Violence escalates as Syria misses deadline
Violence in Syria escalates as President Assad fails to respond to the Arab League’s deadline to allow military observers into the country.
As the Arab League deadline passed, reports from local media say at least six civilians were killed in Syria‘s capital, Damascus following Friday prayers.
The reports said four demonstrators demanding foreign intervention to stop the government’s violent crackdown were killed, and two others died in raids in their homes.
The Syrian military also said that 10 people were killed during an attack on an air force base.
A military spokesman blamed a foreign armed terrorist group for the attack, rather than an uprising from its own people.
“This confirms the involvement of foreign elements and their support of these terrorist operations in an effort to weaken the fighting capabilities of our forces,” he said.
More than 3,500 people have been killed in Syria since March, according to the United Nations, and activists say that more than 30,000 have been arrested. Protesters have been met with violent force while demonstrating against President Assad‘s government.
Turkey calls for end to ‘bloodshed’
Arab foreign ministers said on Thursday that if President Assad’s government didn’t agree to monitoring visits, sanctions would have to be considered, including stopping flights, curbing trade and ceasing trading with the central bank.
A source in Cairo told news agencies that the Arab League was prepared to wait until midnight before making a decision. It is due to meet on Saturday.
However Turkey called on the Arab League to impose sanctions on Syria for failing to agree terms.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a news conference that he hoped to hear a positive response from the government.
“If it doesn’t, there are steps we can take in consultation with the Arab League,” he said. “I want to say clearly we have no more tolerance for the bloodshed in Syria.”
Following reports of ongoing executions and torture of civilians, including children, the UK Committee against Torture said that Syrian authorities had been acting with total impunity in what it called “gross and pervasive” human rights violations.
The committee’s chairman, Claudio Grossman said: “Needless to say, the serious massive violations of human rights take place in a context of total and absolute impunity. There haven’t been investigations on this matter.”
