Global General

Syria witnessing Salafi insurgence: ministry

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-04-19 17:50

DAMASCUS - Syrian Interior Ministry said Syria was witnessing insurgency led by Salafi armed groups, the state-run al-Baath daily reported on Tuesday.

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In a statement issued late Monday, the Ministry of Interior stressed that the latest developments in several Syrian provinces such as the killing of policemen, army soldiers and civilians and terrifying people were all armed mutiny led by Salafi armed groups.

The ministry said that those groups aimed to create chaos and terrify the Syrian people, exploiting the reform announced by President Bashar al-Assad recently.

The ministry vowed to pursue "terrorists" everywhere to bring them to justice, confirming it would not be lenient with them.

Syrian authorities blame the country's 5-week turmoil on " foreign conspiracy" that finance "armed groups" to beat security and stability in Syria. It also accuses regional and international news agencies of "exaggeration and unprofessionalism" on covering the country's occurrences.

Over 200 Syrians have been killed so far since unprecedented anti-government protests erupted in the country one month ago, according to unofficial sources.