Saudi-US Backed Rebels Kill 60 Shiite Villagers in Eastern Syria

At least 60 Shiite villagers martyred in defending of their homes and farms in clashes with Saudi, US, Qatar, Europe, Turkey-Bakced rebels in eastern Syria while twin suicide bombings hit Damascus as the West moved to support the opposition following battlefield losses against pro-regime forces.

“Yesterday (Tuesday) rebels attacked the village and took control of it, killing 60 Shiite residents, most of them villagers,” Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP.

The clashes came in the majority Sunni village of Hatlah, in eastern Deir Ezzor province.

At least 10 rebels were also perished in the fighting on Tuesday, and Shiite residents of Hatlah were fleeing following the violence, Abdul Rahman said.

The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of government forces, have been killed.

Damascus says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

The Syrian government says the West and its regional allies, such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, are supporting the militants.

In addition, several international human rights organizations say the militants operating in Syria have committed war crimes.