Syria Update: Barzah Cleanup Operation

Syria Update: Barzah Cleanup Operation

November 14, 2013



Barzah. Barzah is a neighborhood – located on the Northeastern outskirts of Damascus City – where Syrian army has been carrying out its counterterrorism cleanup operations to free city suburbs from remnant militants. Syrian army troops have continued securing the previously freed areas and getting ready to assault the central parts of the neighborhood.

As usual, a large quantity of improvised explosive devices were being found in the process. The remaining militants were being looked for by the army troops securing the area on the ground as well as by specially assigned lookouts. From time to time, we could hear them shout out warnings: “Sniper! Sniper! The militants are coming!”

One barricade had revealed a militant sniper position, situated on the right-hand-side end of a rubble heap, blockading an alley. Soon afterward, it was destroyed by RPG grenade-launcher fire.

Syrian army troops securing the area kept moving, scouting for the hiding militants. Our news reporter moved alongside them.

Soon, another militant sniper group had been spotted trying to impede free movement in the area. An assault group was dispatched to calm them down. A Fighting Infantry Vehicle was covering the troops’ movement by its own armor and fire. After the securing of the spot, we moved out to inspect the area.

Syrian army troops have discovered an unusually large tunnel dug out by the militants. So far, just 500 meters of the tunnel have been inspected. It has not been clear yet what could be at the end of it, though. Syrian army sappers were the first to step deeper into the tunnel, as it could have been totally mined. The tunnel was four meters wide and about five meters high. It was rigged with ventilation and electricity. Given its dimensions, the tunnel could have been used not only by the militant ground troops but by their heavy vehicles as well. Infantry Fighting Vehicles, for instance, as well as tanks, could have easily moved through the tunnel.

Standing at the entrance of the tunnel, there was an electricity generator still functional.

A kindergarten building was secured which the militants had used as their headquarters. What used to be a kindergarten had been turned into a bunker. One of its rooms, judging by the inscriptions on the walls, the militants used for their sexual needs.

The militants are said to have developed a habit of turning educational facilities into their command points.

An entrance to yet another underground tunnel was discovered which was blocked by debris.

On our way back, we had been bid farewell by a terrorist sniper who had put a bullet over our heads.

Counterterrorism operation in the north of Damascus continued.




ANNA-News Agency.

Contributors: Vasily Pavlov, Andrey Filatov, Victor Kuznetsov, Marat Musin.

Damascus, Syria.