UK & World News
- 27 June 2012, 23:35
Syrian Rebels Storm Pro-Assad TV Station
Gunmen have stormed the headquarters of a Syrian pro-government news channel, planting explosives and killing three employees, according to state media.
Syria's official Sana news agency said the attack on Ikhbariya TV took place in the town of Drousha, about 15 miles south of the capital Damascus, on Wednesday morning.
An employee at the station said that the gunmen stormed two of the station's buildings, detained some of the guards then blew up parts of it with explosives.
The unnamed employee claimed the gunmen blindfolded him then drove him away about 200 yards where he heard the explosion.
"The terrorists planted explosive devices in the headquarters of al Ikhbariya following their ransacking of the satellite channel studios, including the newsroom which was entirely destroyed," state media said.
"Three journalists and workers were martyred as a result of the brutal terrorist attack," it added, without giving details on how the employees died.
The Syrian press is tightly regulated by the Ministry of Information and although Ikhbariya is privately owned, opponents of President Assad say it is a government mouthpiece.
Sana has accused the Sunni-led states of Qatar and Saudi Arabia of launching a "a sinister campaign" against Syria, along with western media organisations.
During the 16-month-old pro-democracy revolt against the Assad family's four-decade rule, Ikhbariya has also pushed to counter what it says is a foreign-backed terrorist conspiracy.
Ikhbariya resumed broadcasting shortly after the attack.
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stevie may
7:05am on 27/6/2012
More power to the Free Syrian Army ! Prayers for all their murdered children. Assad shall go the way of Ghadaffi and Saddam Hussain. . Assad deserves the fate of all dictators
john
8:43am on 27/6/2012
And Iraq and Libya are now beacons of peace and democracy now, are they Steve? Do you hear our dear gobsmiths even mentioning these countries anymore? Now you wish Syria to suffer the same fate? Don't swallow the propaganda. Syria is part of the USA's ongoing war with Iran, Assad was told that if he severed all ties with Iran then the disturbances would cease, The USA wants Iran's oil reserves, this is the real story.
stevie may
9:33am on 27/6/2012
Dosent change the fact Assad is a child killing dictator - more power to the Free Syrian Army. . They are fighting a justified war, I support them as I support the people of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya who have overthrown dictatorship. Trying to defend Assad and Ahmadinijad is like trying to defend Hitler
john
9:40am on 27/6/2012
You swallow the propaganda Stevie, I used to enjoy a few drinks with some Libyan students who were studying in my home town, they loved Gaddafi with a passion for what he had done for them and their country. Libya had the best healthcare and standard of living of the whole of the continent of Africa under Gaddafi. Now it is a basket case, and where is the democracy? when is the election for a democratic government?
stevie may
12:27pm on 27/6/2012
No mention of the torture/murder commited by the Ghadaffi regime against its own citizens ? Carefully avoided I notice. I suppose you deny the holocaust as well ? Disgraceful
john
12:50pm on 27/6/2012
Propaganda is designed to brainwash the sheep into accepting the official version of the truth Stevie. Do you know any Libyans? Have you had any conservations with the ordinary Libyans? Are you happy that the tribe of King Idris is back in power? Infantile jibes such as holocaust denier are just plain silly.
stevie may
5:20pm on 27/6/2012
The Hague want to put Assad on trial for crimes against humanity - talk to them, or do you think Charles Taylor, Karadicz & Mladic are innocent as well ? Hitler ? Stalin ? Pol pot ? All dictators should go the same way as Saddam Husain - or was he a peace loving democrat as well ?
john
5:52pm on 27/6/2012
But have you spoken to any Libyans? Ranting on about dictators just because you got your information about life in Libya under Gaddafi from the Sun or the Daily Mail, while I have actually had conversations with real people who actually lived in Libya. Gaddafi spent Libya's oil revenues on improving his peoples standard of living, the highest standard of living on the African continent, now it has been shelled and bombed back to the stone age by NATO and Camerons Jihadist "rebels". Have a look at the city of Sirte now, it looks like Hiroshima after the atom bomb attack.