Syria Storms City of Rastan / Activists Hack Government Websites

Syrian forces backed by tanks and helicopters stormed a strategic town on Tuesday after fighting with army defectors, in a major operation to subdue pro-democracy protests in the center of the country, residents said.

Related: Source: Syria plans on shooting 5,000 missiles per hour into Israel if attacked by NATO


Tens of tanks and armored vehicles entered Rastan, a town of 40,000 on the highway to Turkey near the city of Homs, after pounding it overnight with heavy machineguns from tanks and attack helicopters following a two-day siege, they said.

Stones, Eggs Hurled at French Ambassador in Syria

Supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have hurled stones and eggs at France's ambassador to the country.

The attack against Eric Chevallier took place on Saturday as he was leaving a meeting with the Greek Orthodox patriarch in Damascus.

Syria has been facing increased international pressure for its crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. On Monday, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe accused the Syrian government of “crimes against humanity.”

Voice of America

Turkey to Iran: stop spoiling Assad!

Turkey has warned Iran "not to spoil" the Syrian leadership whose security forces have been cracking down on protesters since mid-March, a Turkish daily quoted Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying Friday.

Erdogan told the daily Hurriyet, "I cannot say there has been tension with Iran but we warned them (the Iranians) that 'the Assad administration is getting spoiled with your encouragement.'"

Erdogan said he had discussed the matter with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"Later he sent an envoy. We talked with him too. There has been a change in their approach," Erdogan said.

Turkey has expressed frustration with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his iron-fisted regime for failing to listen to the people, whose almost daily demonstrations for democracy have been met with violent repression, at a cost of more than 2,600 lives according to the UN.

Iran is concerned about the possible collapse of its principle ally in the Middle East and has never condemned Syria for the violence while suppressing mass protests, as it has supported similar protests in other Arab countries.