Syrian opposition: Rebels took army base, killed 70 regime troops

Syrian rebel fighters killed 70 regime soldiers when they attacked a military base near capital Damascus, an umbrella opposition group said. A statement by the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) said Saturday the Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters had destroyed 4 tanks and captured another 5 in the assault on the 128th Brigade in Nasiriyah. It said the FSA are also now in full control of weapon and fuel depots in the brigade’s headquarters and the attack was held in retaliation to a bomb attack that took place Friday in Rankous north of Damascus which reportedly killed at least 30 and wounded dozens. In a separate development, regime forces targeted Qaboun, Qadam, Barza, Douma and Yarmouk regions with heavy artillery on Saturday, according to Local Coordination Committees (LCC) of Syria, a opposition activist network. It said that skirmishes break out between the FSA and regime forces in Harasta and Darayya suburbs of Damascus and in Nabakha settlement, adding that a former customs area near Ramtha border crossing between Syria and Jordan were fully controlled by the Free Syrian Army.