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Rebels capture military base in southern Syria

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[April 03, 2013]  BEIRUT (AP) -- Syrian anti-government activists say rebels have captured a military base in southern Syria.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the opposition fighters took the air defense base on the outskirts of the city of Daraa on Wednesday after battling President Bashar Assad's troops in the area for several days.

The takeover is the latest advance by the rebels near the strategic border area with Jordan.

The rebels launched an offensive in recent weeks to seize towns and military bases in the south, largely with the help of an influx of foreign-funded weapons.

The opposition already controls large swathes of land in the north and parts of Syria's largest city, Aleppo.

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THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE.
AP's earlier story is below.

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A Syrian jet has fired a missile that slammed into a house on the outskirts of a Lebanese border town, state media said.

The National News Agency said the attack hit the edge of the town of Arsal on the Lebanese side of the frontier on Wednesday. The report said there were no casualties, although the strike did cause material damage.

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Lebanon has been on edge since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad began more than two years ago.

Lebanese gunmen supporting opposing sides of the Syrian conflict have frequently clashed in Lebanon, raising concerns that fighting could spread and reignite Lebanon's explosive sectarian mix.

Arsal is a Sunni Muslim town that has backed opposition fighters in Syria. Arms smuggling into Syria is widespread in the area.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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