Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Roulezelectrique.com: Une hausse majeure du prix de vente de la Tesla Model S au Canada

Tesla Motors est reconnu pour ?chambarder? l'ordre ?tabli dans l'industrie automobile. Contrairement aux manufacturiers traditionnels qui diminuent le prix de leurs mod?les ?lectrique (ex: la Volt baisse de 5000$, la Focus ?lectrique baisse de 4000$), Tesla augmente le prix de leur unique mod?le ... et pas ? peu pr?s! En effet, en vigueur depuis le 1er ao?t 2013, c'est le prix des options surtout qui augmente parfois de plus de 100%!

tesla model s

Selon le site am?ricain Plugincars, le mod?le Performance Plus avec toutes les options de choisies, co?te la modique somme de 132 070$ USD (avant taxes et avant les rabais gouvernementaux). Au Canada, les Tesla S sont plus dispendieuses: c'est 143 120$ que co?te la Tesla Model S la plus ?quip?e!

Mais concr?tement, par rapport au prix pay? par les ?early adopters?, les consommateurs pr?coces comme moi-m?me, quelle est la hausse de prix exacte?

Je rappelle au lecteur que je suis propri?taire d'une Tesla Model S que j'ai r?serv? en juin 2012 et que j'ai re?u en mars 2013. J'ai la plus grosse batterie (85 kWh) avec beaucoup d'options, mais je n'ai pas la version Performance ou Performance Plus.

Donc, j'ai ressorti ma facture et configur? une Tesla Model S exactement identique sur le site de Tesla Motors (version Canada). Voici les r?sultats de mon calcul: en incluant les taxes, il y a une augmentation de 11 500$ (si vous voulez voir le d?tail des chiffres et du calcul, le tableau comparatif se trouve ici).

De plus, le 1er janvier 2014 (c'est dans moins de 5 mois!), le rabais gouvernemental sera diminu? ? 4000$. Donc, en supposant que Tesla n'augmente pas ses prix d'ici l?, un nouvel acheteur qui voudra s'acheter, apr?s janvier 2014, une Tesla S avec une configuration identique ? la mienne, devra d?bourser 15 500$ de plus.

Et pour quelle raison Tesla Motors se permet-elle une telle hausse de prix?

Apr?s des ?changes avec d'autres propri?taires Tesla au Qu?bec, nous en sommes arriv?s aux hypoth?ses suivantes:

  1. L'offre et la demande: la capacit? de production est limit?e actuellement (environ 600 voitures par semaine) et la demande est beaucoup plus ?lev?e, surtout avec le d?but des livraisons en Europe (?a commence en ao?t) et en Asie (plus tard cette ann?e).
  2. Le PDG de Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, a promis aux actionnaires que les marges b?n?ficiaires brutes seraient d'au moins 25%. Une des fa?ons simples d'atteindre ces marges, c'est d'augmenter le prix de vente!
  3. Le prix de vente de la Tesla S est inf?rieur aux voitures comparables (et ? essence en plus): la Audi A8, la Mercedes S, la BMW s?rie 7, la Porsche Carrera ou la Maserati Quatroporte.
  4. En plus, la Tesla S a re?u des ?loges de la part des ?experts?: Motor Trend lui a d?cern? le titre de voiture de l'ann?e et Consumer Reports la notre presque parfaite de 99%! Alors, quand on ne re?oit que des ?loges d'un produit, il est tentant d'en augmenter le prix!

? mon avis, c'est une mauvaise nouvelle pour l'augmentation du nombre de voitures ?lectriques sur le march?, car la voiture ?lectrique de r?ve est encore moins accessible. Est-ce que les ventes de Tesla S diminueront au Canada avec la hausse des prix? Probablement, je suppose. Selon les derni?res donn?es, la Tesla S est en 2e position dans le palmar?s des ventes au pays ... tout juste derri?re la Chevrolet Volt (et il semblerait que la Tesla S est tr?s pr?s du num?ro 1).

Une chose est certaine: ? 15 500$ de plus, je n'aurais pas eu les moyens financiers d'acheter cette voiture. Actuellement, j'?conomise environ 200$ par mois par rapport ? mon ancienne voiture (une Fusion 2010 4 cylindres), car je consommais 1000$ de p?trole par mois en plus du pr?t-auto et des nombreux entretiens.

