(Zaman Al Wasl)- Syrian regime Intelligence and army have launched widespread conscription campaign as fears mount of possible U.S. attack in retaliation for Saturday's chemical assault in Douma.
Activists based in pro-regime areas said the arrest campaign included women and relatives of former army defectors.
A state of panic is sweeping the loyal areas, residents say.
The United States and its allies consider punitive military attacks against the Syrian regime following the chemical attack that killed 78 people in Douma.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that an attack on Syria could take place "very soon or not so soon at all," AP reported.
Seeking to dispel criticism he had tweeted the time of an attack a day earlier, Trump argued he had never signaled the timing of retaliation.
In response to U.S. threats, Bashar Assad said Thursday a potential retaliation for the suspected chemical attack would be based on "lies" and would seek to undermine his forces' recent advances near Damascus.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would not participate in possible military action in Syria, but supports sending a message that the use of chemical weapons is unacceptable.
Assad said Western countries were lashing out after they lost their "bet" on opposition forces in the eastern Ghouta suburbs of the capital, Damascus.
Meanwhile, Syrian air force has been hiding its fighter jets in the Russian Hmeimim air base in Latakia province, sources told Zaman al-Wasl.
Sources assured that MiG-29 and Su-24, jets were removed from al-Seen and T4 air bases in Syrian desert to Hmeimim air base on Tuesday. Also MiG-23, Su-22 jets have landed in al-Nayrab and Kuweiris bases.
Russian experts and military personnel were also evacuated from al-Dumary military air base to Damascus.
Said Seif, spokesman for Ahmed la-Abdu Units, said the regime forces had 'emptied' al-Seen (Sayqal) airport that lies n the Eastern Qalamoun region.
A military source said regime forces have deployed its advanced air defense systems around the capital and near the Republican Palace.
Most advanced air defenses were deployed in Mezzeh military airport. The source said six defense systems were stationed, including Russian Pantsir-S2 defense system which is a combined short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti- aircraft artillery weapon"
The White Helmets, a civil defense agency, blamed the Syrian regime for the attack in Eastern Ghouta's Douma, which, it said killed 78 civilians and injured hundreds of other victims.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed its fact-finding mission is investigating "to establish whether chemical weapons were used".
Zaman Al Wasl
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