Egypt's FEC, TRAIN partner to support food exporters    Spot Gold, futures slips on Thursday, July 17th    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Egypt expresses condolences to Iraq over fire tragedy    Egypt, Oman discuss environmental cooperation    Egypt's Environment Minister attends AMCEN conference in Nairobi    At London 'Egypt Day', Finance Minister outlines pro-investment policies    Sukari Gold Mine showcases successful public–private partnership: Minister of Petroleum    Egypt's FRA chief vows to reform business environment to boost investor confidence    Egyptian, Belarusian officials discuss drug registration, market access    Syria says it will defend its territory after Israeli strikes in Suwayda    Pakistan names Qatari royal as brand ambassador after 'Killer Mountain' climb    Health Ministry denies claims of meningitis-related deaths among siblings    Sri Lanka's expat remittances up in June '25    EU–US trade talks enter 'decisive phase', German politician says    Egypt's Health Min. discusses drug localisation with Sandoz    Needle-spiking attacks in France prompt government warning, public fear    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt, France FMs review Gaza ceasefire efforts, reconstruction    CIB finances Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show redevelopment with EGP 963m loan    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Syrian soldiers reported killed in ambush
Members of the Free Syrian Army reportedly killed 10 soldiers loyal to the Assad regime in fierce fighting in the city of Idlib
Published in Ahram Online on 13 - 03 - 2012

Syrian army defectors killed at least 10 soldiers in an ambush in the northern town of Idlib on Tuesday, a rights activist said, with international efforts to ease the crisis appearing to make little headway.
Fighting was also reported in the eastern city of Deir al-Zor as a year-long uprising against Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad increasingly resembled a full-blown civil war.
A special UN Security Council meeting on the "Arab Spring" uprisings on Monday showed the five permanent members were no closer to breaking their impasse over Syria, with Russia and China continuing to back a defiant Assad.
With growing numbers of refugees seeking to flee the fighting, advocacy group Human Rights Watch said Syrian forces were laying landmines near the borders with Lebanon and Turkey, along routes used by families to escape the violence.
Idlib province backs onto Turkey and has been a focal point of clashes between government forces and the lightly armed Syrian Free Army (SFA), which has vowed to topple Al-Assad.
"At least 10 Syrian soldiers have been killed by army defectors in the northern town of Idlib," said Rami Abdelrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based group that works in conjunction with activists inside Syria. "They were killed during an early morning ambush on a government checkpoint," he added. Reports from Syria cannot be independently verified as the authorities have repeatedly denied access to rights groups and journalists.
The Syrian National Council (SNC), an umbrella opposition group whose leadership lives abroad, said on Monday it was preparing to arm the anti-government rebels, but the dissident movement remains fragmented and often ineffectual.
SNC representatives were due to meet UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan in Turkey later on Tuesday. Annan held talks with Al-Assad on Saturday and Sunday, but there was no indication that the initiative would end the bloodshed.
More than 8,000 people have died in the Syrian uprising, including numerous women and children, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, president of the UN General Assembly, said on Monday.
The Syrian government says more than 2,000 police and regular army soldiers have been killed by "armed terrorist groups", blaming foreign interference for the unrest. It has not given any figures for civilian deaths.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday that it was time for Moscow and Beijing to join calls for an end to the Syrian repression of unrest.
Clinton said it was up to Assad to take the initial step. "First and foremost, the Assad government has to end the violence," she said.
Lavrov said NATO had "grossly violated" its UN mandate to protect civilians in Libya last year after rebels rose up to overthrow and kill Muammar Gaddafi.
"There is no doubt whatsoever that the Syrian authorities bear a huge responsibility for the current situation," he said. But Lavrov said there was no point in talking about who started the violence. He said the Security Council should press for an "immediate end of violence" by all sides.
Human Rights Watch said anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines of Russian origin had been found near Syria's borders, with indications they had been planted by the army this year.
"Any use of anti-personnel landmines is unconscionable," said Steve Goose, Arms Division director at HRW. "There is absolutely no justification for the use of these indiscriminate weapons by any country, anywhere, for any purpose."
Both Al-Assad's government and the rebels say that in Syria's third largest city Homs, dozens of killings had been carried out in cold blood while Annan was visiting Syria to seek a ceasefire, humanitarian access and dialogue.
Activists in Homs and state television showed videos of bloodied bodies with hands tied behind their backs.
Opposition activists said militants loyal to Assad had killed over 50 people in a district called Karm al-Zeitoun.
"I saw two females who were raped, one was around 12 or 13 years old. She was covered in blood and her underclothes were off," said a medic in the city, which has become a focal point for the uprising against 40 years of rule by the Assad family.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/36631.aspx


Clic here to read the story from its source.