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Syria Air Strike Hits Gas Station, Dozens Killed

This image provided by Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated, shows a wounded man being pulled from the site of a Syrian government airstrike on a gas station in the eastern Damascus suburb of Mleiha, Syria, Jan. 2, 2013.

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Edward Yeranian

January 02, 2013

CAIRO, EGYPT — Opposition activists in Syria say government warplanes bombed a gasoline station near Damascus on Wednesday, reportedly killing dozens of people as they waited for fuel.

Amateur video showed bystanders running after the aerial assault in the Damascus suburb of Meliha. Young men clawed through twisted pieces of metal to pull victims from the rubble.

One witness told The Associated Press that a government warplane fired a single missile into the station.

The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that dozens of people were killed or wounded when a long line of vehicles waiting for fuel was attacked from the air.

A pro-government journalist reported that the gasoline station was a legitimate target because it was “close to an air defense base under rebel siege.” He said that rebels were seen “carrying shoulder-fired missiles in the area.”

Pro-government forces have bombed other civilian targets, including bakeries in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, in recent months.

A child uses a megaphone to lead others in chanting Free Syrian Army slogans during a demonstration in Bustan Al-Qasr, Aleppo, Syria, January 4, 2013.
Demonstrators step on a picture of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad during a protest against his regime in Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr district, January 4, 2013.
Damaged buildings and shops with members of the Syrian army patrolling in the distance in the old city of Aleppo, Syria, January 3, 2013.
Men stand amidst wreckage and debris after a car bomb exploded at a crowded gas station in Barzeh al-Balad district in Damascus, in this handout photograph released by SANA on January 3, 2013.
A father reacts after the death of two of his children whom activists said were killed by shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, in al-Ansari, Aleppo, Syria, January 3, 2013.
Free Syrian Army fighters stand near a fire after shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, al-Ansari, Aleppo, Syria, January 3, 2013.
Residents wear masks as they search for bodies after shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, al-Ansari, Aleppo, Syria, January 3, 2013
Members of the Free Syrian Army stand behind a machine gun turret with a flag reading "There is no God but Allah and Mohammad is his messenger" in Aleppo's Bustan Al Qaser district, Syria, January 2, 2013.
A Free Syrian Army fighter asks a child to move away from his house's window as a security measure in Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr district December 30, 2012.
A boy watches men dig graves for future casualties of Syria's civil conflict at Sheikh Saeed cemetery in Azaz city, December 30, 2012.

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Government strategy

Opposition activists have accused the government of trying to “starve the civilian population into submission.” Both bread and gasoline, which are normally subsidized by the government, are in short supply.

Riad Kahwaji, who heads the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, said that one strategy of forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad is to terrorize the civilian population into turning against the rebels.

"This form of mass murder is aimed at terrorizing the population to force it to turn against the rebels," he said. "It is part of a strategic bombing that we have seen throughout history in wars between nations, but in this case it is a regime against its own people. It's using the heavy handed, very bloody approach to crush the rebellion. This is the strategy."

Rebel forces attacked the government-controlled Taftanaz Airbase in Idlib province Wednesday. It was at least the third major attack on the air base in recent months. Rebel fighters also continued to besiege and attack the Minnig Airbase, north of Aleppo.

Continued battles

Heavy fighting also has been taking place recently near both of Syria's civilian international airports in Aleppo and Damascus. Civilian air traffic is suspended at both facilities.

Analyst Kahwaji said that many government airbases are under serious rebel pressure.

"In the north, northeast, eastern part of the country and around the capital the rebels have managed to lay siege to many airports and have forced the regime to ground many of its planes," he said. "However, the regime still holds airbases up in the west, on the west coast, in the northwest and north of the capital. These are the airports that are being used now to launch most of the air raids."

The United Nations reported Wednesday that close to 60,000 Syrians have been killed since a popular uprising broke out in March of 2011.

