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Subscribe to RSSRebels in Syria say Assad's forces had slaughtered at least 78 people, including women and children, but Assad's people say it was the rebels and the numbers were far fewer. ITN's Paul Davies reports. Warning: Some pictures in this report are disturbing.
The smell of burned flesh hung in the air and body parts lay scattered around the deserted Syrian hamlet of Mazraat al-Qubeir on Friday, U.N. monitors said after visiting the site where 78 people were reported massacred two days ago.
The alleged killing spree on Wednesday underlined how little outside powers, divided and pursuing their own interests in the Middle East, have been able to do to stop increasing carnage in the 15-month-old uprising against President Bashar Assad.
A day after Syrian armed forces and villagers had turned them back, the unarmed U.N. monitors reached the farming settlement of Mazraat al-Qubeir, finding it deserted but bearing signs of deadly violence.
One house was damaged by rocket fire and bullets, U.N. spokeswoman Sausan Ghosheh said. Another was burned, with bodies still inside. "You could smell dead bodies and you could also see body parts in and around the village," Ghosheh told reporters after returning to Damascus.
Syrian troops shell rebel city as full-scale assault feared, activists say
BBC reporter Paul Danahar, who accompanied the U.N. monitors, said it was clear "terrible crime" had taken place.
In one house he saw "pieces of brains lying on the floor.
"There was a tablecloth covered in blood and flesh and someone had tried to mop the blood up by pushing it into the corner, but seems they had given up because there was so much of it around."
Blood was in pools around a room, Danahar tweeted. "Pieces of flesh lay among the scattered possession." Livestock carcasses were rotting in the sun.
The former U.N. secretary general, who brokered the peace deal that was to be implemented in Syria, has conceded that the plan is not working. Meanwhile, U.N. monitors attempting to investigate the latest massacre in Syria are facing gunfire. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
Danahar's Twitter report added: "What we didn't find were any bodies of people. What we did find were tracks on the tarmac (that) the U.N. said looked like armored personnel carriers or tanks."
"Whoever did this may have acted with mindless violence but attempts to cover up the details of the atrocity are calculated & clear," Danahar concluded.
Ghosheh said Mazraat al-Qubeir, which has a population of around 150 people, was empty on Friday, but people from neighboring villages arrived to give their accounts.
Rebel fighter: Syria army firing on more villages after 'massacre'
"The information was a little bit conflicting. We need to go back, cross-reference what we have heard, and check the names they say were killed, check the names they say are missing."
Many Syrian civilians are fleeing their homes to escape widening fighting between security forces and rebels, the Red Cross said, while the outside world seems unable to craft an alternative to envoy Kofi Annan's failing peace plan.
"Some say that the plan may be dead," Annan said before meeting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington.
"Is the problem the plan or the problem is implementation?" he asked. "If it's implementation, how do we get action on that? And if it is the plan, what other options do we have?"
Activists say at least 78 people were shot, stabbed or burned alive in Mazraat al-Qubeir, a Sunni Muslim hamlet, by forces loyal to Assad, whose minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam, has dominated Syria for decades.
Syrian authorities have condemned the killings in Mazraat al-Qubeir and another massacre of civilians in Houla two weeks ago, blaming them on "terrorists."
The conflict is becoming increasingly sectarian. Shabbiha militiamen from the Alawite community appear to be off the leash, targeting Sunni civilians almost regardless of their part in the uprising.
Opposition activists said those killed in Mazraat al-Qubeir had not previously been caught up in the conflict.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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One well placed round on Assad will end the death and destruction. Just say when!
Pure liars are the only people who don't consider this a horror.
Are this horror due to Syrian rebels supported by the Saudi Sunni al-Qaida, MB barbarians or Assad's forces?
Sunni Saudis and their militants can invent anything on earth.
If things are so easy, Iraqi wars and Afghan wars should have been won long time back.
You know how NATO forces exited from Iraq.
Now McCains are planning how to flee from Afghanistan after 11 years of "great" Texas Cowboy style wars!
Yeah right. That will just signal the start of the civil war and ethnic cleansing.
Are you saying that, amoung the people being hunted and killed, there is not one person thinking and having the capability of doing the same thing??
WHEN !
Take out his entire family, his lackeys, and the Iranian death squads while you are at it.
The guy is a P.O.S.
The U.S. needs to keep all troops away let them fight their own civil war
You are right on mark. Shiites vs Sunnis battles are not our business. We had enough with Iraqi wars.
In Syria what is going on is nothing compared to other nations where Muslims form a high percentage.
Just examine Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq and other Muslim nations.
There will be only stenches!
It sounds like a blood bath in Syria. Rest in peace little children this world is not worthy of you.
Syria has been "smelling" for a long time now, with no Intervention for the Slaughtering, Massacres to stop.
How long will it take to get the "Smell" out of there, including Assad, the Mastermind of Evil..
Arab Countries, rise to the Death Camps in Syria, and take care of your own people. You are darn lazy, and love death. "Give Peace a Chance". (John Lennon)
Wretched Leaders---throw them all in a mass grave.
@latekate Can't blame the whole world because THEIR countrymen killed them. It's not OUR culture, it's not OUR military or militants that are doing this. We are not the police of the world. Sort your own laundry. Sad, but true.
