Syrian rebel groups renew attacks in breach of shaky truce

Several Syrian rebel groups unleashed a wide-scale offensive in northwestern and central Syria on Monday, in what they called a retaliation to the government forces' breach of truce.

The militants said they started a battle called "Retaliation for Grievances," which was witnessed by a wide-scale offensive against areas in the countryside of the coastal city of Latakia and the countryside of the central province of Hama.

The rebels' declared reprisal campaign came just a day after Mohammed Alloush, leader of the Syrian opposition delegation at the Geneva peace talks, called for renewed attacks on Syrian government forces, despite the shaky truce deal.

Some other opposition figures taking part in the Geneva talks said Alloush's remarks represent his own opinion, not the rest of the opposition participants.

Still, the call of Alloush, who is also a political figure in the Islam Army, has been answered by the militants on ground.

A military source told Xinhua that intense battles broke out on Monday morning between the Syrian army and the rebels near the town of Hakura in the western countryside of Hama, during which the Syrian army foiled a suicide attack in that area.

The source also told Xinhua that the military forces repelled another attack on the countryside of the town of Kinsaba in Latakia countryside amid raging battles on both fronts.

Also on Monday, the Free Syrian Army rebel group urged the Higher Negotiation Committee, which is tasked with embarking on a dialogue with the Syrian government delegation to the Geneva talks, to stop all negotiations and end the truce.

It also called for renewed "armed struggle until the downfall of the Damascus tyrant." Endit