Forces in opposition to Syrian President Bashar Assad have changed their tactics. The Free Syrian Army has announced Jebel-ez-Zavia in the north-west of the country as own revolutionary territory, Kommersant reports.
The city may turn into the capital of free Syria which would be protected by foreign states.
Jebel-ez-Zavia is located in the Idlib Province where the most active clashes are taking place. The government is pushing the Free Syrian Army. Al-Arabia says that Bashar Assad’s opposition has destroyed 17 tanks. The Syrian National Council (the government in excile) demanded the international society to prevent state intervention in Idlib.
The situation is starting to resemble the Libyan Civil War, with Jebel-ez-Zavia resembling Benghazi. Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi’s offense in March caused NATO to start intervention. The same may happen now. Turkey borders with Idlib and has been demanding a buffer area in Syria for refugees to hide for a long time.
The zone de facto exists around Jebel-ez-Zavia. Thousands of citizens of protesting cities have escaped to the area uncontrolled by the government. It is sort of a mini-state, defended by about 5,000 rebels, almost all of whom are deserter soldiers and officers of the Syrian army.
