Rebels Announce 'Conditional' Withdrawal from Christian Town of Maalula

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Syrian rebel fighters announced on Tuesday their withdrawal from the historic Christian town of Maalula near Damascus, two days after they took control of it.

"To ensure no blood is spilled and that the properties of the people of Maalula are kept safe, the Free Syrian Army announces that the town of Maalula will be kept out of the struggle between the FSA and the regime army," a rebel spokesman said in a video posted online.

The spokesman for the Qalamun Liberation Front, which groups together a collection of anti-regime forces in the Qalamun area near Damascus, also said the withdrawal was "conditional."

"The army and its shabiha (militias) must not enter into the town," said the spokesman, whose name was not given in the video.

The town, home to about 5,000 people, is strategically important for rebels, who are trying to tighten their grip around Damascus and already have bases all around the capital.

On Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and residents said rebel forces, including jihadists linked to al-Qaida, had overrun Maalula.

The Britain-based Observatory said al-Nusra Front, which has pledged allegiance to al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, was among the forces that had taken control of the town.

Battalions affiliated with the Western-backed FSA had also entered Maalula, he said.

Civilians started fleeing the town nearly a week ago, fearing an imminent escalation.

The exodus has left Maalula virtually empty, residents say.

Picturesque Maalula is nestled under a large cliff and is considered a symbol of the Christian presence in Syria.

Many of its inhabitants speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ that only small, scattered communities around the world still use.

Comments 8
Thumb eagle_eye over 10 years

Good move by the rebels. It takes the focus away from religious to the real issue of getting rid of unhealthy leaders.

Missing putin1 over 10 years

The rebels are Geagea's cronies so let Geagea handle them. Remember when Geagea phoned George sabra (The Sunni-wanna-be former terrorist collation leader) to ask them to release the 2 bishops were abducted by the terrorists. I wonder what happened to the follow up to that phone call?

Missing karim_m3- over 10 years

Actually it's the other way around. Geagea is their crony, and like them, he is an employee of the Kingdom of Terrorism and is paid to act as a trojan horse for the viral spread of the Wahabist terrorist ideology.

Missing dcnzogh over 10 years

This article makes no sense and the editors at Nahar should know it.

It doesn't matter what the FSA stated since it was non-FSA al-Qaeda linked Al-Nusra Front and the Qalamon Liberation Front stormed the village. It this statement supposed to allay fears or make people believe the people of Maaloula are no longer at risk.

Missing dcnzogh over 10 years

I am not sure I would give the US that much credit for having a level of morals or conviction to even think it cares.

Missing hb9z over 10 years

yes lets all hail bashar and the takfiris.....they are both worthless and despised by the people...bashar is playing the religion game to the bone...
one day it may hit him in the head.....

Thumb Senescence over 10 years

So did Al-Qaida and other such extremist factions disperse and withdraw as well? I'm sadly quite aware of the inner-conflict between terroristic elements in the FSA and the moderates, so some more clarification I urge; did the FSA alone withdraw or did it withdraw also its mostly insubordinate terroristic elements as well?

Missing karim_m3- over 10 years

The question is, what were the Free Syrian Heart-Eaters doing in Maalula in the first place? Why were they attacking civilians, homes, and churches? They are just another terrorist organization that cowardly targets civilians.