Mais avec le 15 500$ additionnel, ce 200$ par mois dispara?t! Est-ce que j'aurais enlev? des options? Peut-?tre. Pourtant, le toit panoramique qui se contr?le avec l'?cran central est tellement g?nial ... et les si?ges d'enfants, obligatoire pour moi si je veux ?tre capable de transporter ma famille au complet! C'est la seule consolation, le prix de base a peu augment? (voir tableau).

Bien s?r, pour les gens riches et c?l?bres, la hausse n'est peut-?tre pas un probl?me (tant que le prix est comp?titif par rapport aux autres voitures de luxe et de performance).

Une consolation: Pour une fois que c'est payant d'?tre un ?early adopter?. Alors que toutes les voitures ?conventionnelles? perdent 20 ? 30% de leur valeur d?s qu'elles quittent la cour du Concessionnaire, c'est probablement le contraire pour ma Tesla S ... elle vaut peut-?tre plus que le prix que j'ai pay?!

Historiquement, les consommateurs pr?coces (early adopters) paient tr?s cher pour ?tre les premiers ... et lorsque le produit atteint le consommateur de masse, le prix baisse dramatiquement ...l semblerait qu'avec Tesla, c'est le contraire qui se passe ... mais avec eux, il faut s'habituer ...cette entreprise ? l'intention de red?finir l'industrie de l'automobile ... mais ?a ne se fera pas sans ?brasser la cage?!

Note: Propri?taires actuels de Tesla S et futurs propri?taires, SVP n'h?sitez pas ? commenter et ? partager votre propre exp?rience.

Sylvain Jutreau

VOIR AUSSI SUR LE HUFFPOST

  • Google's Self-Driving Car

    Google has transformed <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/03/google-self-driving-car-demo_n_831175.html" target="_hplink">ordinary Toyota Priuses</a> into hands-free vehicles, each equipped with a rotating camera, sensors and more. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/03/google-self-driving-car-demo_n_831175.html" target="_hplink">According to the AP</a>, the four-wheeled fleet "can steer, stop and start without a human driver." These so-called self-driving cars handle themselves so well that one has even been used to take a blind man for a joy ride (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/google-self-driving-car-blind-man-taco-bell_n_1387930.html" target="_hplink">see video above</a>).

  • Terrafugia Transition - Flying Car

    With its "Transition" car, Terrafugia proves that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/30/terrafugia-transition-fly_n_630578.html#s108243" target="_hplink">the future is finally here</a>. The operator of this amazing vehicle can drive it <em>and</em> fly it. The Transition has already been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly in the skies and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/09/terrafugia-transition-flying-car_n_893402.html#s305568" target="_hplink">by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to drive on roads</a>. If you happen to have a driver's license, pilot license, and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/03/terrafugia-transition-test-flight_n_1399267.html" target="_hplink">$279,000</a>, this car might be the one for you. The Transition was slated for consumer release in late 2011, but that date has been delayed and no new date has been announced.

  • Moller M200G Hover Car

    If you happen to be a fan of "The Jetsons," you're going to love this. For about $125,000, you can get your hands on your very own M200G Hover-Car, thanks to Moller International, <a href="http://gizmodo.com/280546/moller-m200g-hover+car-in-production-and-selling-for-125k" target="_hplink">reported Gizmodo way back in 2007</a>. While the M200G is pretty cool to look at (even if the photo is a little retro), a sleek flying car called the <a href="http://moller.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=58" target="_hplink">M400 Skycar</a> may be the company's next project (though so far there's been no word on how it's coming along.)

  • Tramontana R

    This futuristic-looking "supercar," the <a href="http://www.tramontanagroup.com/car/car.php" target="_hplink">Tramontana R</a>, is a product of European auto-maker <a href="http://www.tramontanagroup.com/adtramontana/adtramontana.php" target="_hplink">a.d. Tramontana</a> and <a href="http://www.tramontanagroup.com/adtramontana/adtramontana.php" target="_hplink">features</a> a carbon fiber body, a max speed of more than 200 mph, and a V12 engine that produces a maximum horsepower of 720. Unfortunately, all of these awesome specs (and the fact that it looks almost as cool as the Batmobile) have landed the car with a ridiculous price tag. <a href="http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/24/car-cool-model-lifestyle-vehicles-car-cool_slide_10.html?thisSpeed=undefined" target="_hplink">According to Forbes</a>, it costs upwards of $511,126, and only 12 are released each year.

  • BMW ConnectedDrive Connect

    BMW's <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/26/bmw-self-driving-car_n_1234362.html" target="_hplink">ConnectedDrive Connect system</a> can be installed in current BMW models and allows the car to drive itself. While at the moment the system operates only on pre-mapped roads, further developments will allow the car to adapt and drive on any street.

