Syrian Forces Bomb Capital as School Year Starts
Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad pounded southern suburbs of the Syrian capital to flush out rebels on Sunday, residents said, as the government restarted the school year to give a semblance of normality to the war-torn country.
Since a pro-democracy movement started in March 2011, Assad’s administration has played it down to give an impression of order, even after the killing of thousands of peaceful protesters turned the uprising into an armed revolt.
Even now that there is heavy fighting in every province, Assad appears determined to continue ruling as in peacetime.
The state news agency said more than 5 million students would return to the country’s 22,000 schools, excluding an unspecified number damaged by war or housing refugees.