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Syrian rebels claim gain on seacoast

BEIRUT — Syrian rebels seized control of a seaside tourist site near the Turkish border on Tuesday that allowed them a small foothold by the Mediterranean for the first time since the uprising erupted against President Bashar Assad, activists say.

The reported capture of the rocky, coastal strip known as Samra came after rebels severed one of the Assad government’s last links to the Turkish border by seizing the Kassab crossing and a predominantly Armenian Christian town of the same name on Sunday. The gains provide a boost for opposition fighters who were pushed out of key parts of the Syrian border with Lebanon over the past few weeks.

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This is the first time rebels have had any sea access since the uprising began in March 2011, said Rami Abdurrahman of the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and an activist who uses the name Abu Salah al-Haffawi.

Samra, little more than a rocky beach nestled at the foot of forested mountains, straddles the Syria-Turkey border. The Turkish government has allowed Syrian rebels, as well as weapons, to move with relative freedom across the frontier with Syria. Still, Samra has no port, and Syrian military aircraft would probably bomb rebels trying to use any sea passage.

There was no government confirmation of Samra’s capture.

A video uploaded to social networks showed a group of rebels by the sea, some sitting on rocks and raising their guns. Some of the men hold up a black banner with the name of the Ansar al-Sham rebel group written on it in white Arabic script.

‘‘This is the village of Samra, under the rule of rebels,’’ the narrator says. ‘‘This is the first sea access on the Mediterranean.’’ The video appeared genuine and corresponded with reporting by the Associated Press.

Associated Press