Maaloula (Malula) situation ..... September 11, 2013

IMO, a CW attack to kill terrorists lodged in Maaloula (Malula) would be justified

If one wants to preserve the world heritage city of Maaloula,  then one would have to use CWs .... or would you rather that killing the rebels/terrorists by mortar fire and bullets is a better death for the scum than death by CW?
I vote for CW.  I hope Assad does not give up all the CWs.   Maaloula is a clear instance where CWs would be most effective.

The vids show BBC talking to Maaloula  residents who have fled Maaloula to the safety of Assad's stronghold in Damascus.


From BBC:
Battle for Syria Christian town of Maaloula continues. A BBC correspondent in Syria has said the battle for an ancient Christian town is continuing, despite reports that government forces had retaken it.
Jeremy Bowen said that a heavy gunfight with rebels was continuing in Maaloula, with smoke rising into the sky.
He added that he had not seen evidence confirming religious sites had been damaged by al-Qaeda-linked jihadists.
Fighting over the town, 55km (34 miles) north of Damascus, began last week after rebels attacked a checkpoint.....

........Since then, most of the town's 3,300 residents have fled to safer parts of the country including Damascus, where some told the BBC that three people had been killed and six kidnapped.
They said al-Nusra fighters had desecrated churches and statues........



......The rebels declared on Tuesday that they would withdraw from Maaloula provided that pro-government forces did not take their place.
"To ensure no blood is spilt and that the properties of the people of Maaloula are kept safe, the Free Syrian Army announces that the town of Maaloula will be kept out of the struggle between the FSA and the regime army," a spokesman said in an online video.

But heavy fighting was continuing on Wednesday afternoon when our correspondent arrived in Maaloula.

He said both government soldiers and local members of the National Defence Forces, a pro-government militia, were still exchanging fire with al-Nusra fighters inside the town. He also saw half a dozen government casualties being taken away for treatment.

The fighting in Maaloula has highlighted the delicate position of Syria's Christian minority.......