Syrian troops storm restive town

Syrian activists say troops firing from machine guns mounted on tanks have stormed a rebellious town in central Syria.

They say the tanks and armored vehicles entered Rastan early Tuesday and dozens of troops have deployed on the town’s streets.

Rastan lies on the highway to Turkey near the central Syrian city of Homs.

The town has emerged as a hotbed of dissent against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s autocratic regime, and alleged army deserters have clashed there with the military and security forces.

The Local Coordination Committees activist network and other groups reported Tuesday’s attacks in Rastan, saying there were several casualties.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

BEIRUT (AP) — Two online activist groups said Monday they hacked several official Syrian websites in the latest tactic to oppose President Bashar Assad’s authoritarian regime.

Online hackers RevoluSec and Anonymous said they were behind the latest Internet attacks, which targeted the websites of several ministries and some major Syrian cities.

The activists said they replaced the websites with caricatures of Assad and messages that read: “Don’t let Bashar monitor you online.”

The presence of larger-than-life photos of Assad throughout Syria combined with a brutal security crackdown on dissent serve as continuous reminders for Syrians of the government’s watchful eye on anti-government activity. The government frequently blocks and disables Internet access in Syrian cities where protesters are demanding Assad resign.

Monday’s Internet hacking comes as activists said at least four people were killed in central Syria. The United Nations estimates that more than 2,700 civilians have been killed in the government’s crackdown on the uprising that began mid-March.

Thousands more have been detained as Syrians.

Anonymous said on its website that 12 websites had been defaced by RevoluSec. Most of the websites have since been restored, but some were still down. The cartoons of Assad have been removed.

Anonymous claimed responsibility last month for hacking into the website of Syria’s defense ministry, which remains down.

“We hear that Syrian President Assad likes computers. Guess what? So do we,” read a message on the Twitter account of RevoluSec Monday.

Anonymous had vowed last month to launch a cyber campaign against Assad’s regime.

Assad, a British trained eye-doctor who succeeded his father as president, was once seen as someone who could herald reforms in Syria. Prior to becoming president in 2000, he headed Syria’s Computer Society and pushed youth to become more computer-savvy.

Now activists seeking to oust him are using the Internet as a weapon against his rule, uploading graphic videos of assaults on protesters and using social media websites to organize protests and relay messages.

Syria has banned journalists from reporting on the unrest, but videos posted online by activists have offered a rare and crucial glimpse into the far reaches of the country where the military has been deployed to crush protests.

Assad’s regime tightly controls traditional media outlets in Syria, such as television, radio and newspapers. State-run channels often blame the unrest on a foreign-inspired conspiracy and Islamic extremists.

AP/ CBS