Syrian opposition activists accused forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad of bombarding rebel areas yesterday as a UN mission was expected to arrive in Damascus in a first step to implement an international peace plan.
Forces have begun withdrawing from cities in line with peace plan
Activists said at least 80 people have been killed since Tuesday despite the imminent arrival of the advance team from the UN peacekeeping department. The advance mission is part of the latest international effort to end a year of bloodshed that began with peaceful protests against Mr Assad’s authoritarian rule in March 2011.
Russia, an ally of Mr Assad, said Syrian forces had begun withdrawing from cities and towns in accordance with the peace plan of international mediator Kofi Annan. However, Syrian activists said troops and police loyal to Mr Assad had pressed on with their campaign of raids and arrests in rebel areas, accompanied by bombardments, gun battles and sniper attacks.
“Since this morning they have been shelling Khalidiya neighbourhood, that is in its 17th day,” said activist Hadi Abdullah by telephone from Homs, the city of one million which has suffered most in the uprising. “Whatever it is that hits the area leaves a horrible sulphur smell, like rotten eggs.”
Human rights group Amnesty International said it had counted 232 deaths since Syria accepted Mr Annan’s plan on March 27. The UN itself says Mr Assad’s forces have killed more than 9,000 people in the past year.
Mr Assad’s acceptance of a troop withdrawal has met with scepticism among the Syrian opposition and its Western and Arab supporters.
“The Syrian authorities have said they will do that by April 10,” British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in London.
“There is no sign of them doing it so far. Attacks on the citizens, the civilians of their country have continued, the murder, oppression, and torture of the regime has continued...”
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said the withdrawal was already underway and Mr Gatilov’s boss, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, attacked the “Friends of Syria” group of Western and Arab nations which met at the weekend, saying it was undermining Annan’s peace mission.
“Everyone has supported Kofi Annan’s plan, but decisions at the ‘Friends of Syria’ group meeting aimed at arming the opposition and at new sanctions undermine peace efforts,” state-run Itar-Tass quoted Mr Lavrov as saying.
“It is clear as day that even if the opposition is armed to the teeth, it will not defeat the Syrian army, and there will simply be slaughter and mutual destruction for long, long years,” he added.