Opposition Reports Rise Of Alawite Militias

NICOSIA [MENL] -- President Bashar Assad, strapped by a shortage of
manpower, was said to have organized Alawite militias to quell the Sunni
revolt in Syria.
Opposition sources said the Assad regime has recruited thousands of
young Alawites for military operations over the last four months. In most
cases, the sources said, the Alawites were allowed to form or join
pro-regime militias in attacks on suspected Sunni rebel targets.