Capture of Syrian officer appears to have been caught on camera

2012-08-15 151

Smoke bellows in the background as Syrian rebel fighters clash with government forces in northern Idlib.

This video, posted on a social media website and cannot be independently verified, appears to show rebels celebrating after attacking a convoy.

But the rebels soon find out they have company.

Hiding in what appears to be a sewer pipe is a Syrian Army officer.

The rebel fighters tell the officer to come out, that he is safe if he surrenders.

Eventually he comes out, and appears to be protected by his captors.

STORY: Amateur video posted on a social media website said to be filmed on Tuesday (August 14) shows rebel fighters capturing a Syrian Army officer as he was hiding in what appears to be a sewer pipe said to be in Bab al-Hawa in northern Idlib.

''Get out, you are safe. Get out and you are safe,'' shouted the rebels as they tried to bring the solider officer out of the hole"

The video then shows a solider in an army uniform getting out of the hole and rebels shouting:

''You are safe if you surrendered.''

Asked whether he was an officer, the soldiers replied ''I am a captain.''

The rebels in the video claim that the operation was carried out after the Syrian army convoy came under attack by rebel forces in the area.

"To fight back against the Assad forces coming from Idlib, we have attacked a convoy coming from Idlib to Bab Al Hawa in northern Idlib," said a rebel fighter.

Another amateur video showed rebel fighters celebrating the capture of one of Assads tanks on the way to Bab al-Hawa.

"With god's help, we managed to bomb three tanks on the way to Bab al-Hawa. We also captured this tank, and it is now with the Free Syrian Army, and we say to Bashar al-Assad that we will keep resisting even if he use rockets against us," said one of the rebels in the video.