Syria arrests suspected terrorists

The Syrian Army have arrested scores of suspected terrorists in an operation northwest of the country.

Syrian troops entered the city of Baniyas and arrested alledged armed terrorist elements, a Press TV correspondent reported late Sunday.

Those arrested confessed to receiving support and funds from foreign elements, according to the Syrian state TV.

“A Saudi man … briefed me on our scheme. He allured me by saying that you are planning to destroy the Syrian regime, because it fights the religion,” said one of the leaders of the detained suspects.

A Syrian military source said the armed groups in the city of Baniyas used heavy weaponry against the army, the national al-Watan daily reported.

“We have to understand the reason behind this kind of development… We have to understand there are weapons, traitors and terrorists,” said Muhammad Habash, a Syrian lawmaker.

“My message … to our people [is that] we have to respect our army and we have to respect the security in Syria,” Habash added.

Scores of people, including several security forces and soldiers, have been killed across the country since the beginning of the unrests in Syria in mid-March.