as one of the best organized and most effective forces on the opposition side, leading successful rebel assaults on military installations. |
| Fighting raged on Tuesday near at least two government buildings, including the military intelligence and state security headquarters, the symbols of Assad's authoritarian rule. | Fighting raged on Tuesday near at least two government buildings, including the military intelligence and state security headquarters, the symbols of Assad's authoritarian rule. |
| The Observatory's Abdul-Rahman said "some of Raqqa is still under regime control." | The Observatory's Abdul-Rahman said "some of Raqqa is still under regime control." |
| Othman insisted Raqqa was completely liberated, but noted that the regime controlled the skies above the city, adding: "I don't know if I'll be alive in the next minute." | Othman insisted Raqqa was completely liberated, but noted that the regime controlled the skies above the city, adding: "I don't know if I'll be alive in the next minute." |
| The government also remained in control of air bases outside the city, including Tabqa to the west, from which they launched warplanes to try to dislodge the rebels. | The government also remained in control of air bases outside the city, including Tabqa to the west, from which they launched warplanes to try to dislodge the rebels. |
| Several airstrikes caused an unspecified number of casualties, the Observatory said, adding that there also was heavy fighting near an ammunition depot on the northern edge of the city. | Several airstrikes caused an unspecified number of casualties, the Observatory said, adding that there also was heavy fighting near an ammunition depot on the northern edge of the city. |
| Abdul-Rahman said there were reports of more than 100 people killed in the past two days, but the casualty toll could not be independently confirmed. | Abdul-Rahman said there were reports of more than 100 people killed in the past two days, but the casualty toll could not be independently confirmed. |
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