Egypt joins Geneva negotiations on Global Plastics Treaty, calls for urgent agreement    Egypt delivers over 30 million health services through public hospitals in H1 2025    Madinet Masr in talks for three land plots in Riyadh as part of Saudi expansion    Egypt's PM tells Palestinian PM that Rafah crossing is working 24/7 for aid    Egypt, Japan discuss economic ties, preparations for TICAD conference    Real Estate Developers urge flexible land pricing, streamlined licensing, and dollar-based transactions    Egypt's Sisi pledges full state support for telecoms, tech investment    EGP inches down vs. USD at Sunday's trading close    EGX launches 1st phone app    Escalation in Gaza, West Bank as Israeli strikes continue amid mounting international criticism    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt, UNDP discuss outcomes of joint projects, future environmental cooperation    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    After Putin summit, Trump says peace deal is best way to end Ukraine war    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Jordan condemns Israeli PM remarks on 'Greater Israel'    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt's govt. issues licensing controls for used cooking oil activities    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Egypt's Sisi: Egypt is gateway for aid to Gaza, not displacement    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    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    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    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    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.



Activists say at least 100 killed in Syrian town
Published in Almasry Alyoum on 21 - 12 - 2011

BEIRUT — Activists say Syrian troops have killed at least 100 people in a northwest town in one of the deadliest incidents since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's regime began in March.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the killings occurred in the town of Kfar Owaid in the northwestern province of Idlib on Tuesday. It says 111 people died. The Local Coordination Committees, another activist group, says more than 100 people were killed in the town.
The two groups had earlier reported that regime troops attacked the town with heavy machine gun fire and shelling, killing dozens.
The UN says more than 5000 people have been killed in the crackdown.
Wednesday's reports come ahead of the arrival of an Arab League advance team to prepare for an observer mission.
On Tuesday, Syrian state television showed pictures of military maneuvers and said they were meant to show its forces are ready to "repulse any aggression the enemies of our nations might think about."
Activist groups said about 100 people were killed on Monday, the same day Syria agreed to the monitors after weeks of stalling. About 70 of the dead were said to be army defectors. The groups said Tuesday's toll was at least 47 and possibly as high as 62.
The opposition is deeply skeptical that the agreement to allow the monitors in is anything other than stalling for time as international pressure on Assad grows. The huge toll for two days of violence, among the highest since March, has reinforced that skepticism.
Commenting on the agreement to allow monitors, the US said it will judge Syria by its actions.
"We've seen too many broken promises from the Syrian regime. So we're really less interested in a signed piece of paper than we are in actions to implement commitments made," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said Monday night.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 47 people were killed throughout the country on Tuesday. Another activist group, the Local Coordination Committees, put the toll at 62.
The deadliest incident was in the town of Kfar Owaid in the northwestern province of Idlib where activists said troops attacked with heavy machine gun fire or shells and killed at least 23 people, said the observatory. The LCC put the death toll in the town at 25.
"The violent shelling of the town continues," the LCC said in a statement.
The Syrian conflict has become increasingly militarized in recent weeks, with clashes nearly ever day between army defectors and troops. The northern province of Idlib has witnessed some of the most intense clashes. On Monday, security forces killed up to 70 army defectors as they were deserting their military posts in Idlib near the Turkish border, activists said.
The Arab League plan calls for removing Syrian forces and heavy weapons from city streets, starting talks with opposition leaders and allowing human rights workers and journalists into the country, along with observers from member countries.
Assad's regime accepted the monitors after Arab leaders warned they would turn to the UN Security Council to try to end the crackdown.
In Cairo, an Arab League official said an advance team will arrive in Syria on Thursday to prepare for an observer mission. The advance team will be led by the Arab League's assistant secretary-general Sameer Seif el-Yazal.
He said 500 observers will eventually deploy around the country in small groups of at least 10.
Syrian state TV said the country's air force, air defense units and naval forces conducted military maneuvers with warplanes, helicopters, surface-to-air and ground-to-sea missiles. The TV, which did not say when the maneuvers were conducted, showed warplanes and helicopters firing missiles at targets in a desert area. It also showed surface-to-air missiles hitting targets in the air.
"The maneuvers aim to test the capabilities of the air force and air defense to repulse any aggression the enemies of our nations might think about," said the TV which also showed special forces being dropped from helicopters.
The TV, which said the drill "was similar to a real battle," showed missiles being fired from ground to the sea.
The maneuvers come nearly two weeks after Syrian forces conducted a similar drill during which surface-to-surface missiles were fired. They appear to be meant as a deterrent against any type of international action along the lines of the NATO air campaign that helped oust Libya's Muammar Qadhafi.
Syria wouldn't have to look far for prime targets to strike, sharing a border with US-backed Israel and NATO-member Turkey.
Also Tuesday, Assad issued a new law under which anyone found guilty of distributing weapons with the aim of committing "terrorist acts" would be sentenced to death, state-run news agency SANA said.
The Syrian government claims armed gangs and terrorists are behind the uprising, not protesters seeking more freedoms under one of the most authoritarian regimes in the Middle East.
SANA said that according to the new law, anyone found guilty of weapons smuggling would be sentenced from 15 years to life imprisonment. Those smuggling and distributing weapons with the aim of carrying out terrorist acts would get a death sentence.


Clic here to read the story from its source.