Syrian rebels withdrew on Thursday after a brief capture the historic town center, the Christian part of the country 's activities , to take control of strategic mountains near Damascus, opposition sources said.
Several rebel tours, including an al-Qaeda -linked Nusra ago , swept into town last Wednesday Qalamoun Maaloula mountain roadblock occupied by loyal to Syrian President Bashar al- Assad's forces and militia , the sources said.
Attack of the Christian minority clerical hierarchy members have expressed public support for Assad in Syria , stressing the delicate position .
Christian society, and fear of Islamic acquisitions, maintained since 2001 , mainly on the sidelines when it staged a four -year rule of the Assad family of peaceful protest .
Minority Christians to take up arms in the Civil War , tearing Syria in the past two and a half years, extensive pit Assad's Alawi minority, a branch of Shiite , Sunni against the majority .
Maaloula, and Golos Jabaadeen, two nearby Sunni urban residents , there are still quite a few speak Aramaic, the language of Christ .
"That's a roadblock at the entrance Maaloula started to play our mountain location a few days before it is silent , said:" We never had any intention to stay in Maaloula rebel commander Abu Khaled Baba Amro 's Revolutionary Army , named a district of the city of Homs after North .
Maaloula Most people fled the fighting broke out around the roadblocks , and on Wednesday , Syria warplanes bombed areas . Ten Assad supporters were killed , but no death toll was immediately available rebellion , activists said.
" A force to eliminate the terrorist organization members belong to AL-Nusra Front Northeast Maaloula, and destroyed the tools they use in their crimes , said : " The Syrian official state news agency .
Syrian authorities on independent media restrictions make it very difficult to verify these accounts.
Rebel brigade has strengthened its operations in the past week on the army base Qalamoun Mountain foothills.
REBELS emboldened
Assad's troops have been emboldened rebels in response to the threat of austerity , the U.S. military action , Damascus region , resulting in hundreds of civilian deaths nerve gas attacks , according to the opposition .
Samia Elias, residents living in Maaloula, said by telephone , the Syrian army and the al-Lijan the AL-Shaabiya, consisting of persons from Maaloula a pro- Assad militia , after a brief exchange of fire , the rebels have been left.
"They are blaming each other roadblocks that Manning was eliminated , " she said.
" Months of anti -government armed forces have been Maaloula, but the surrounding villagers , they will not be able to enter , there has been an understanding in order to be fair, they do not seem to have touched a church or our home ."
Maaloula There are several important churches and monasteries and Greek Orthodox nunnery 3 Thecla , many Christians and Muslims reputation as a sacred place patient miraculously healed, come visit.
吕讷萨亚夫, senior mother in March Thecla , told Lebanon AL- jadid TV , Christian holy places by the rebels looted inaccurate reporting .
However , the video footage showed rebel fighters launching machine gun Maaloula to the center of the cliff , a group of insurgents carrying rocket-propelled grenades and flashing victory signs to the center of town .
"Maaloula Bashar has been completely cleansed from the dog , " the rebels said in the film world.
Other footage showed a group of rebel commanders instructions not directed at civilians or soldiers in the town of Christian symbols .
"The rebels have achieved their mission to remove barricades around Maaloula , said:" Syrian opposition activist Faek AL-MIR. "We are asking all residents have left the town to go back, way back they are safe ."
Some Christians have been prominent in their opposition Assad and his late father, Hafez Assad . But many people fear that they will dominate the Islamic hardliners , and destroyed their livelihoods, if Assad is overthrown.
Alawi minority shareholders to consolidate their power in the 1960s by the old Assad , who forged an alliance with the Christian church complex established in Damascus and Aleppo Sunni and Sunni merchant class members .
Syria has about 850,000 Christians , about 4.5 % of the population . Of these, about 400,000 Catholics in Syria, the Greek Melkite , Maronite , Chaldean and Armenian churches and .



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