Syrian rebels claim they destroyed five helicoptersAugust 29, 2012 - 16:00 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Syrian rebels claimed on Wednesday, Aug 29 they had destroyed five helicopters at a military airport between the northern cities of Aleppo and Idlib, after a watchdog reported fierce clashes there, AFP reported. Abu Mossab, a rebel who participated in the attack said that the rebels had shelled the Taftanaz military airport with two captured military tanks and had destroyed five military helicopters. The airport "was shelled with two tanks. Anti-aircraft batteries were also used," according to Abu Mossab. "We destroyed five helicopters as well as buildings in the airport," he added, noting however that the airport was "still in the hands of the regime." The rebels, who lost two men in the fighting, later retreated. Abu Mossab's claims could not be independently verified. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had earlier in the day reported fierce fighting near the airport and attacks on the nearby town of Taftanaz by the government helicopters. The Britain-based Observatory said initial reports indicated government troops suffered 14 casualties in the fighting at Taftanaz, while two rebels and one civilian died elsewhere in Idlib province. The airport has been the target of several attacks in past weeks by insurgents entrenched in Aleppo and Idlib, which have suffered daily shelling by government troops. In Aleppo city, where the army and rebels have battled for over a month for control, fierce clashes broke out between the two sides in several districts, according to the watchdog. And in Damascus, activists reported a third straight day of army attacks on rebel strongholds in the eastern outer belt of the city, collectively referred to as East Ghuta. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |