Cii News| October 30, 2012

The common message of captured army generals loyal to Syrian President
Bashar al Assad was that they sincerely regret their participation in the ongoing
fighting.

Speaking to Cii News in Syria, some generals said they were forced to continue serve the army. They claimed that they were threatened to be killed if they left the force.

Some noted that they were caught between the army and the revolutionary Free Syrian Army (FSA) and thus had to do what was necessary. One general noted that in the conflict, the Syrian army formed the front line while Iranian and Hezbollah forces followed closely behind.

Iran together with Russia and China has unequivocally expressed support for
Assad’s regime.

“If we had to run away we would have been shot by these people,” the general
said.

This was however contradicted by another member of the army who said that they
were observed by senior officials of the Syrian army who ensured that
soldiers fulfill all directives.

Another soldier, who was merely 19 years old at the time of joining the
army, told Cii News that he attempted to escape the army on several
occasions but was forced to remain.

Many of the captured soldiers like their counterparts in other parts of
Syria said they have been treated extremely well by the FSA.

Some went as far as calling on other Syrian soldiers to lay down their arms.