Syria Rebels Urge Assad Forces to Defect Before Attack

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The rebel Free Syrian Army says it is benefiting from a delay in an expected U.S.-led strike on Syria and has guaranteed President Bashar al-Assad’s forces that they and their families will be unharmed if they defect.

“We are now taking advantage of this delay to make better plans and have also issued a statement calling on officers of the Syrian regular army to defect and join our ranks,” Mohammed Almustafa, media coordinator for the FSA’s General Salim Idriss, said by telephone today.