Syria's opposition has denounced a UN statement calling for all parties to end violence in the country, arguing it will simply give Bashar al-Assad's regime more time to continue killing its own people.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Photo: REX FEATURES
11:43AM GMT 22 Mar 2012
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"Such statements, issued amid continued killings, offer the regime the opportunity to push ahead with its repression in order to crush the revolt by the Syrian people," said Samir Nashar, member of the executive committee of the Syrian National Council.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the Council's unanimous statement had sent a clear message to Syria to end all violence, but the appeal had little impact on the ground, where rebels are seeking to oust President Bashar al-Assad.
Opposition sources said Syrian tanks had heavily shelled a large neighbourhood in the city of Hama on Thursday after fighting between Free Syrian Army rebels and pro-Assad forces.
The shelling destroyed houses in the Arbaeen neighbourhood of northeast Hama, which has been at the forefront of the revolt. Opposition sources said at least 20 people have died in army attacks in the area in the last two days.
Syrian troops also attempted to storm the northern town of Sermeen on Thursday, killing one man and wounding dozens, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said, quoting its network of contacts within Syria.
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"Syrian forces are still not able to get inside the town because of fighting but they are shelling Sermeen and using heavy machine guns," said SOHR head Rami Abdelrahman.
Fighting was likewise reported in the central Hama province and the southern city of Deraa, where several soldiers died in an ambush, and loyalist forces conducted raids in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor, he added.
The Security Council statement, which was supported by both Russia and China, marking a rare moment of global unity over the crisis, backed a peace drive by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan and warned of "further steps" if Syria failed to respond.
Mr Annan's six-point peace proposal calls for a ceasefire, political dialogue between the government and opposition, and full access for aid agencies. It also says the army should stop using heavy weapons in populated areas and pull troops back.
While the UN statement, which lacks the legal force of a resolution, talks of the need for political transition in Syria, it does not demand that Assad to step down – something both the rebels and the Arab League have called for.
"In clear and unmistakable terms, the Security Council called for an immediate end to all violence and human rights violations," U.N. chief Ban said in a speech in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
Syria's official news agency appeared to play down the Council statement, saying it contained "no warnings or signals".
At least 8,000 people have died in the revolt, according to UN figures issued a week ago, and diplomats have warned that without a swift resolution, the conflict could spread and degrade already tense sectarian relations across the region.
Underlining the dangers, several Syrian shells landed in the Lebanese border village of al-Qaa and nearby fields late Wednesday, wounding one person, after heavy artillery was heard on the Syrian side of the frontier, residents said.
"More than five shells landed in the fields and in the village," a farmer in al-Qaa told Reuters. Another resident said one shell had detonated next to the main school.
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) group said on Thursday Syrian security forces were committing "serious abuses" in Qusair, a city in the province of Homs, near the Lebanese border.
"Following their bloody siege of Homs, the Assad forces are applying their same brutal methods in Qusair," said Sarah Leah Whitson, the HRW Middle East director.
"Having seen the devastation inflicted on Homs, the Russian government should stop arms sales to the Syrian government or risk becoming further implicated in human rights violations."
Russia has defended its long-standing military ties with Syria and has said it sees no reason to modify them.
Earlier this week, the New York-based HRW accused opposition forces of committing rights abuses on government troops and their militia allies, including torture and summary execution.
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Showing 8 comments
Knowles2
32 minutes ago
As I understand it either side have accepted Annan proposals. I do not see a problem with both sides carrying on, you cant expect one side to accept peace proposals why the other sideare carrying out attacks. Both groups have made it clear they do not want to talk to each other.
Russia has finally got what its wants after 6 months of trying to get a neutral response from the security council, and it finally got it, Russia has always called on for all sides to stop the violence, and it finally got Western powers to accept that position, probably because West knows if they do not stop the violence now, the only opposition that will be left in Syria will either be in graves or in prisons. .
I suspect the West would have gotten a resolution through the council if they could write one, as neutral as this statement is.
Allen_Snyder
36 minutes ago
Syrian rebels must learn to accept that it is not good idea to crush majority of Syrians. It is time to negotiate, lay down the arms in exchange for amnesty. It is in the interest of all Syrians to have lasting peace which can only be achieved through compromise and negotiations.
We some times have to agree to differ.
SyrianKnight
58 minutes ago
Killing whom exactly? the armed AlQaeda terrorists? well killing sometimes is justice.
Provided tell now armed terrorists surrender with weapons are not killed; even recently they have been released whom it was proven that they did not get involved in killing othere Syrians in what seems to be an unofficial extention of the last one of three amnesty orders given by the Syrian state.. in less than a year.
When it comes to stop these atrocities, then tell me, how can it happen:
Pictures from the suicide bombing scene in Damascus:
http://www.shukumaku.com/Conte...
Video from Aleppo for the Suicide bombing happened today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
_______ ryeatley
11 minutes ago
Al qaeda? Well, the the White House says that al Qaeda are involved. There're also all the people who've gone over from Libya, and we see how peace-loving and democratic *they* are
salfordlad
Today 12:17 PM
corrupt murderous unelected terrorist torturers
...
and assad is no better either!
_______ Knowles2
31 minutes ago
Which is why we should just let them kill each other. Eventually they will get tired of killing each other and come to the table for peace talks.
ryeatley
Today 12:10 PM
"Syria's opposition has denounced a UN statement calling for all parties to end violence in the country"
I bet it has.
The UN has condemned the Syrian government's attacks, *AND* it has also condemned opposition terrorist atrocities:
A UN presidential statement yesterday (21st. March):
"strongly condemned the terrorist attacks that occurred in Damascus, on 17 and 19 March, and in Aleppo on 18 March, causing scores of deaths and injuries.
In the press statement, the Council members expressed “their deep sympathy and sincere condolences to the victims of these heinous acts and to their families” and reiterated their determination to combat all forms of terrorism, in line with the Council’s responsibilities under the UN Charter."
It's down to *BOTH* sides to stop fighting, and come to a political solution.
telegraph1
Today 12:04 PM
On the other hand it also gives the legitimate opposition a chance to talk and solve the problem.
Let us all pray that the UN guru can bring peace soon.
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