This post is also available in: Arabic :هذه المادة متوفرة أيضاً باللغة

spite what we went through the past two days: being under siege, the brutal bombing of the city with tanks, shooting randomly with machine guns in retaliation to the city’s people who participated ,in tens of thousands, in daily peaceful demonstrations throughout the past few weeks. We have found it necessary to clarify what is happening and refute the propaganda of this lying regime who kills people and wants them to admit that the killed themselves.

The regime started promoting that people of Al-Rastan have chosen the path of armed resistance, and that terrorists and infiltrators are involved in violent actions. This is not true. We have never taken up arms against anyone. Those who have been going out in peaceful demonstrations in tens of thousands, for weeks, can not carry weapons after that. However, we heard similar lies in every city was stormed by the forces of the offender regime.

Here is what really happened:

First: The regime’s snipers (all with beards and wearing black uniforms) who were spread out on rooftops have killed a number of soldiers to provoke the military’s anger against the people.
Yet, they did not succeed, on the contrary, more than ten soldiers dropped their weapons, refusing to participate in storming the city and fled towards the residents. They were called to return using speakerphones, and when they refused, the 4th division opened heavy and random gunfire.
Also, shootouts occurred between soldiers wearing military uniforms, keeping in mind that both Security Forces and military wear military uniforms. So, it remains unknown whether the gunfights was with defected soldiers or whether the gunfights happened between the military and the security forces.

Second: about First lieutenant Bassam Tlass, the truth about his death is: He was in a microbus for students, which he got in on the way to work after the siege of Talbiseh and blocking the highway. When the microbus reached a checkpoint, personal IDs were checked and the agents at the checkpoint recognized the ID of First Lieutenant. After 100 meter they opened fire on the microbus in an attempt to kill Lieutenant Bassam. The reason is clear as he is one of the honourable citizens of Rastan and he was against killing its people. This shooting that took away his life also killed another child and inflicted injuries on many other kids,

Third: about burning the police station: security thugs are the ones who are responsible for this so their files (which have been stored in that station) can be destroyed. No one has any interest in burning a police station except criminals like the thugs who have records and cases that have not been closed yet, especially that in the building of the Municipal administration has deeds and records for all land ownership, so none of the residents has any interest in burning it.

Civil servants and police tried to fend off thugs. this made them the subject to the attack of the thugs, supported by secret police forces. Their arms have been confiscated, many of the police officers were arrested, an a police officer from the Mously family has died.
in addition to this, we underline that those who lead this criminal military operation against Al Rastan and its people is the minister of defence himself, and the shelling and bombing is carried out by the fourth division, which did not make any special consideration to the old town which has Roman ruins, children school compound, and water tanks.
Recorded martyrs until now are: Ali Tlass and Izzat Ibrahim Salloum. Heavy shooting is preventing people from getting to the wounded and martyrs lying in the streets.

We, the people of Rastan, ask the help of our Syrian brothers and the rest of the world to stop the criminal bombing of our city and people, as our only fault was a peaceful demonstration demanding freedom

Al Rastan 31 May 2011