  • Audi A8

    Audi's 2012 "super-luxury" vehicle is hailed as a standout in its class. <a href="http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Audi_A8/" target="_hplink">Writes U.S. News</a>, <blockquote>Test drivers say the A8's cabin is exceptionally crafted, and the standard MMI infotainment system now features Google Earth views on its navigation screen and available Wi-Fi connectivity, thanks to a SIM card in the A8's dash. Reviewers like the design and features inside the A8, but note that it packs less cargo space than many competing luxury sedans. Passenger space, on the other hand is ample. </blockquote> If it's anything like its predecessor, the Audi A7, which our own Jason Gilbert called a "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/16/2012-audi-a7-features_n_900788.html#s310151&title=Head_Up_Windshield" target="_hplink">tech-lover's dream</a>," the A8 is sure to win over drivers who have $75,704 to $130,192 laying around.

  • SARTRE And Volvo's Road Train

    In partnership with the Safe Road Trains for the Environment (SARTRE) program, Volvo is testing the "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/22/sartre-road-train-platoon-car_n_811632.html#s227279" target="_hplink">road train</a>" system, in which a lead vehicle pilots a column of cars down highways. The head car controls the others via Wi-Fi, allowing the drivers to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/24/sartre-autonomous-road-train-enters-final-phase-with-trio-of-vol/" target="_hplink">According to Autoblog</a>, the system is entering its final phase of testing and should be able to accomodate six vehicles by the year's end. No firm release date has been set.

  • PAL-V

    Similar to the Terrafugia Transition, the PAL-V (or Personal Air and Land Vehicle) was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/02/flying-car-unveiled-in-ho_n_1397882.html?1333399106" target="_hplink">developed in Holland </a> and can reach speeds of up to 110 mph. Watch the video above to learn more!

  • Flying Hybrid Car

    Pretty soon there will be a <em>hybrid</em> flying car on the market, too. While this Burt Rutan model has yet to be approved for regular use on the road, it is fueled by both electric motors and gasoline engines, so, whether driving or flying, you're traveling a little greener than the rest. [Via <a href="http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/07/burt-rutan-designs-hybrid-flying-car/" target="_hplink">Wired</a>]

  • DeLorean DMC-EV

    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/19/new-delorean-electric-version_n_1019222.html" target="_hplink">In October of last year</a>, the DeLorean Motor Company, makers behind the iconic DMC-12, used as the time machine in <em>Back to the Future</em>, announced an all-electric model for, well, the future. <a href="http://delorean.com/content/news/electric/dmcevpr.pdf" target="_hplink">According to a press release</a>, the company paired up with Epic Electric Vehicles to bring this well-known car back to life and plans to market it in the States in 2013.

  • Mitsubishi i-MiEV

    Mitsubishi's i-MiEV is a cleaner alternative to city driving. <a href="http://i.mitsubishicars.com/miev/features" target="_hplink">According to Mitsubishi's website</a>, the i-MiEV features a lithium-ion battery system along with its motor and other engine components, a seating capacity of four, and a max speed of about 80 miles per hour. This super-green vehicle <a href="http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/special/ev/4innovations/index.html" target="_hplink">recently clinched the top spot</a> on the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's (ACEEE) 14th annual Greenest Cars List for 2012.

?

Suivre Roulezelectrique.com sur Twitter: www.twitter.com/roulezelectric

Suivre Le HuffPost Qu?bec

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Source: http://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/roulezelectriquecom/hausse-prix-tesla-canada_b_3743654.html

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Monday, August 12, 2013

Victoria Justice Relives Tour With Big Time Rush, Prank By Prank

'Gold' singer opens up to MTV News about the highlights from the Summer Break Tour with BTR.
By Jocelyn Vena

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1712201/victoria-justice-big-time-rush-tour.jhtml

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Man admits to arson at Albany Medical College

ALBANY ? A man is behind bars, after he admitted to setting a fire at Albany Medical College.

The fire broke out in the ?R? building around 5:00 Friday morning.

When crews got there, 54-year-old Michael Mcallister told an emergency official that he set it.

At least three floors sustained heavy fire, smoke, and water damage.

No one was hurt.

Source: http://albany.wnyt.com/news/crime/431312-man-admits-arson-albany-medical-college

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Warrior Mind Podcast # 145: Results Focused vs. Activity Driven ...

