Post date: Jun 08, 2013 4:52:26 PM
Syrian state television shows tunnels and a large haul of weapons in the aftermath of the capture of Buwayda village, the final rebel stronghold in Qusair region.
BUWAYDA VILLAGE, NEAR QUSAIR, SYRIA (JUNE 8, 2013) (SYRIAN TV) - Syrian government troops backed by Hezbollah guerrillas seized the western village of Buwayda on Saturday (June 8), extinguishing final rebel resistance around the town of Qusair in a fresh success for President Bashar al-Assad.
The swift fall of Buwayda came just three days after rebels were swept out ofQusair, denying them a previously important supply route into neighbouringLebanon.Activist sources said dozens of rebels, including a number of foreigner fighters, were captured alive in Buwayda, but there was no immediate word of their fate.
Syrian state television broadcast live from the deserted streets of Buwayda, 13-km (eight miles) northeast of Qusair, showing destroyed buildings, debris-strewn roads and large numbers of boxes full of unused ammunition.
Rebel groups from across Syria had sent hundreds of men into the Qusair area to try to stave off the assault by the Syrian army and well-trained Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon, but they were rapidly overwhelmed.
A Lebanese security source said at least 28 wounded fighters from Syria had been evacuated to hospitals in Western Bekaa and Rashaya.
The United Nations estimates at least 80,000 people have died in the Syrian conflict.