Syrian Troops Kill 6 in Anti-Protest Raids

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Syrian security forces killed at least nine people on Wednesday during raids on several neighborhoods in the central city of Homs and arrested more than a dozen soldiers who deserted their posts earlier in the day, activists said.

Residents said the situation in Homs, one of the most restive cities in the country and nicknamed by Syrians as the “capital of the revolution,” was tense on Wednesday, with checkpoints on major highways, at intersections and the entrances to the city.

Soldiers and plainclothes armed forces loyal to the government of President Bashar al-Assad were heavily deployed in neighborhoods of the city. Residents said there were snipers posted on the rooftops of government buildings and public schools who were firing at pedestrians and cars.

Most banks remained closed, and many business owners said they could not reach their offices Wednesday morning because troops had blocked roads and were not letting residents through. Many residents said they were fleeing the city.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/world/middleeast/08syria.html

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, alp.

[pampango]

2. Syrian forces 'launch fresh assault on Homs'

Source: Aljazeera


A picture taken by mobile phone shows a funeral in Homs, which has become a bastion of anti-government rallies

Syrian forces have killed at least seven people in a massive tank-backed raid on the city of Homs, rights activists have said, after the government postponed a visit to the country by the Arab League chief.

Wednesday morning's deadly security operation in Homs came after 2,000 people had taken to the streets of the central city for anti-regime protests the night before, the activists told the AFP news agency.

The security operations came hours after Syria requested the postponement of a planned visit by Arab League secretary general Nabil al-Arabi in which he had been due to present a reform initiative of which Damascus had been strongly critical.

According to a copy of the document seen by AFP, al-Arabi was to propose Assad hold elections in three years, move towards a pluralistic government and halt immediately the crackdown on anti-government protesters. The initiative, agreed at an Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo last month, calls for a "clear declaration of principles by President Bashar al-Assad specifying commitment to reforms he made in past speeches".

The initiative angered Syria which said it contained "unacceptable and biased language".

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net//news/middleeast/2011/09/20119785531287269.html

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Arab League proposal involves that Syria "hold elections in three years, move towards a pluralistic government and halt immediately the crackdown on anti-government protesters". The last of those is probably the sticking point with Assad.

He really doesn't want to totally alienate the Arab League with an indefinite delay in the allowing their secretary general to visit. It will be interesting to see how long the League is willing to wait and what it does next.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Kicked and recommended for democracy in Syria.

Thanks for the thread, pampango.