A well-known correspondent for a Western newspaper in the Middle East sent me this: (she/he does not want to be cited): "FYI spoke to people with info re Qusair yesterday they said most
civilians left, those left behind few hundred at most relatives of armed
people, women who cook for them etc. true about 600-700 injured but
nearly all fighters. Civilians including wives and children of some
fighters had been evacuated long ago, rebels knew offensive was coming
and wouldn't keep them inside. Each advance they made into the town,
there were no civilians in houses or streets or neighbourhoods they took
over from rebels, so on this basis they assume and conclude there are
no civis left. Note both al-jazeera activist/citizen journo
adballah whatever his name is was going on jazeera saying 40,000
civilians inside will be massacred. Gen Idriss on BBC also wailed
50,000 civilians inside qusair will be knived by Hezbollah, but no one
challenged him about the fact that Qusair's etire population is between
30-40ks at most and we know for a fact that majoiryt left before the
offensive and during the last year when rebels took hold of the town and
several thousands about 5,000 in total left town at start of offensvie
(as reported by UN organisation yesterday who visited these displaced
families nearby) so how can there be 40 and 50 ks inside as per
opposition claims?
BBC instead quoted the figure in its online report.!"
BBC instead quoted the figure in its online report.!"
