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Subscribe to RSSAnother deadly day in Syria as up to 50 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in what activists claim was a massacre in the city of Homs. ITN's John Ray reports.
Syrian forces have laid mines near the borders of Lebanon and Turkey along routes used by those trying to escape the conflict in Syria, advocacy group Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.
Opposition activists who have waged a year-long revolt against President Bashar Assad's rule use Lebanon and Turkey to bring food, medicine and weapons into Syria. Thousands of Syrians have also fled the violence into Turkey and Lebanon.
"Any use of anti-personnel landmines is unconscionable,'' Steve Goose, Arms Division director at HRW, said in a report. "There is absolutely no justification for the use of these indiscriminate weapons by any country, anywhere, for any purpose.''
The report came after Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, president of the U.N. General Assembly, said that the death toll in the Syrian uprising has passed 8,000, including many women and children.
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.
Syrian President Bashar Assad indicated to UN Arab League envoy Kofi Annan that there could be no cease-fire deal against opponents he called "terrorist" gangs. NBC's John Ray reports.
An official at the Syrian Embassy in London told msnbc.com that no-one was immediately available to comment on the report. Syria's ambassador to London announced on March 6 that he was set to leave his post after his term ended in Britain.
Dozens killed in Idlib?
Also on Tuesday, opposition activists told Reuters that Syrian forces had killed dozens of people near a mosque in the city of Idlib, and that rebels killed at least 10 troops in an ambush in the same area, the focus of the latest government crackdown.
Video footage showed the bloodied bodies of several unidentified men strewn on the floor of the mosque. An unseen voice said it was impossible to move them due to heavy shelling.
Army defectors ambushed a checkpoint in Idlib region in the northwest, killing the 10 soldiers and possibly more, while rebels also killed 12 members of forces loyal to Assad in the southern town of Deraa, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
A Syrian-American woman, who is also a teacher in San Jose, is trying to contact her family in Homs, often her only source of information is images posted on social media.
Fighting was reported, too, in the eastern city of Deir al-Zor and in Syria's third largest city Homs.
Speaking after meeting opponents of Assad in Turkey, U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan said he was expecting to hear later on Tuesday the response from Syria to "concrete proposals" he had made to end the escalating violence.
Annan met Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu late on Monday to discuss the crisis threatening to tip Turkey's southern neighbor into civil war.
Syria launches fierce attack as UN envoy tries talks
The Syrian parliament said Assad, who has promised reforms short of his resignation, had ordered a legislative election for May 7. It would be held under a new constitution, approved by a referendum last month which the opposition and their Western and Arab backers dismissed as a sham.
Despite mounting international pressure on him in the form of sanctions, Assad has significant allies, notably in Iran. And world powers remained at odds over how to tackle the crisis, with Russia and China continuing to back the Syrian leader.
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Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
Msnbc.com staff and Reuters contributed to this report.
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Sadly, this is what the people of Syria are victim of, by being lead by a government that has isolated itself with Iran, who has to rely on Russia (that still slow-motion crash of a once super power) and with a rhetoric of violence against Israel. They have no oil wanted by the west, and so can only die as tank shells are fired at them. Or, of course, they probably will ally with Al-Qaeda, since no one else will help them. We'll see what happens from here.
They certainly do have oil. That's why it took the EU so long to isolate Syria; it was one of Europes major suppliers. Particularly because Greece was already in such dire straits, it was the major point of contention. Greece's refinery industry is specifically built to accommodate this oil, which is not "sweet", and requires particular refinement.
The Syrian and Iranian scare and war mongering are a repetition of the jokes before and during Iraqi wars!
Oil prices shot up from $30 a barrel to $145.00 with stage managed Iraqi wars.
Seventh century Sunni bigoted Saudi ruling class and highly ungrateful and greedy beasts, oil companies and their lobbyists have started their drum beats on Iran and Syria!
When most of the nations, especially oil importing ones are on the verge of bankruptcy, only they and their puppets can choke the Iranian oil supplies.
Now these greedy bunch will manipulate oil prices to higher levels of even $200.00
Earlier it was PIIGS and make the lists a bigger one!
Which is worse, oil at 150.00 a barrel or, a Nuclear exchange that could kill millions in less than an hour? Still don't get it! Try 10 of millions if Israel has no choice but to implement it's Dooms Day plan. (FYI - the great majority of which would be Muslims.) If it escalates and the US and USSR become involved, try 100's of million dead.
Sad but true Derek. I wish everyone who lives in the United States would realize how well we have it. I could never live in a world that you had constant violence and hunger...
I lived in Syria and I spent last summer there. I still have family and friends who report to me nearly every day via the internet. What is reported and what I have seen and what I know are in conflict. The reports that we are getting through the news agencies and our government are lies, plain and simple. The Syrians have never had it so good or been so happy with their government and President Assad. There is an agenda similar to the agenda in Iraq. As you recall, there were no WMD there either.