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Syria Air Strike Hits Gas Station, Dozens Killed

<h1>Syria Air Strike Hits Gas Station, Dozens Killed</h1><img src="http://www.voanews.com/App_Themes/VOA_en-US/img/colorLogo.gif"/>Opposition activists in Syria say government warplanes bombed a gasoline station near Damascus on Wednesday, reportedly killing dozens of people as they waited for fuel.<br /> <br /> Amateur video showed bystanders running after the aerial assault in the Damascus suburb of Meliha. Young men clawed through twisted pieces of metal to pull victims from the rubble.<br /> <br /> One witness told <em>The Associated Press</em> that a government warplane fired a single missile into the station.<br /> <br /> The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that dozens of people were killed or wounded when a long line of vehicles waiting for fuel was attacked from the air.<br /> <br /> A pro-government journalist reported that the gasoline station was a legitimate target because it was “close to an air defense base under rebel siege.” He said that rebels were seen “carrying shoulder-fired missiles in the area.”<br /> <br /> Pro-government forces have bombed other civilian targets, including bakeries in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, in recent months.<br /> <br /> <div> <div class="htmlPhg"> <ul class="htmlPhgList"> <li class="htmlPhgListItem"><img class="htmlPhgImage" data-src="http://gdb.voanews.com/5FC7BE7D-8A67-4DCB-B9CB-8F29355E8F69_mwdynamic_mhdynamic_s.jpg" src="/img/spacer.gif" alt="" /><div class="htmlPhgCaption"> <div class="htmlPhgCaptionInner"> A child uses a megaphone to lead others in chanting Free Syrian Army slogans during a demonstration in Bustan Al-Qasr, Aleppo, Syria, January 4, 2013. </div> </div></li><li class="htmlPhgListItem"><img class="htmlPhgImage" data-src="http://gdb.voanews.com/1CB8646A-6DA3-433E-95E7-8D5667679134_mwdynamic_mhdynamic_s.jpg" src="/img/spacer.gif" alt="" /><div class="htmlPhgCaption"> <div class="htmlPhgCaptionInner"> Demonstrators step on a picture of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad during a protest against his regime in Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr district, January 4, 2013. </div> </div></li><li class="htmlPhgListItem"><img class="htmlPhgImage" data-src="http://gdb.voanews.com/25D7B420-0B90-4130-A803-7F695F034672_mwdynamic_mhdynamic_s.jpg" src="/img/spacer.gif" alt="" /><div class="htmlPhgCaption"> <div class="htmlPhgCaptionInner"> Damaged buildings and shops with members of the Syrian army patrolling in the distance in the old city of Aleppo, Syria, January 3, 2013. </div> </div></li><li class="htmlPhgListItem"><img class="htmlPhgImage" data-src="http://gdb.voanews.com/FE465ADE-A903-43DD-BC86-4DE74878705B_mwdynamic_mhdynamic_s.jpg" src="/img/spacer.gif" alt="" /><div class="htmlPhgCaption"> <div class="htmlPhgCaptionInner"> Men stand amidst wreckage and debris after a car bomb exploded at a crowded gas station in Barzeh al-Balad district in Damascus, in this handout photograph released by SANA on January 3, 2013. </div> </div></li><li class="htmlPhgListItem"><img class="htmlPhgImage" data-src="http://gdb.voanews.com/D8125FBF-A340-42BC-AC72-AAFB09A4D100_mwdynamic_mhdynamic_s.jpg" src="/img/spacer.gif" alt="" /><div class="htmlPhgCaption"> <div class="htmlPhgCaptionInner"> A father reacts after the death of two of his children whom activists said were killed by shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, in al-Ansari, Aleppo, Syria, January 3, 2013. </div> </div></li><li class="htmlPhgListItem"><img class="htmlPhgImage" data-src="http://gdb.voanews.com/709F217D-C6F3-4A92-96D0-B41C88FBDD1B_mwdynamic_mhdynamic_s.jpg" src="/img/spacer.gif" alt="" /><div class="htmlPhgCaption"> <div class="htmlPhgCaptionInner"> Free Syrian Army fighters stand near a fire after shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, al-Ansari, Aleppo, Syria, January 3, 2013. </div> </div></li><li class="htmlPhgListItem"><img class="htmlPhgImage" data-src="http://gdb.voanews.com/20B3F922-64AB-4511-8C05-15556CD98ED5_mwdynamic_mhdynamic_s.jpg" src="/img/spacer.gif" alt="" /><div class="htmlPhgCaption"> <div class="htmlPhgCaptionInner"> Residents wear masks as they search for bodies after shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, al-Ansari, Aleppo, Syria, January 