Syria Gov't Seizes Key Rebel Town

The Syrian government announced on Sunday that it had captured Yabroud, a town on the Lebanese border that served as an essential hub for rebel supplies. Activists report that the fighting is ongoing, but the government effectively controls much of the town. Yabroud was the last major rebel-held town in the mountainous Qalamoun region. Hezbollah's alignment with the Assad regime appears to have been a deciding factor in the government's latest victory in the region. Kasem Alzein, a pro-rebel doctor from a nearby Lebanese border town, was still hopeful despite a recent series of defeats. Speaking about the Syrian government, he said "They can't close all the mountain pathways. God willing, God will open a path for us."