Arab League seeks to extend mission

DAMASCUS, Syria, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The Arab League is trying to extend its mission in Syria to monitor government efforts to end deadly attacks against a political uprising, observers said.

The monthlong monitoring mission was scheduled to end Wednesday, but a source close to the mission told CNN all the monitors had been told Thursday to remain at their bases.

An Arab League monitor said he expects the mission will be extended, because withdrawing the monitors would create an unwanted vacuum, Voice of America reported. Syrian rights groups, however, say President Bashar Assad has deceived the monitors and escalated deadly attacks.

The Free Syrian Army said it has pushed government forces out of Zabadani, about 30 miles north of Damascus. Government tanks, however, remained on the outskirts of the town Thursday after fleeing opposition forces, CNN reported.

"There was massive protests in Zabadani, so the Syrian army tried to disperse them. But our troops were very organized and aggressive with a counter attack that left them fleeing and they withdrew completely out of the city," said Lt. Col. Mohamed Hamdo of the Free Syrian Army. "Our forces raised the flag of independence in Zabadani."

Hamdo said the opposition fighters, who are mostly former government soldiers, expect another confrontation once government forces regroup.

Video posted on YouTube Wednesday showed marchers chanting and voicing thanks to the Free Syrian Army.

A CNN crew accompanied an Arab League monitoring team during a visit to Zabadani Sunday and said crowds had urged the Arab League monitors to stay to prevent government reprisals.