Assad sends more soldiers to crush Syria uprising - The Globe and Mail

Assad sends more soldiers to crush Syria uprising - The Globe and Mail
Syrian army units backed by tanks have tightened the siege of two defiant urban centres, in a sign that President Bashar al-Assad is widening the use of the military to crush demonstrations against his autocratic rule.

Tanks and armoured vehicles deployed around Rastan town on Wednesday and army units set up checkpoints in Sunni districts in Banias, days after a loyalist army division led by Mr. Assad’s brother Maher crushed protests in the southern city of Deraa with shellfire and machineguns.