Syria sends mass-text to rebels’ cell phones: ‘Game over’
ASSOCIATED PRESS September 27, 2012 8:58AM
Free Syrian Army fighter carry the body of their comrade away from the front line during clashes against Syrian Army in Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012. Syria's unrest began in March 2011 when protests calling for political change met a violent government crackdown. Many in the opposition have since taken up arms as the conflict morphed into a civil war that activists say has killed nearly 30,000 people. Over the past few months, the rebels have increasingly targeted security sites and symbols of regime power in a bid to turn the tide in the fighting.(AP Photo/Manu Brabo)
DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian authorities have sent text messages over cell phones nationwide with a message for rebels fighting President Bashar Assad’s regime: “Game over.”
The messages signed by the Syrian Arab Army also urge the rebels to surrender their weapons and warn the countdown to evict foreign fighters has begun.
Syrians say they began receiving the messages Thursday, a day after rebels bombed a military command center in Damascus — a major security breach of the heavily guarded capital.
Despite the high-profile attack, the two sides have been locked in a stalemate after 18 months of conflict.
Last month, Syrian army helicopters dropped leaflets warning rebels in Damascus to hand over their arms and seek amnesty.
