Rebels move closer to Hama airport

August 19, 2014

By Osama Abu Zeid and Brent Eng

AMMAN: Rebels in Hama province are continuing their push to capture the military airport, destroying a building inside after shelling it with artillery fire on Monday, according to pro-opposition news outlet Battle of Badr.

“The Free Syrian Army clashed with the regime in the area around the airport, which they are preparing to break into,” Mohammed Abu Zeid, a pro-opposition activist in Hama city, told Syria Direct Tuesday.

“The rebels targeted the airport with dozens of missiles and heavy artillery fire [Monday].”

The Hama military airport is the launching point for all regime aerial attacks in the region, and is also located near the factories that produce the barrel bombs used across the country.

Rebel fighters in rural Hama are hoping to capture the military airport and shut down the regional source of barrel-bomb production. Photo courtesy of @Altabtabie.

The rebel shelling allegedly killed all of the soldiers inside the building at the time, according to pro-opposition news site Syria al-Hadith.

The rebels also managed to shoot down a regime warplane Monday after it crashed near the airport, located next to Hama province’s eponymous capital city.

“The fighting is now taking place near the town of Sheiha located northwest of the airport,” Zeid added, “and the rebels are storming the entrances of the town to get closer to the airport.”

While pro-regime news agency al-Watan did not mention the attacks on the airport, it did acknowledge fighting the area.

“The Syrian Army shattered the dreams [of the rebels] and extended its control over villages nearby Hama, previously held by the terrorists.”

For more from Syria Direct, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.