‘Shelling’ in Homs as UN passes vote on Syria
As the UN passes a resolution authorising a team of international monitors to visit Syria, an activist in Homs tells Channel 4 News that despite the ceasefire “nothing has changed on the ground”.
The resolution was passed unanimously after Russia approved a revised version of the text.
A team of observers is reportedly ready to leave for the Syria in the coming hours.
But the ceasefire appears to be crumbling in certain cities. Activists say government forces shelled Homs overnight and into Saturday morning.
Abu Rami, who is in the city, told Channel 4 News the ceasefire has made little difference: “There has been no change except for on Thursday when there was no shelling – just snipers.
“Later on Friday and Saturday the shelling and bombing is back in most areas of Homs so the same violence returns, the same shelling on neighbourhoods, nothing has changed in reality on the ground.”
He said people are “so disappointed” by the peace plan.
Read more: The Horror in Homs
Violence returns
Syrians took to the streets across the country in small demonstrations on Friday, trusting the truce would put an end to the bullets that have frightened off peaceful protesters for months.
But Syrian forces loyal to Assad shot dead five protesters after Friday prayers, activists reported, adding that security forces came out in strength in many cities to prevent protesters mounting major rallies against Assad.
Syria’s state news agency SANA said “armed terrorists” killed six people on Friday, including army Major Musa al-Yousef in the central city of Hama, who was killed when “terrorists opened fire on a car Yousef was driving to his (army) unit.”
Another group of assailants threw a stick of dynamite at an army patrol in the same city, SANA said, and a bomb exploded at a major roundabout.
Bombs were detonated in two areas of Syria’s second city of Aleppo on Friday and a member of the security forces was killed in Damascus, SANA said.
“The main roads in some villages have seen a proliferation of armed men, especially in the towns,” it added.
The United Nations estimates that Assad’s forces have killed more than 9,000 people since the uprising began. Authorities blame the violence on foreign-backed militants who they say have killed more than 2,500 soldiers and police.
