'Assad declares state of war, opposition calls for protest'
"Al-Quds" reports new Syrian military operation seeks to "eliminate armed rebellion proclaimed by terrorists against civilians and the army."
By JPOST.COM STAFFsyrian tank_311 reuters(photo credit: Reuters)
Syrian President Bashar Assad declared a state of war on Wednesday and issued a general mobilization of troops, Al-Quds newspaper reported Thursday evening.Operation "Bayrak al-Assad" was implemented secretly, and is a "major military operation" requiring full mobilization of military forces in Syria for concentrated offensives on cities across the country in order to eliminate "terrorists who threaten us," according to the report.RELATED:Syrian forces kill at least 20 in assault on HomsSyrian Kurds unite amid onslaughtOn Friday Syria broadcast terrorists confessing to building bombs in order to attack civilians and Syrian forces in Latakia, Israel Radio reported.Additionally, Syrian opposition leaders called on protesters to organize large demonstrations this, and every, Friday, according to the report.Syria's new military operation is an escalation of President Bashar Assad's violent crackdown against what some call "pro-democracy activists" and others call "terrorists," which began in March.
This order implies a significant difference between the peacetime efforts carried out by Syrian military forces since March to round up terrorists trying to undermine the Syrian regime, and the newly declared state of war.The stated goal of the new offensive, which required the mobilization and full preparedness of the Syrian military, is "the elimination of armed rebellion, proclaimed by terrorist organizations against the civilian population and elements of the army and security forces for several months," according to the Al Quds report.Click for full Jpost coverage of turmoil in the Middle East
