Posted on 03/31/2012 6:47:29 PM PDT by U-238
Syria says the year-long revolt to topple President Bashar al-Assad is now over, but it will keep its forces in cities to "maintain security" until it is safe to withdraw in keeping with a U.N.-backed peace deal.
The agreement proposed by United Nations-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan says the Syrian authorities must be first to withdraw troops and stop violence immediately.
The army kept up an offensive against opposition strongholds on Saturday, pummelling the Khalidiya district of Homs city.
"Mortars are falling every minute and the sounds of explosions are shaking the neighborhood," an activist report said. A child was killed by rocket fire in the al-Bayyada area and a man was killed in crossfire in clashes near a checkpoint.
Rebels battled army forces near a base in Jaramaneh in Damascus province. Five bodies bearing signs of torture were found near Maarat al-Noaman, the report said. A soldier was killed when rebels ambushed a troop carrier in Deraa province.
Despite the violence, Damascus says it has the upper hand.
"The battle to topple the state is over," Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad al-Makdissi told Syria TV late on Friday. "Our goal now is to ensure stability and create a perspective for reform and development in Syria while preventing others from sabotaging the path of reform."
His assertion follows army victories over rebel strongholds in the cities of Hama, Homs and Idlib, and Assad's acceptance this week of Annan's plan that does not demand he step down.
Calls by Gulf Arab states to arm the rebels have fizzled. The political opposition remains divided, and prospects of Western-led military intervention are close to zero.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsdaily.com ...
Oh yeah, and before they forget, the shooting and shelling stopped like, a really long time ago. All that sound of violence, it was all from foreign terrorists.
Thanks U-238.
What Abe Lincoln did to the South makes this guy Assad look like a hippie peacenik.
The crackdown will continue. The article mentioned that the Syrian Army is still shelling Homs. It will not end until the Russians and the Iranian “advisors” leave the country. There is no evidence that is happening
Tourists, huh? Damn, they’re annoying.
Hopefully this ends soon. There are TWO MILLION Christians in Syria. The best that can happen is that this ALL ends very soon.
But I support him. He's a SOB, but at least we are familiar with him. And he protects the Christian minority. Including many Christian refugees from Iraq.
Bump to your comment. Also, I’ll like to add that Assad is part of the Shiite minority in Syria. If he gets overthrown, Shiites will get screwed. (In addition to the Christians)
I had a chance to speak to sister in law yesterday who is a Syrian Christian and the Syrian government has cut all phone and cell phone lines into the country. The only exception is for government officials,police and army personnel.
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