Thank you Joe Mast,for writing the truth.But sadly most of the posters here don't care about the truth.They know nothing about Syria,and are just buying the propaganda from these stories and the US,European,and Sunni dictatorships.
JOE MAST.., Uncle Bob 512 Interesting name choices, they do not have me fooled though. Everything you write, especially "Uncle Bob" is anti American, anti Jew, and poor Muslims being abused throughout all of their history by the world. The truth is, Muslims are freaking crazy killers.
How is the weather in Iran right now?
It is pretty obvious you both are on Irans payroll, or Assads, or both.
Good luck when what comes around goes around.
I wish most thought on these human lines before unwarranted Iraqi wars!
Can some of you think on these lines as humans on the poor soldiers in Afghanistan and their families?
The cold war is alive and well with Russia supporting this ruthless regime because Syria was a close ally of the Soviet Union, I feel sorry for the Syrian people.
Would like to see this verified. One more nail in Assad's coffin if The Hague ever gets hold of him.
Assad will never make it to the Hague.
Here's what's going to happen:
Assad is going to lose and his own people are going to castrate him and then hang him and then shoot him until he looks like Swiss cheese. Then they're gonna kill his entire - and I mean ENTIRE- family. THAT'S why he's not backing off.
I can't wait for that day. He surely has it coming.
Hopefully all of those who assisting Assad who are mainly Iranians will not make it home in time and will be summarily executed as well.
Assad and his lackeys, and Iranian assassins will be remembered as bloodthirsty vampires.
When he falls from power and they kill him, they should preserve him and keep him on display naked and upside down with a pigs tongue sticking out of his mouth for all time as a reminder to others not to kill your own people.
when the regime falls!The people are going to remember who supported it.China and Russia won't have enough damage control in place to keep them in the country. That will be a sight to see all the groveling,and trying to explain thier actions in support of assad.Love to have it all on tape.
Wait a minute!
World is remembering the manipulation of oil prices with stage managed Sunni Saudi beasts and their agents with Iraqi wars.
They brought lots of miseries all over the world.
Take a poll all over the world: who is hated most for their miseries.
It is better once in a way to come out of the shells and think on rational lines and not as dictated by the Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists.
Forget Israel in all calculations as Israelis know how to handle the Islamic bigots around them.
the laying of mines will hurt people for years too come. i will bet anybody they did not record where they laided these things. mines will make your good day the worst day you have ever seen. this is a war crimes in my view, to do this. i do not see the syrians going back and getting these mines in the future.
Marine-"the laying of mines will hurt people for years too come..... this is a war crimes in my view"
The US was one of the few nations that refused to stop the use of mines when the UN tried to get a ban on landmines.We laid hundreds of thousands of them in our wars. Was that a war crime when we did the same.Or is that charge only saved for the Syrians.
Uncle bob sure does hate America. I wonder where he lives.
About Uncle Bob 512 .
I have said that before too.
Everything he ever comments on is completely anti - American.
He only comments pro Muslim, anti semetic stuff.
He never comments on any other articles at all.
I wouldn't want to be on a plane with him.
Uncle Bob 512 -
The difference is that -you- are using them on your own people to help your buddy Assad kill any opposition to him.
Goose of Human Rights Watch is judging the government's use of the landmines independent of the kind of violence perpetrated by the Syrian rebels.A BBC reporter also testifies that the rebels smuggle favored Western reporters across the Turkish and Lebanese borders.
This is going to turn into another Afghanistan where both the Russians and Afghans laid thousands of mines. Again, the Arab League is shaking their heads but doing absolutely nothing about it. We need to stay away from there. It is just another black hole to pour American Tax Dollars into. Let Turkey, Lebanon and the other Arab states pour their resources into Syria. They will have to eventually in order to keep Iran from stationing Iranians Soldiers that are not wearing Syrian uniforms.
Other than western Europe and North America, what is wrong with all the world? Iraq, Iran, Israel, Afghanistan, North Korea, Sudan... They're inhabited by insane people. It is as if they are trying to destroy civilized society and push us into constant global war and chaos.
While Obama does nothing but talk. Like he said while running for office lets sit with them and have tea. Yeah right that'll do it.
He has no balls.
Where are their muslim brothers? the infidels have to come to the rescue? Turkey has an army? The money spent in the middle east could be better spent here at home.Lets develope our own energy and not ship our oil out of the usa.Is there really any other reason were in a part of the world that hates us?
