Insurgents Commander Yousef al-Hamo Killed in Syria’s Homs

Insurgents in Syria have confirmed their commander, Yousef al-Hamo, has been killed in the western city of Homs. 

The confirmation comes as Syria’s official SANA news agency reported on Sunday that the foreign-sponsored insurgents in the flashpoint city of Aleppo killed five members of a family, including two brothers and their three teenage sons in the al-Marjeh neighborhood. 

Meanwhile, the civilians are said to have been cooperating with government forces in Aleppo in the fight against the armed groups, according to a Press TV correspondent.

Residents of Aleppo have formed popular committees in order to protect their neighborhoods against the insurgents.

On Saturday, fierce clashes erupted between the Syrian army and the insurgents in the western city of Hama, where several armed men were killed during the fighting.

Syria has been the scene of deadly unrest since mid-March 2011 and many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

Damascus says outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorists are the driving factor behind the unrest and deadly violence, while the opposition accuses the security forces of being behind the killings.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with al-Dunia TV channel, aired on August 28, that the “situation on the ground is better but we have not yet won -- this will take more time.”