All the personnel at the Sbeineh police station have defected with all of their materiel #Damascus

[tabatha]

Damascus Suburbs: Sbeineh: All the personnel at the Sbeineh police station have defected with all of their materiel, including ammunition and vehicles

Sbeneh is just south of Damascus, near neighbourhoods that have seen increased protests such as Al Hajar al Aswad. While Ghouta (the name of the area east of Damascus that covers many suburbs, including Irbeen and Douma) has a strong protest movement, and has at times had a large presence of Free Syrian Army fighters, the neighbourhoods and suburbs to the south and west, closer to the heart of the city, also have growing opposition movements. If this trend continues, Damascus could soon be encircled by areas sympathetic to the resistance.

The potential defection of armed, trained, police officers, possibly with vehicles, is not only a significant if small loss for the regime and addition for the militarized wing of the opposition, it could also encourage protests to the south of the city. If the police have started to join the opposition south of Damascus, then what will keep the protesters from turning out in larger numbers?

Most of the other news so far this morning, thus far, appears to be coming from Daraa and its suburbs, where large protests, large numbers of arrests, and a good deal of violence is reported.

http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/2/20/syria-bahrain-and-beyond-live-coverage-watching-the-protests.html#1525