BEIRUT — Syrian government forces seized a town from rebels near the Lebanese border on Saturday, their latest attempt to cut off opposition fighters’ fluid supply lines from the country, state media and activists said.
The fighting in Zara came as President Bashar Assad marked the 51st anniversary of his ruling Baath party’s ascent to power, vowing to strengthen relations with international allies that have provided his main backing the past three years.
“The (Baath) leadership’s efforts are concentrated on strengthening the alliance with friendly countries such as Russia, Iran and China,” state TV quoted Assad as telling a group of local Baath party leaders from the suburbs of Damascus.
Iran is Assad’s strongest regional ally, extending him billions of dollars in credit since the crisis began in March 2011. The United States, Saudi Arabia and several countries in the Persian Gulf suspect Iran is also shipping him weapons.
Russia, backed by China, has used veto power at the U.N. Security Council to block Western resolutions calling for sanctions against Assad’s government.
Assad stressed that his government will continue reconciliation efforts along with fighting “terrorism,” referring to some areas where rebels turned over weapons in exchange for an easing of blockades.
The fighting lasted weeks around Zara, which rebels used as a base to attack pro-regime communities in the area, said pro-Syrian media and Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. His group obtains its information from a network of activists on the ground.
The town was one of two last strongholds for rebels along the Lebanese border leading to the city of Homs, the other being the nearby village of al-Hosn, said an activist who identified himself as Samy al-Homsi.
“Without al-Hosn and Zara, it will be the end of the revolution to the west of Homs,” al-Homsi said.
Footage from Zara by Lebanon-based broadcaster al-Mayadeen showed plumes of smoke billowing from houses as gunfire and artillery could be heard.
An activist in al-Hosn who uses the name Abu Marwan al-Hosni said most Zara residents fled to his city during the fighting, but at least 20 people were killed after Assad-loyal gunmen entered the town.
