  Syrian rebels claim capture of Raqqa, topple statue of Assad
(VIDEO)  Does the fall of Raqqa signal the rise of the rebels in
Syria?  Shadows syria fighterEnlarge The shadows of armed Free
Syrian Army rebels are seen on a wall at the entrance to the
north Syrian city of Binnish on Feb. 15, 2012. (Bulent Kilic
/AFP/Getty Images)  Syrian rebels routed government forces from
the city Raqqa on Monday, marking their reported military
triumph by pulling down a big statue of President Bashar Assad's
father, said Reuters, citing activists.   If confirmed, the
taking of the city would be the rebels' first capture of an
entire city, according to the Associated Press -- and a
provincial capitol at that, added Reuters  Rebels already
control parts of other major Syrian cities, including some
Damascus suburbs, but Raqqa could signal a breakthrough in their
months-long fight to overthrow Assad, a conflict believed to
have taken nearly 70,000 lives over the past 23 months.   More
from GlobalPost: 42 Syrian soldiers killed