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The purpose of this warrior mind podcast is to make sure your mental strength energy is always results focused vs. activity driven

Activity is not results.? The average person is a satisfied in telling others what they did last week.? Last week is history and it is merely a report of busy work.? If you want to stay on track for reaching your personal goals and personal success keep track maintain a results focused perspective.

Enjoy the podcast below:

I want to make sure you understand that whoever masters this mental strength mindset is far more successful than those that don?t.

Helping you become more conscious of this mean you will start thinking like the top achievers.? This session is help you think about what you think about all day and that these thoughts have an impact on your personal success.

To get you started on creating a personal development plan pick up a copy of ?Develop the Mental Strength of a Warrior? today!

This is a fantastic e-book that helps you with your personal development, self-improvement and personal power.? You?ll learn to take back control of your thoughts, develop success awareness and helps you tap into the powers of your unconsciousness mind to create the mental strength to succeed at anything!

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More on mental strength...

Source: http://www.warriormindcoach.com/blog/2013/08/10/warrior-mind-podcast-145-results-focused-vs-activity-driven/

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Saturday, August 10, 2013

Gunmen abduct 2 Turkish Airlines crew in Lebanon

A Lebanese policeman stands guard in front of a hotel where the rest of the Turkish Airlines crew stay after six gunmen ambushed their vehicle on an old airport road and snatched two men of the Turkish crew, according to Lebanese officials, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Aug. 9, 2013. Gunmen on Friday ambushed the van carrying the Turkish Airlines crew in the Lebanese capital and kidnapped the two of its members, a pilot and a co-pilot, security officials said. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A Lebanese policeman stands guard in front of a hotel where the rest of the Turkish Airlines crew stay after six gunmen ambushed their vehicle on an old airport road and snatched two men of the Turkish crew, according to Lebanese officials, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Aug. 9, 2013. Gunmen on Friday ambushed the van carrying the Turkish Airlines crew in the Lebanese capital and kidnapped the two of its members, a pilot and a co-pilot, security officials said. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Lebanese policemen stand guard outside a hotel where the rest of the Turkish Airlines crew stay after six gunmen ambushed their vehicle on an old airport road and snatched two men of the Turkish crew, according to Lebanese officials, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Aug. 9, 2013. Gunmen on Friday ambushed the van carrying the Turkish Airlines crew in the Lebanese capital and kidnapped the two of its members, a pilot and a co-pilot, security officials said. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Lebanese policemen stand guard outside a hotel where the rest of the Turkish Airlines crew stay after six gunmen ambushed their vehicle on an old airport road and snatched two men of the Turkish crew, according to Lebanese officials, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Aug. 9, 2013. Gunmen on Friday ambushed the van carrying the Turkish Airlines crew in the Lebanese capital and kidnapped the two of its members, a pilot and a co-pilot, security officials said. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

(AP) ? Gunmen ambushed a van Friday carrying a Turkish Airlines crew in the Lebanese capital, kidnapping a pilot and a co-pilot in an attack that appeared linked to the ongoing civil war in neighboring Syria.

Six gunmen stopped the vehicle on an old airport road in Beirut, abducting the two Turkish nationals and letting the rest of the crew go, officials said.

The van was travelling between Rafik Hariri International Airport and a Beirut hotel when the ambush took place, said the Lebanese officials, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Lebanon's state news agency said a group called the Zuwaar al-Imam Rida claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. The group, which was previously unknown, said in a statement carried by the National News Agency that the pilots "will only be released when the Lebanese hostages in Syria return."

The civil war in neighboring Syria has deeply divided the Lebanese. The Syrian rebels, who are backed by Turkey, have been holding nine Lebanese Shiites hostage since last year. There have been other kidnappings on both sides since the war began.

A representative for the Lebanese hostages' families said that there was "no relationship between the kidnapping of Turkish pilots and case of Lebanese hostages in Syria," the NNA reported. However, Sheik Abbas Zougheib of the Higher Shiite Councils said if the abduction "is to settle the question of Lebanese abducted in Syria, we support it," according to the news service.

The Turkish crew had landed a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul early Friday morning, the Lebanese officials told The Associated Press. Authorities were investigating and the road where the kidnapping occurred has been closed off with several police checkpoints, the officials said.

The NNA reported earlier that the driver of the van was being questioned and that eight gunmen were involved in the abduction. The difference in the number of the attackers in the report and the Lebanese officials' account could not immediately be explained.