This is what Homeland Security should do along the southern border of the U S. Just indicriminately and randomly lay in some claymores but post trespassing warning signs at the border both in English and Spanish that the first half mile of U S is a mine field and enter at own risk. Wouldn't need much border patrol or sophisticated observation equipment or national guard or fence.
I am all for that G A Custer. Automatic, and remote gun turrets too.
Tainted water bottles anyone ??????
If it were up to me, I would just evict all Mexicans from Mexico altogether. I would send them all south of their border, and make Mexico a giant no mans land natural park.
you suck
There we go again, with lies! There were NO WMDs in Iraq and yet we still had a war. WHY? Because Israel and the oil companies wanted it. What is going on in Syria is all falsely reported, because I have been there and get daily reports from friends and family members. Syria is being set up like Iraq was. There is more freedom there then there is in the US, believe me! No one really cares about the Syrians or the Arab people, they are just slime in the west's eyes because they are terrorists!!! Wait till the truth about the World Trade Buildings and 9-11 comes out. We will see how many will side with Israel then!
Not true.
Read up on WMD's in Wikipedia everybody.
Polish Peacekeeping troops found some.
Iraq was using them on the Kurds killing thousands of them at a time exterminating entire villages.
Plus they were used against Iran by Iraq for years.
BEWARE !!!!!
Watch out for Iranians, Syrians and Al Qaeda and the like here in these very posts.
I have no doubt they are among us now, and paid to create propaganda even here on Newsvine.
They use American sounding names.
I urge all to read up on WMD's in Iraq in reliable places.
:-(
But wait!!
How can this be?!! Syria mining the routes used by Civilians fleeing the violence and bloodshed in the Country? How could this possibly be? I mean, according to Syrian douchebag Asshat....the Syrian Government does not kill it's own people...
If you believe THAT? I am sure you will believe that the Islamic faith is a good, kind, just "religion"....even though it is Muslims around the World who condone and conduct serial suicide bombings of Market Squares, Political gatherings, Hospitals, Police Stations, Schools and even their own religious sites. Muslims have proven time and time again, that they are nothing but filthy, good for nothing, lying, backstabbing, backwards writing, backwards thinking animals...savages noless who like to make it appear that they are civilized.
So, let me pose this question, if I may? Where is the (so-called) Arab League in all of this? Where is the Muslim Brotherhood that supports their fellow brothers and sisters? Where are all the other Arab countries who should be stepping in to stop the violence and the pending Civil War? Just like when a terrorist incident happens in The West, all we hear from the great Muslim Majority is nothing but silence...crickets in the background....what more proof do you need that Muslims are hypocrites and liars...look at Syria, Lybia, The Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and Pakistan....all of these countries are 4th world cesspools.
Holy Shiite.
Sunnis are gonna DOMINATE that B!tch Shiite ASS.
Go on dreaming as in Iraq and Afghanistan!
Assad has been reading more of Josef Stalin's book.
And so we ask, how brave must you be to plant land mines to stop women and children from crossing the border of your dictatorship?
I don't know, but ask sonar guy above @ #13. He may have an answere.
Ass-ad (Sad=ass). That's his name, that's what you get. Take a good look at the guy. He has, and wears, every day, a blue shirt. Likely the same, probably dirty, smelly, shirt. Same tie. Who in their right mind would wear a neck-tie every day of his life? Same blue suit. And, here's the clincher. He wears a Hitler mustache. Now that is one bit of facial hair waaay out of fashion. Gosh, is that any indication of whom they're dealing with here? A Hitler re-incarnation? Eventually he'll probably go down to his bunker, and take the cyanide. Let us hope it will be sooner rather than later. That day will see the end of the world's number one wimp.
There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,
boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God...
...having a form of godliness but denying its power
Sounds kind of familiar.
2 Timothy 3:1
The Syrian civil war is picking up in tiempo and violence. Assad has chemical weapons that he will use if he feels that he has nothing to lose.
Both sides hate Israel so it is a win/win situation.
I wonder if Obama will give them a severe scolding for this.
Good thing Assad isn't violating any human rights like that Quaddafi guy. Otherwise Obama might have to step in and save everyone....what a weak coward.
Obama is a President that I believe, loves His Country, the U.S.A. very much.
He may not be a Rosevelt, or a Kennedy, but He is still our Leader. I did not vote for Him, but I still pray for Him, as we should.
Remember the story of of Jesus standing before Pilot "Pilot told Jesus he had the power to release him or crucify him, but Jesus corrected him and said the only power you have is given to you by God!
Government power is given to our leaders by God.
Let's hear the hate, but it's Biblically true.
God bless America!
His Servant.
Edward learn to spell. It is Pilate not Pilot.
You are right, the spelling is Pilate. Thanks. I looked up the word, I think when I hit the spell checker it messed me up because pilot still shows up right. thank you, and God bless.
You're welcome.