Activists: Dozens dead as Syria launches 'large-scale military assault' on civilians

[pinboy3niner]

msnbc.com news services
updated 1 hour 29 minutes ago

Syrian government forces killed more than 60 people on Tuesday in assaults on villages and an artillery barrage in the restive city of Homs, activists said.

Activists said at least 30 people died in the bombardment of the Baba Amro neighborhood of Homs city, and at least 33 were killed when forces trying to crush opposition to President Bashar Assad stormed villages in northern Idlib province. At least two of those killed in Homs were children, activists said.

In Damascus, security forces opened fire on demonstrators overnight, wounding at least four, activists said. Violence has hit the capital over the past week, undermining Assad's assertion that the 11-month-old uprising against his rule is limited to the provinces and the work of saboteurs.

...


BBC News reported that opposition groups had noticed that the military was building up its strength near Homs, apparently to prepare for a ground assault that human rights activists fear could become a massacre.

...


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46465771/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

[tabatha]

1. 106 martyrs

♡ Freedom ✌ Syria ♡ @tweets4peace
106 martyrs in #Syria up to this hour. The number rises by the hour. This is Syria. These are Bashars continuous reforms. #homs #Idlib
Close Reply

[LiberalLovinLug]

2. So sad to watch this all unfurl from the sidelines.

I'm conflicted with the option of foreign intervention ie. Libya. Raises so many political ramifications. But then again it would be a travesty if ASSad managed to come out untouched on the other end of a bloodbath.

[tabatha]

3. If he loses, Iran has a plan to replace him.

That is a nasty part of the world.

"fatwas from the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei"
Iran has a plan for takeover if Assads will fall. He also said that Israel should focus at Syria instead of Irans "nuclear research".

[leveymg]

4. The Saudis have their plan, the Israelis another plan.

We finally agree. That is a nasty part of the world.

[tabatha]

5. What Saudi and Israeli plans?

And Saudi and Israel are not involved in the war.

Iran is running the war, not Assad.

[christx30]

6. I seriously hope

you're wrong about the Saudis and the Israelis each having plans. Because when you add China and Russia offering Assad military support for crushing the opposition, combined with Iran, this is going to make the powder keg that set off World War I look like nothing. This is going to embroil the entire middle east. There won't be anyone untouched. And other countries are going to be drawn in.

[leveymg]

7. You grasp the problem perfectly.

Wish there were more of us.

[HopeHoops]

8. To avoid locking, change the OP subject line to the original article headline.

I'm serious. That's in the SOP and is rather well enforced.

[rug]

9. Ditto.