Palestinian Pundit: Bring in the Borkan: Syrian rebels unveil latest weapon in the fight against Assad... a homemade cannon mounted on a digger which blasts gas canisters two miles

Monday, March 9, 2015

The Daily Mail

With a range of almost two miles and four tubes attached to a loader, these are the homemade cannon being built by rebel fighters in Syria.

The ‘Borkan’ ('Volcano') weapons are built from gas canisters before being placed inside the loader, which can fire four shells at a time.

Photos revealed al-Shamiyah Front fighters in Aleppo launching the missiles towards forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad yesterday.

The Front was formed more than two months ago after rebel groups fighting in Syria's northern Aleppo province agreed to form an alliance.

The images emerged as a group monitoring the war reported gunmen killed at least 12 Islamic State militants in al-Mayadin, Syria, overnight.

The unidentified gunmen on at least two motor bikes first opened fire on an ISIS patrol before attacking militants guarding a nearby court.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a second group of gunmen attacked an ISIS checkpoint in the town, near the Iraqi border.

Meanwhile, today, two activist groups said Syrian government airstrikes on a rebel-held suburb of the capital had killed at least ten people.

The Local Coordination Committees activist collective and the SOHR said today’s air raids targeted the Arbeen district, east of Damascus.

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Getting it ready: Al-Shamiyah Front fighters prepare a new locally-made cannon named 'Borkan' (Volcano) before its launch yesterday

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Fire: Al-Shamiyah Front fighters inspect the Volcano as it is launched towards forces loyal to Syria's president Bashar Al-Assad in Aleppo

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Homemade: Men fill gas canisters with explosives for usage with the Volcano cannon inside a weapon factory in Aleppo countryside

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Mortar shells: A man works in the weapons factory in Aleppo. The Volcano weaponry has a range of almost two miles

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Sparks flying: The 'Borkan' is made out of four tubes attached to a loader and can fire four shells at a time

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In the making: A man works in the weapons factory in Aleppo countryside, building the Volcano

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Manufacturing process: A man constructs the Volcano inside a weapon factory in Aleppo countryside last week

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Blast: Members of a Syrian opposition group launch a rocket towards forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Aleppo yesterday

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Ready: A member of the Syrian opposition group linked to Damascus Front prepares to launch a rocket towards forces loyal to Mr Assad

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Men on the ground: Opposition members make preparations to launch an attack against Syrian regime forces during the clashes in Aleppo

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Fighting: The images emerged as a group monitoring the war reported gunmen killed at least 12 Islamic State militants in al-Mayadin, Syria

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Using technology: Syrian opposition fighters prepare an attack against regime forces during clashes in Aleppo yesterday

Monday, March 9, 2015