Beirut (dpa) – Syrian forces surrounded areas in the north-western province of Idlib Tuesday, and warned that it will storm neighborhoods to free them from rebels, activists in the area told dpa. “Dozens of tanks and troops are besieging areas near the town of Saraqeb and residents in the targeted areas started to flee, especially women and children,” Rami Idlibi, an activist in the province said. “The regime forces are preparing for a wide-scale operation in Idlib,” hub of the opposition Free Syrian Army, he said. In the central province of Homs, there was heavy shelling since morning, activists said. “Sound of heavy shelling and machinegun fire could be heard in the region of al-Kussair,” which is 20 kilometers from the Lebanese-Syrian border, Abu Imad said. He added that heavy shelling was also targeting the Rastan region, inside the province of Homs. Meanwhile, the Red Cross is still negotiating for the fifth consecutive day with authorities to be allowed to deliver aid and evacuate the wounded from the devastated Baba Amr region in Homs. On the diplomatic front, China's former ambassador to Damascus, Li Huaxin, will travel to Syria on Tuesday for meetings with government officials. United Nations humanitarian chief Valerie Amos is expected to arrive in Damascus on Wednesday, after Damascus approved her visit, while UN-Arab League special envoy to Syria Kofi Annan is due in the Syrian capital on March 10, in a diplomatic drive to end the bloodshed the country. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/DsJ1t Tags: Activists, featured, Idlib, Syria, Violence Section: Latest News, Syria
