World news explained
Syrian forces take full control of the rebel bastion Yabroud
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Play - 05:03
The Syrian military’s recapture of Yabroud - the last rebel stronghold near the Lebanese border – has dealt the opposition a heavy strategic and symbolic blow. The town had been a rebel bastion since early in the Syrian uprising that began in March 2011. It also sits along a critical route for weapons for the rebels, pro-Assad militias, and Hezbollah. Fleeing Syrian rebels are now trying to reach hide-outs along the nearby Lebanese border. Lina Khatib, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, comments on the rebels’ position.