Seven of the Syrian soldiers and policemen were killed in the operation against "terrorists" in the city center Rastan, where armed resistance emerged after months of mostly peaceful protests, according to the state agency reported.Fatalities have been reported in the first official comment on the three-day government offensive to capture the area of army deserters.
"Similar units have inflicted heavy casualties, armed terrorist groups," the agency said, quoting a military spokesman. "The confrontation led to the deaths of seven employees, including two policemen and wounding 32, including seven officers, the army and security police."
The Syrian army and security forces have remained largely loyal to the regime of Bashar al-Assad during six months of protests demanding his overthrow in which the UN says that 2700 people were killed.
But the army deserters, many of whom defected because they refused to fire on the demonstrators, have formed rebel units, mainly in agricultural areas around Rastan, a city of 40,000 people, located 110 miles ( 180 km) north of Damascus.
A deserter from the army operating in the province of Idlib, in the northwest of Rastan, said the defectors from the city were using guerrilla tactics against the heavily armed loyalist forces.
"Rastan beat army officers for decades, and there are plenty of experiences among the soldiers deserted. Assad is mistaken if he thinks he can finish a fast break," he said, adding that agricultural land, it was difficult for the army to seal the area.
Rastan area is a Sunni recruitment of conscripts who provide the majority of staff in the army, which is dominated by members of the Alawite minority sect of Assad.
Residents say at least 1,000 peasants armed deserters and have fought the Loyalist forces, which are supported by tanks and helicopters.
Syria says more than 700 soldiers and policemen were killed in the insurgency, which he blamed on armed groups supported by foreign powers.
In Rastan, and protection of the police force 'still hunting down members of these terrorist groups to restore security and stability Rastan and its citizens, "he told the news agency.
Thursday ', Assad's supporters threw stones and tomatoes in the United States, Ambassador Robert Ford convoy when he visited the opposition figure in Damascus.
Ford and his party were not injured, the U.S. Department of State, he said, but the Embassy of several vehicles were damaged, and the ambassador had to lock himself in an office waiting for the help of Syrian security.
Syria has upset Ford's meetings with the opposition accusing Washington of inciting violence and meddling in its affairs. Washington has called on Syria to take measures to protect U.S. diplomats.
"We condemn this unjustified attack in the strongest terms. Ambassador Ford and colleagues reported the Embassy of the normal and the intimidation of our diplomats, through violence is totally unjustified," the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
"We will soon address the issue with the Syrian government and demand to take all possible measures to protect diplomats in their obligations under international law."
Crackdown on democracy protests Assad has poisoned relations between the United States, which is a series of new sanctions, and raised the pressure on Syria in the world
