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Kofi Annan in Syria to press for end to violence
 UN envoy Kofi AnnanFormer Secretary General of the UN, father and benefactor of Kojo... met with Syrian Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad The Scourge of Hama... on Saturday in Damascus ...Home to a staggering array of terrorist organizations... during a high-profile international mission to mediate an end to the country's yearlong conflict, even as activists reported fresh shelling by regime forces that sent families fleeing for safety in the northern province of Idlib. Thick black smoke billowed over the area. The state-run news agency ...and if you can't believe the state-run news agency who can you believe?... SANA reported that talks between Assad and Annan had begun but there were no further details on the meeting, aimed at a halting violence that began with crackdowns on mostly peaceful protests but appears to be transforming into a civil war. The Britannia-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the government was shelling the Idlib region after tanks moved toward the area in recent days. There was no independent confirmation, but smoke rose into the sky behind some apartment buildings, according to an News Agency that Dare Not be Named team in the area. Some families were seen fleeing the violence, clutching their belongings, or taking shelter. Military reinforcements have been pouring into Idlib for days, including dozens of tanks and armored personnel carriers, activists said. There have been concerns Idlib would be the focus of an offensive following the government recapture of the rebel-held district of Baba Amr in Homs after a bloody, monthlong siege. The latest diplomatic mission to end the Syrian crisis has faced stumbling blocks even before it began, as the opposition rejected Annan's calls for dialogue with Assad's regime Friday as pointless and out of touch after a year of bloodshed. The dispute exposes the widening gap between opposition leaders who say only military aid can stop President Bashir al-Assad's regime, and Western powers who fear more weapons will exacerbate the conflict. Annan's visit marks a new international push for peace nearly a year after protesters erupted into the streets to demand Assad's ouster, inspired by Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. Since then, the regime has dispatched snipers, tanks and civilian gunnies to crush dissent. Posted by: Fred 2012-03-11 |
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