On Monday the opposition Syrian National Council issued a warning saying that in a town near Damascus a massacre was likely as thousands of young men have been detained by the Syrian security forces. In a statement which was received in Nicosia, the opposition expressed its reservations that there was the chance of a massacre as the Syrian forces have gathered hundreds of young men in a public square in Rankus, located some 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Damascus, the Syrian capital. The statement said that the SNA had asked for the international and Arab media to act quickly for the resolution of this important issue. It added that the Syrian security forces launched a raid on Monday morning in Rankus which was backed by rocket launchers and tanks, and then unleashed a campaign of arrests.

It was told that the local authorities have cut off telephone, electricity lines and water. A siege has been imposed on the town of Rankus which is now inhibiting all sort of medical aid and food to reach the 25,000 inhabitants of the town. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights the Syrian security forces were able to enter the town after encircling it for six days.

According to the activists and rights groups, the army deserters pulled out of the town as the security personnel moved in. This assault resulted in wounding many civilians and the took the lives of two deserters.

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