CASPER
New member
Syrian troops using tanks and helicopters pushed toward a northern town Tuesday after arresting hundreds of people in villages near Jisr al-Shughour, residents said, as more refugees fled to Turkey.
More than 8,500 Syrians have sought shelter across the border to escape President Bashar al-Assad's latest military drive to crush protests demanding political change in a country ruled by the Assad dynasty for the last 41 years.
Thousands more people are living rough just inside Syria.
Dozens of refugees with mud covering their boots and clothes clambered to a Turkish village to find bread for families waiting across the border in Syria in sodden make-shift camps.
Reuters footage showed refugees on the Syrian side of the border trying to dry rain-sodden blankets, children washing in buckets of rain water, and people lying under plastic sheets.
"We are desperate here. We are under the rain, our children are sick. We have no medicine and no food," said a crying woman with a baby lying next to her.
Most of the refugees came from Jisr al-Shughour, 20 km (12 miles) from the border, where authorities say 120 security personnel were killed by gunmen 10 days ago. Some activists say deserting troops and residents clashed with security forces.
The army retook the rebellious town Sunday and appeared to be moving toward the town of Maarat al-Numaan, which straddles the main north-south highway linking Damascus with the second city of Aleppo and has also been the scene of protests.
The government says the three-month-old protests are part of a conspiracy backed by foreign powers to sow sectarian strife. Syria has banned most foreign correspondents, making it difficult to verify accounts of events.
Othman al-Bedeiwi, a pharmacy professor in Maarat al-Numaan, told Reuters by telephone that helicopters had been ferrying troops to a camp in Wadi al-Deif, several km from the town.
"We met the (provincial) governor today and he assured us that the army will go in only to arrest 360 people it has on a list," he said. "The people of Maarat, however, are skeptical."
"My name is on the list to be arrested as being a gunman. I never carried a weapon in my life."
More than 8,500 Syrians have sought shelter across the border to escape President Bashar al-Assad's latest military drive to crush protests demanding political change in a country ruled by the Assad dynasty for the last 41 years.
Thousands more people are living rough just inside Syria.
Dozens of refugees with mud covering their boots and clothes clambered to a Turkish village to find bread for families waiting across the border in Syria in sodden make-shift camps.
Reuters footage showed refugees on the Syrian side of the border trying to dry rain-sodden blankets, children washing in buckets of rain water, and people lying under plastic sheets.
"We are desperate here. We are under the rain, our children are sick. We have no medicine and no food," said a crying woman with a baby lying next to her.
Most of the refugees came from Jisr al-Shughour, 20 km (12 miles) from the border, where authorities say 120 security personnel were killed by gunmen 10 days ago. Some activists say deserting troops and residents clashed with security forces.
The army retook the rebellious town Sunday and appeared to be moving toward the town of Maarat al-Numaan, which straddles the main north-south highway linking Damascus with the second city of Aleppo and has also been the scene of protests.
The government says the three-month-old protests are part of a conspiracy backed by foreign powers to sow sectarian strife. Syria has banned most foreign correspondents, making it difficult to verify accounts of events.
Othman al-Bedeiwi, a pharmacy professor in Maarat al-Numaan, told Reuters by telephone that helicopters had been ferrying troops to a camp in Wadi al-Deif, several km from the town.
"We met the (provincial) governor today and he assured us that the army will go in only to arrest 360 people it has on a list," he said. "The people of Maarat, however, are skeptical."
"My name is on the list to be arrested as being a gunman. I never carried a weapon in my life."