Rebel group vows to fight and not leave Syria's Ghouta
Posted March 13, 2018 7:00 am
BEIRUT (AP) - The largest rebel group in the besieged suburbs of the Syrian capital Damascus has vowed not to leave the area and to continue fighting advancing government forces.
The Army of Islam was responding to some local reports that said it is negotiating with the Syrian government and its Russian backers to leave the area known as eastern Ghouta.
Hamza Bayraqdar, the group's chief military spokesman, said in a video statement posted online that "our revolutionary ideology does not allow us to sell the blood of the holy warriors who liberated Ghouta."
Syrian government forces have recently captured more than half of eastern Ghouta and laid a siege on the group's stronghold of Douma.
Bayraqdar says: "we will stay in Ghouta and defend it."
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.