Rebels ambush a Syrian security convoy: video

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A video shot by anti-government Syrian rebels Wednesday showed a group of fighters ambushing a convoy of security forces, firing at it for about one minute before retreating.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least four government soldiers were killed in the ambush which was carried out by the Free Syrian Army, a loose umbrella group to which army deserters and armed rebels have pledged loyalty.

The Observatory said the ambush took place on a road near the southern village of Dael in Deraa province, the cradle of the revolt which erupted nine months ago against the rule of Bashar al-Assad.

The video, which lasts less than three minutes, shows nine men with automatic rifles on what seems to be a roof of a deserted house surrounded by trees and facing a main road. here

A voice is then heard counting the vehicles before saying "10 buses," another impatient voice says they should not wait longer. Then a hail of bullets erupts.

The gunmen fire at the buses for one minute. The cameraman then pans to a tattered poster emblazoned with the Free Syrian Army logo. Then a voice calls for a retreat. They begin to withdraw while shooting is still heard in the background.

A team of Arab monitors, in Syria to asses whether Damascus halted a crackdown on protests, is expected to visit Deraa on Thursday.

The United Nations says at least 5,000 people have been killed. Syria says it is fighting armed groups which it accuses of killing at least 2,000 members of its forces.

(Reporting by Mariam Karouny)