Syria Rebels Warn to Resume Attacks if Regime Stalls on Pullout

The rebel Free Syrian Army will resume attacks on forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad if the regime does not stop shelling and pull troops out of protest hubs as promised, its spokesman warned Tuesday.

"If (the regime) does not stop shelling and not withdraw tanks, we will intensify our military operations and launch attacks," Colonel Qassem Saadeddine told Agence France Presse.

He said FSA is "committed to the timetable set by Mr. Kofi Annan," the U.N.-Arab League envoy who drafted a peace plan under which Syria committed to withdrawing its forces from protest centers early on Tuesday, with a complete end to fighting 48 hours later.

"The regime was supposed to withdraw tanks by today, but we did not notice any movement in that direction. On the contrary, shelling continues, and forces have been reinforced in areas like the province of Hama," he said.

He said the rebels will "wait the 48 hours without attacking the army, and will remain in a defensive position."