In Turkey, Foreign Ministry spokesman Levent Gumrukcu confirmed the kidnapping. He said the rest of the crew was still in Beirut but were leaving to return to Turkey on Friday evening.

"We don't know who did this and for what purpose," Gumrukcu said. He said the Turkish government was in close contact with Lebanese officials over the abduction.

Turkey supports the Sunni Muslim rebels fighting to topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, which is dominated by Alawites, an offshoot sect of Shiite Islam.

A spokesman for Turkish Airlines Ali Genc identified the two pilots as Murat Akpinar and Murat Agca. Genc did not offer any other information.

The Lebanese are deeply divided over Syria's civil war, with Shiites largely supporting the regime in Damascus and Sunnis backing the rebels. Both Sunni militants, and fighters from Lebanon's dominant Shiite Hezbollah group, have been fighting on opposite sides in the conflict.

The conflict in Syria that has claimed more than 100,000 lives since it erupted in March 2011. The fighting frequently has spilled into Lebanon.

___

Associated Press writers Desmond Butler in Istanbul and Ryan Lucas in Beirut contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-08-09-ML-Lebanon-Turks-Kidnapped/id-abee1f7f289e4a0eb98e2ec5d825407d

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Mexico releases drug lord behind 1985 DEA agent killing

MEXICO CITY | Fri Aug 9, 2013 5:05pm EDT

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A Mexican court on Friday freed notorious drug kingpin Rafael Caro Quintero, who was convicted of ordering the killing of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officer in 1985.

Caro Quintero was freed after the court decided he should have been tried at a state level, rather than federal level, a court official said, ending his 28-year stay behind bars.

"There are various factors, and among them the fact that he already served his time for drug trafficking," the court official said.

He was released from the Puente Grande prison in the western Mexican state of Jalisco on Friday morning, according to the state attorney general's office.

Caro Quintero, who is believed to be in his 60s, holds a special place in Mexican drug lore and was one of the leaders of the Guadalajara cartel, a forerunner of the Sinaloa cartel which is currently led by Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman, the country's most-wanted drug lord.

Caro Quintero was convicted of ordering the 1985 kidnapping, torture and murder of Enrique Camarena, an undercover DEA agent behind a number of successful drug busts.

At the time, the United States expressed anger at a perceived lackluster effort to catch Camarena's killer and the episode marked a low point in Mexico-U.S. relations. Caro Quintero was caught in Costa Rica in 1985.

According to a source from the Mexican attorney general's office, Caro Quintero cannot be extradited to the United States because a decision by Mexico's Supreme Court bars extradition of Mexicans to countries that may impose the death penalty or life imprisonment - punishments excluded by Mexican law.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment on whether the United States would seek his extradition.

More than 70,000 people have been killed in drug-related killings in Mexico since 2007 when the government launched a militarized attack on the warring cartels.

President Enrique Pena Nieto, who took office in December, has shifted the focus away from going after cartel bosses to tackling violent crimes such as extortion and kidnapping.

(Additional reporting by Tim Gaynor in Phoenix; Writing by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Simon Gardner and Mohammad Zargham)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/worldNews/~3/DinZuB9FYxQ/story01.htm

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Friday, August 9, 2013

Syrian troops kill more than 60 in desert ambush

In this image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a Syrian man carries an injured child away from a missile strike in Raqqa, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013. Wednesday?s missile attack came after Human Rights Watch said missiles fired by the Syrian army into populated areas have killed hundreds of civilians in recent months. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

In this image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a Syrian man carries an injured child away from a missile strike in Raqqa, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013. Wednesday?s missile attack came after Human Rights Watch said missiles fired by the Syrian army into populated areas have killed hundreds of civilians in recent months. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

In this image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a Syrian youths run away from the scene of a missile strike in Raqqa, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013. Wednesday?s missile attack came after Human Rights Watch said missiles fired by the Syrian army into populated areas have killed hundreds of civilians in recent months. The Arabic writing in logo says, "Raqqa." (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

In this image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a Syrian man comforts a child injured by a missile strike in Raqqa, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013. Wednesday?s missile attack came after Human Rights Watch said missiles fired by the Syrian army into populated areas have killed hundreds of civilians in recent months. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

In this image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a Syrian man carries an injured child away from a missile strike in Raqqa, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013. Wednesday?s missile attack came after Human Rights Watch said missiles fired by the Syrian army into populated areas have killed hundreds of civilians in recent months. The Arabic writing in logo says, "Raqqa." (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, dead bodies of Syrian rebels are seen on the ground, killed during ambush by Syrian forces near the Damascus suburb of Adra, Syria, Wednesday Aug. 7, 2013. Syrian government forces killed more than 60 rebels Wednesday in an ambush near Damascus, a blow to opposition fighters confronting a regime offensive in the capital, activists said. (AP Photo/SANA)

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian troops ambushed a large group of rebels Wednesday trudging through what once was a secret route through a desert road northeast of Damascus, killing more than 60 fighters in a barrage of machine gun fire and leaving their bodies in the sand.

