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    October 02, 2011

Syrian Opposition Groups Form United Front

   VOA News
   From left, Ahmed Ramadan, Bassma Kodmani, Abdulbaset Seida and Imad
   Aldeen Rashid speak as a group of Syrian opposition members announced a
   Syrian National Council in Istanbul, Turkey, September 15, 2011.
   Photo: AP
   From left, Ahmed Ramadan, Bassma Kodmani, Abdulbaset Seida and Imad
   Aldeen Rashid speak as a group of Syrian opposition members announced a
   Syrian National Council in Istanbul, Turkey (File Photo - September 15,
   2011).

   Syrian opposition groups have announced the creation of a national
   council to oppose the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
   The announcement came Sunday on the second day of a meeting in
   Istanbul, Turkey.
   The Syrian National Council is designed to present a united front by
   including all Syrian opposition movements.
   In Syria itself, the central town of Rastan is reported calm after
   several days of intense fighting between government forces and
   insurgents, including army defectors who have sided with the
   opposition.
   Government forces regained control in the town, 180 kilometers north of
   Damascus, Saturday after units of the Syrian army, backed by tanks and
   helicopters, moved in.
   During the six-month uprising against the Assad government, at least
   2,700 people have been killed, according to the United Nations.
   The government crackdown has provoked growing international
   condemnation. But Syria insists much of the deadly unrest is caused by
   what it describes as terrorist groups.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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References

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