Beirut – A Syrian activist says elite government forces are heading to the country's north in possible preparation for an attack on a town where soldiers reportedly joined an anti-government uprising.
The activist, Mustafa Osso, says witnesses told him that long lines of tanks and thousands of troops were on the move toward Jisr al-Shughour on Wednesday.
Osso, who is inside Syria, says many of the troops are from the army's 4th Division, which is commanded by President Bashar al-Assad's younger brother, Maher.
In recent days, witnesses and activists reported a mutiny of Syrian soldiers and loss of government control over Jisr al-Shughour. The government said 120 forces were killed.
Activists say Syria's nationwide crackdown on the revolt against Assad has killed more than 1300 Syrians.