State television claimed those killed came from an al-Qaida-linked group that has joined the battle against President Bashar Assad, whose troops are trying to drive opposition forces from areas surrounding his seat of power in the capital.

There were conflicting reports on the attack in Adra, which lies on a supply route between Damascus and rebel-held areas to the east that is often the scene of heavy clashes between the two sides. The dawn attack dealt another heavy blow to opposition troops following a string of recent regime successes.

Syrian troops have been on the offensive in the past few months in an attempt to clear out Damascus suburbs held by opposition fighters.

Syrian state-run media showed footage of bloodied corpses lying on the ground, some wearing camouflage gear with their weapons scattered around in the sand. One picture showed gas masks next to the weapons.

The state-run SANA news agency said "dozens" of rebels were killed in the ambush as they were on their way to attack an army post near Damascus. SANA identified the dead as members of the al-Qaida-linked Jabhat al-Nusra, and said some were foreign fighters.

Broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya also showed a Tunisian passport, Islamic headbands and automatic rifles apparently carried by the rebels.

Some activists disputed the account, saying those killed were Syrian fighters from a mix of brigades delivering aid to besieged areas.

Mohammed Saeed, an activist based near Damascus, told The Associated Press that 65 rebels were on their way from Damascus' eastern suburbs to Qalamoun nearby. Saeed said rebels walked the 30-kilometer (19-mile) route because it is dangerous to drive in the area as it is watched by Assad's forces.

"It seems that the regime discovered the secret road that the rebels were using," Saeed said via Skype. "The regime forces riddled them with heavy machine gun fire."

He said 62 died and three escaped to Qalamoun.

Another activist said the rebels were on their way to deliver medicine, flour and other foodstuffs to the Eastern Ghouta region, which has been besieged for months. He said the rebels were a "mix of fighters," including some from Nusra Front. He spoke on condition of anonymity out of fears of retribution.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 62 rebels died in Wednesday's ambush. It did not report any government casualties.

In the north, a missile struck the rebel-held city of Raqqa, killing three people and wounding dozens including children, the Local Coordination Committees activist group said. The Observatory said that two children were among the three killed.

Amateur videos showed at least three children who suffered wounds and were rushed away in a pickup truck.

A boy, with minor wounds to his mouth, knees and feet, screamed as he was held by a man in the pickup truck and shouted "Dad!" The man holding him tried to calm him down, saying: "Dad will come soon."

The videos appeared genuine and corresponded to other AP reporting on the events depicted.

Wednesday's missile attack came after Human Rights Watch said missiles fired by the Syrian army into populated areas have killed hundreds of civilians in recent months.

Meanwhile, the Observatory said that Kurdish gunmen captured about 70 government troops Wednesday who fled the air base of Mannagh in the northern province of Aleppo. The base was captured by rebels Tuesday after months of fighting.

The Observatory also reported fighting and shelling in the mountains of the coastal province of Latakia, an Assad stronghold. Rebels captured 11 Alawite villages in an offensive earlier this week and troops launched a counterattack to retake it.

Syria's conflict has taken on an increasingly sectarian tone in the last year, pitting predominantly Sunni Muslim rebels against members of Assad's Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

Syria's crisis started as a largely peaceful uprising against Assad's rule in March 2011. It turned into a civil war after opposition supporters took up arms to fight a brutal government crackdown. More than 100,000 people have been killed in the violence.

The scale of that destruction could be seen in satellite images released Wednesday by Amnesty International. The images showed hundreds of damaged or destroyed houses and more than 1,000 roadblocks around the northern city of Aleppo, which has seen months of vicious fighting.

"Satellite images really speak for themselves," said Donetella Rovera, a senior Amnesty adviser who recently returned from a trip to Aleppo. "You can see really clearly buildings ? groups of buildings ? that were there a year ago that are no longer there today."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-08-07-Syria/id-a883cbad53c14231858b3308f4bef3eb

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