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Syrian army retakes key town of Qusair from rebels Syrian army retakes key town of Qusair from rebels
(about 4 hours later)
Syrian pro-government forces have taken full control of the strategic town of Qusair, state TV and the rebels say. Syrian government forces have taken full control of the strategic town of Qusair, state TV and the rebels say.
The town, near the Lebanese border, has been the centre of fighting for more than two weeks between rebels and Syrian troops backed by fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The town, near the Lebanese border, has been the focus of fierce fighting for more than two weeks between rebels and Syrian troops backed by fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Syrian state TV said a large number of rebels had died and many had surrendered. State TV said a large number of rebels had died and many others had surrendered as troops advanced swiftly.
The rebels said they withdrew overnight in the face of a massive assault.The rebels said they withdrew overnight in the face of a massive assault.
Television pictures showed widespread destruction, with many buildings reduced to rubble and no civilians in sight.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it hoped to gain access to the town to help civilians caught up in the fighting.
"There are reports of hundreds of people that have been wounded that have not been able to receive the necessary medical treatment," ICRC spokeswoman Rima Kamal told the BBC.
She said there were also reports of shortages of food, water and medical supplies.
Qusair's fall comes as plans have stalled for an international peace conference to find a political solution to the two-year-old Syrian conflict. The UN and Arab League envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, said the talks might now be held in July, rather than June as had been planned.
'Clear message'
The Syrian government hailed the capture of Qusair - which had been in rebel hands for more than a year - as an important strategic victory.
The town lies just 10km (six miles) from the Lebanese border and is close to important supply routes for both sides in the conflict.
The army said Qusair's capture was "a clear message to all those who share in the aggression on Syria... that we will continue our string of victories until we regain every inch of Syrian land".
The state news agency, Sana, reported that a large number of "terrorists", as the government refers to the rebels, had been killed and many had surrendered.
It said the army was now destroying barricades and weapons caches, and searching the town for booby-traps.
Lebanon's al-Manar TV, which is owned by Hezbollah, reported the "widespread collapse" of the rebel forces in the town, while one Hezbollah fighter told the Reuters news agency: "We did a sudden surprise attack in the early hours and entered the town. They escaped."
Rebel commanders said their fighters had withdrawn overnight.
"In the face of this huge arsenal and lack supplies and the blatant intervention of Hezbollah... tens of fighters stayed behind and ensured the withdrawal of their comrades along with the civilians," said a statement quoted by Reuters.
The military leader of the main rebel umbrella group, the Free Syrian Army, had earlier said his fighters were prepared to take the conflict inside Lebanon in pursuit of Hezbollah fighters.The military leader of the main rebel umbrella group, the Free Syrian Army, had earlier said his fighters were prepared to take the conflict inside Lebanon in pursuit of Hezbollah fighters.
Speaking before the rebels lost Qusair, Gen Selim Idriss told the BBC that Hezbollah fighters were "invading" Syria and Lebanon was doing nothing to stop them. Speaking before the rebels lost Qusair, Gen Selim Idriss told the BBC that Hezbollah fighters were "invading" Syria and that Lebanon was doing nothing to stop them.
'Surprise attack' The battle for Qusair has highlighted the growing role of the Lebanese Shia militant group in the Syrian conflict - a development that has heightened sectarian tensions in the wider region.
Qusair lies just 10km (six miles) from the Lebanese border and along major supply routes. The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says the fall of the town has symbolic importance in the run-up to a proposed peace conference, because neither side wants to go into the talks looking weak.
Syrian pro-government forces, including Hezbollah fighters, have been battling rebels for control of the town for more than two weeks. Russian and US officials met in Geneva on Wednesday to try to arrange a date and other details of the conference, but they were unable to agree on who would attend and no talks were now expected this month.
But on Wednesday, Syria's Sana state news agency said the "heroic armed forces have returned security and stability to all of the town". The Syrian opposition has neither confirmed that it will attend nor established a delegation. The government has said it will attend "in principle", as long as no unreasonable pre-conditions are set.
Sana said a large number of "terrorists", as the state refers to the rebels, had been killed and many had surrendered. It said the army was now destroying barricades and weapons caches and searching the town for explosives. 'New levels of brutality'
The army said the victory was "a clear message to all those who share in the aggression on Syria ... that we will continue our string of victories until we regain every inch of Syrian land".
"We will not hesitate to crush with an iron fist those who attack us. ... Their fate is surrender or death," it said.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV reported "widespread collapse" of the rebel forces in the town, while one Hezbollah fighter told Reuters news agency: "We did a sudden surprise attack in the early hours and entered the town. They escaped."
In a statement also quoted by Reuters, the rebels said: "In face of this huge arsenal and lack supplies and the blatant intervention of Hezbollah... tens of fighters stayed behind and ensured the withdrawal of their comrades along with the civilians."
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an activist group that monitors the conflict, said Hezbollah fighters had "overrun" Qusair after an "intense bombardment cover overnight by regime forces, which continued until dawn today".
"Reports indicate that the rebel forces retreated from the city due to lack of ammunition and men, this comes despite the many promises that supplies would reach the rebels" it said on its Facebook page.
It also expressed concern for the more than 1,200 people it said were injured in Qusair, and urged the Red Cross to go in.
Last week, the Red Cross said it was "alarmed" by the worsening humanitarian situation and appealed for immediate aid access. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem reportedly said last week that the agency would be allowed in once military operations were over.
'Brutality'
The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says that although there are pockets of rebel resistance to the north of Qusair, the government is hailing its recapture as a strategic victory.
The move is also of symbolic importance in the run-up to a proposed peace conference as neither side wants to go into the talks looking weak, our correspondent adds.
Russia and the US are meeting in Geneva on Wednesday to try to arrange a date and other details of the conference. But it remains unclear whether it will go ahead as the Syrian opposition has neither confirmed it will attend nor established a credible delegation.
More than 80,000 people have been killed in Syria and more than 1.5 million have fled the country since an uprising against Mr Assad began in 2011, according to UN estimates.More than 80,000 people have been killed in Syria and more than 1.5 million have fled the country since an uprising against Mr Assad began in 2011, according to UN estimates.
The UN reported on Tuesday that the war had reached "new levels of brutality", with evidence of massacres and children being taken hostage of forced to witness - sometimes participate in - atrocities.The UN reported on Tuesday that the war had reached "new levels of brutality", with evidence of massacres and children being taken hostage of forced to witness - sometimes participate in - atrocities.
There is also growing evidence that chemical weapons have been deployed in the conflict. There is also growing evidence that chemical weapons have been used in the conflict.
France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Tuesday that samples taken from Syria and tested in France showed the presence of sarin, and that there was "no doubt that it's the regime and its accomplices" that were responsible. France's Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, said on Tuesday that samples taken from Syria and tested in France showed the nerve agent sarin had been used in a localised manner.
Mr Fabius did not specify where the samples had been collected, but French media reported it had been from the northern town of Saraqeb. Mr Fabius said there was no doubt that "the regime and its accomplices" were responsible.
The BBC was shown evidence last month which appeared to corroborate reports that government helicopters had dropped at least two devices containing poisonous gas on the town on 29 April. He said all options - including possible military action against chemical weapons stores - were on the table.
The UK also says it has tested samples which give evidence of the use of sarin in Syria. But a French government spokeswoman later said France would not intervene unilaterally.
Both the Syrian government and the rebels have in the past accused each other of using the weapons. The UK also says it has tested samples which show sarin has been used in Syria.
The Syrian government has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons, and has in turn accused the rebels of doing so, which they have also rejected.
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