3, 2013 </div> </div></li><li class="htmlPhgListItem"><img class="htmlPhgImage" data-src="http://gdb.voanews.com/B4CFB819-2EA6-487A-B18C-F17D5303FC9A_mwdynamic_mhdynamic_s.jpg" src="/img/spacer.gif" alt="" /><div class="htmlPhgCaption"> <div class="htmlPhgCaptionInner"> Members of the Free Syrian Army stand behind a machine gun turret with a flag reading "There is no God but Allah and Mohammad is his messenger" in Aleppo's Bustan Al Qaser district, Syria, January 2, 2013. </div> </div></li><li class="htmlPhgListItem"><img class="htmlPhgImage" data-src="http://gdb.voanews.com/D95E0DCD-03C1-438D-8D33-FCD970B2178E_mwdynamic_mhdynamic_s.jpg" src="/img/spacer.gif" alt="" /><div class="htmlPhgCaption"> <div class="htmlPhgCaptionInner"> A Free Syrian Army fighter asks a child to move away from his house's window as a security measure in Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr district December 30, 2012. </div> </div></li><li class="htmlPhgListItem"><img class="htmlPhgImage" data-src="http://gdb.voanews.com/4B4FE43F-124D-401F-B03D-E650B17E2546_mwdynamic_mhdynamic_s.jpg" src="/img/spacer.gif" alt="" /><div class="htmlPhgCaption"> <div class="htmlPhgCaptionInner"> A boy watches men dig graves for future casualties of Syria's civil conflict at Sheikh Saeed cemetery in Azaz city, December 30, 2012. </div> </div></li> </ul> <div class="htmlPhgFilmstrip"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" class="htmlPhgBtn htmlPhgFilmstripBackward">◀</a> <div class="htmlPhgFilmstripContainer"></div> <a href="javascript:void(0)" class="htmlPhgBtn htmlPhgFilmstripForward">▶</a> </div> <div class="htmlPhgControlPanel"> <div class="htmlPhgControlsLeft"> <span class="htmlPhgControlsSlide"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" class="htmlPhgBtn htmlPhgPrev">⏪</a> <a href="javascript:void(0)" class="htmlPhgBtn htmlPhgPlay">▶</a> <a href="javascript:void(0)" class="htmlPhgBtn htmlPhgPause">||</a> <a href="javascript:void(0)" class="htmlPhgBtn htmlPhgNext">⏩</a> </span> <span class="htmlPhgCount">1/10</span> </div> <div class="htmlPhgControlsRight"> <a href="javascript:void(0)" class="htmlPhgBtn htmlPhgMore">...</a> <a target="_self" href="javascript:void(0)" class="htmlPhgBtn htmlPhgFullscreenBtn">⇱</a> <a href="http://www.voanews.com/emailtofriend/photogallery/1571264.html?isflashembed=true" onclick="return openSharePopup('http://www.voanews.com/emailtofriend/photogallery/1571264.html?isflashembed=true')" class="htmlPhgBtn htmlPhgShare" target="_blank"> </a> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Disable Captions" class="htmlPhgBtn htmlPhgDisableCaption">Disable Captions</a> <a href="javascript:void(0)" title="Enable Captions" class="htmlPhgBtn htmlPhgEnableCaption">Enable Captions</a> </div> </div> </div> <script id="phg4958488c762442ca80444d3cc17786cc_template_DynamicScript1" type="text/javascript" src="/js_6.13.0.31653.04/custom/HtmlPhotogallery.x.js"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> /*<![CDATA[*/ HtmlPhotogallery({ containerSelector: ".htmlPhg" ,width: "640px" ,height: "392px" ,renderAsClientFullSize: false ,randomOrder: false ,livetrackImgUrl: "http://livetracker.voanews.eu/counter.lt?PageType=8&RecordId=1571264&SiteId=415&r=2078349248&it=0&pd=20121231111200&url=" }); /*]]>*/ </script></div> <br /> <strong>Government strategy</strong><br /> <br /> Opposition activists have accused the government of trying to “starve the civilian population into submission.” Both bread and gasoline, which are normally subsidized by the government, are in short supply.<br /> <br /> Riad Kahwaji, who heads the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, said that one strategy of forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad is to terrorize the civilian population into turning against the rebels.<br /> <br /> "This form of mass murder is aimed at terrorizing the population to force it to turn against the rebels," he said. "It is part of a strategic bombing that we have seen throughout history in wars between nations, but in this case it is a regime against its own people. It's using the heavy handed, very bloody approach to crush the rebellion. This is the strategy."<br /> <br /> Rebel forces attacked the government-controlled Taftanaz Airbase in Idlib province Wednesday. It was at least the third major attack on the air base in recent months. Rebel fighters also continued to besiege and attack the Minnig Airbase, north of Aleppo.<br /> <br /> <strong>Continued battles</strong><br /> <br /> Heavy fighting also has been taking place recently near both of Syria's civilian international airports in Aleppo and Damascus. Civilian air traffic is suspended at both facilities.<br /> <br /> Analyst Kahwaji said that many government airbases are under serious rebel pressure.<br /> <br /> "In the north, northeast, eastern part of the country and around the capital the rebels have managed to lay siege to many airports and have forced the regime to ground many of its planes," he said. "However, the regime still holds airbases up in the west, on the west coast, in the northwest and north of the capital. These are the airports that are being used now to launch most of the air raids."<br /> <br /> The United Nations reported Wednesday that close to 60,000 Syrians have been killed since a popular uprising broke out in March of 2011.<br /> <br /> <em><strong>Watch related video</strong></em><br /> <br /> <div><div id="v857a6ed8884a4d539414152584e90c7c" class="mediaplayer videoplayer"> <div id="v857a6ed8884a4d539414152584e90c7c_swfFlash"> <link id="v857a6ed8884a4d539414152584e90c7c_h5t_DynamicLink2" HrefTemplate="~/css{0}/jquery.ui.cssx" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <div class="playerUI1 big Video j_fullscreen_container j_player j_html5" id="v857a6ed8884a4d539414152584e90c7c_h5t" style="width:640px"> <div class="can-play"> <div class="videoInner j_media-block"> <video id="v857a6ed8884a4d539414152584e90c7c_h5t_h5pHtml5" poster="http://gdb.voanews.com/78B22B63-366E-4449-A1C2-7BC4FFF37B44_.jpg" width="640px" height="392px"> <source src="http://av.voanews.com/kaltura-test/VOA/VOA_-_English/mp4/2013/01/1_zdllop6d_1_sjxlhuua.mp4" type="video/mp4"> </source> </video> <img title="please wait" class="j_waiting waiting" src="../../img/loading.gif" alt="Loading" /> <div class="j_title media-title" style="display:none"> <span id="v857a6ed8884a4d539414152584e90c7c_h5t_spaMediaTitle" class="j_title-text">Related video of Syria air strike</span> <button class="j_title-close" type="button" title="Hide">✖</button> </div> </div> <div class="playerButtons j_playerButtons j_mediaWidth"> <div class="playerButtonsInner">  <button type="button" class="j_play play" title="Play"><span>▶</span></button> <button type="button" class="j_pause pause" style="display:none" title=""><span>||</span></button> <button type="button" class="j_stop stop" title="Pause"><span>■</span></button>  <div class="playprogressbar_container j_mediaWidth" data-wplus="-235"> <div class="j_play_loader progressbar_loader"></div> <div class="j_play_slider progressbar_slider" style=""></div> </div>  <div class="times"> <span class="j_elapsed time-elapsed">12:00:00</span> / <span class="j_total time-total">-:--:--</span> </div> <div class="right-controls">  <div class="j_all_volume_controls all_volume_controls"> <div class="j_volume_container volumeprogressbar_container"> <div class="j_volume_slider volume_slider" style=""></div> </div> <button type="button" class="j_mute mute loud"> <span class="mute" title="">🔇</span> <span class="unmute" title="">🔉</span> </button> </div>  <a id="v857a6ed8884a4d539414152584e90c7c_h5t_hylFullscreen" class="j_fullscreen fullscreen" title="" href="/flashembed.aspx?t=vid&id=1576444&w=100%&skin=embededfullscreen" href="/flashembed.aspx?t=vid&id=1576444&w=100%&skin=embededfullscreen" target="_blank"><span>⎚</span></a> <a id="v857a6ed8884a4d539414152584e90c7c_h5t_hylShare" class="share" onclick="return openSharePopup('http://www.voanews.com/emailtofriend/video/1576444.html?isflashembed=true')" href="http://www.voanews.com/emailtofriend/video/1576444.html?isflashembed=true" target="_blank" href="http://www.voanews.com/emailtofriend/video/1576444.html?isflashembed=true" target="_blank"><img src="../../img/player_ico_share_darkbg.png" alt="Share" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <button id="v857a6ed8884a4d539414152584e90c7c_h5t_Button1" type="button" class="j_play playBig" title="Play"><span>▶</span></button> </div> <div class="cannot-play j_errorContainer"> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> //height correcture of the video by buttons var oVid = $("#v857a6ed8884a4d539414152584e90c7c_h5t video"); 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