If this happened even for a day in this country, you better believe we would handle it. I know someone's going to pull some obscure native american slaughter story but I mean modern times. Sometimes you just have to handle your business and not let lunatics run wild with immunity.
If this is what they do their own brothers, just think what they can do to the Christians in Lebanon or to the Israelis... It's clear that they need to defend themselves in any possible way. These killers are not human or animals: just beast! (and the world can clearly see what kind of consciusness and humanity have Russia, China and Iran...)
You have hit the nail.
Just Lebanon's history will confirm and give more details of how Muslims treat non-Muslims when Muslims form about 40 percent.
Assad is the best ME ruler.
If atrocities and barbarism on girls, children and women are the criteria, then the most despotic, autocratic and bigoted Sunni Saudi ruler with his 5000 princes and princesses, Kuwaiti, UAE and other Arab League Sunni rulers and their rich sheiks are the biggest culprits in the history.
Through the Muslim immoral trafficking gangs, these barbarians have assembled all varieties of poor and helpless girls and women from all over the world in their harems and brothels.
If the US, Britain and others support such Sunni barbarians and beasts who treat girls and women as cheap sex slaves, then one can only conclude that Saudis, oil companies and their lobbyists determine what to see, how to lecture and where and when to act.
Rest like “human rights”, “killing of children and women”, “militants”, “terrorists”, “WMDs”, “chemical weapons” and so on are a pure hoax.
Similar hoaxes were played each time before Iraqi wars on directions of Saudi, oil companies and their lobbyists.
Now none of them are looking into Iraq, where millions have been killed and devastated.
We have nothing to do with Shiites vs Sunni battles.
I can believe the Arab nations not doing noughting when they could stop this-they rather have America and Nato to attack syria-hell no to that unless they paid for everything plus gace us 2 trillion dollars to pay on our debt.Why does Saudia Arabia not do nothing that they being sunni muslims,they have a dam good air force and pilots,tanks and troops with help from other arab nations-you would think that all sects of muslims would stop this brutal murdering.Israel shot down 80 fighter jets of Syria with no loses when Israel had to go after the PLO in Lebonon,Syris polits are not worth a crap but you have to remember that Israel has the best pilots in the world with Americans too-not sure who's better,In Israel-id a pilots messes up one time he is kicked out-that's how well trained they are,Saudia polits are way better than Syris's pilots big time-I guess middle east countries don't have the guts to fight a real war plus Syris id allies with Iran and all arab nations fear Iran but Turkey due to Iran is about to have a nuke weapon ready to use-take Syria out and that weakens Iran,Saudia Arabia told Israel that they can use their air space to attack Iran-that's how much all arab nation fear Iran,Syris id a paper tiger,they can't fight a war with a good military force such as Saudia Arabia-they just let the sunni brothers and sister with babies get tortured,brutaly killed and do noughting.I feel so bad for all the people who are being murdered and badly tortured by syria troops and Alawite militias.The Arab Lauge should get all it troops and invade Syris and stop the maddnes-get some backbones-I guess muslims would rather drug and brain wash someone to strap a bomb on them and blow people up instead of doing something right and good.Obama might get America involded but he knows Syria holds power with Hezablah backed by Iran and their all along the northern border of Israel-maybe that's why he has not got America involded-Obama said-this is fact because it came from his book-he said if the world goes in Choas that he would stand with the muslim because he is a muslim and he hates the fact his mother is white-it drives him nuts-that why she did not raise him,Obama is racist against whites-it's in his books and uses the race card so much-he with all his followers will call you racist if you don't like Obama and the GOD aweful job he was suppose to do.
I am so sorry about the lost of the children's , But you all missing the whole mess , The report clearly said , the Syrian troops are engaging in a battle with the rebels, Hello , Our own Intel, and all the signs shows Alqaeda fighting in Syria , Have you all seen Alqaeda , Remember 9/11 , These people have no value for Children's life or anybody . and Geronimous ... Buddy they are killing the Christians ind destroying their Churches , But not the SYRIAN ARMY buddy , The rebels thugs doing that. If Syria and Assad so Brutal like you all saying , Why would HE TAKE IN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES FROM IRAQ AFTER THE US AND NATO INVASION , THEY NEVER COMPLAINED THEY TOOK MOST OF THE CHRISTIANS THAT RAN AWAY FROM IRAQ , BECAUSE THEY WERE GETTING KILLED , HOW COME NATO AND THE US DID NOT PROTECT THEM FROM THESE MURDERERS IN IRAQ, ITS EASY TO TALK FROM ONE SIDE , WHEN NOBODY EXPLAINING THE OTHER SIDE , AND ME. geronimous .. Sorry buddy , But I do not remember the Russians , Chinese , Iranians being in Libya , I really like to know the exact thousands of Civilians that lost their lives and still getting killed till this day , Because NATO went in there and stole the oil and left the country to these thugs of Alqaeda and Muslim Brother hood , They killing Civilians right and left and nobody there to help them . Back to Syria buddy Ask Hillary and the Saudis and Qataris where these thugs getting their Arms and where these Alqaeda thugs coming from , They will know the Answer . Assad allowed the UN monitors into Syria , But evidently , they are Just like the Inspectors that went to Iraq to Inspect for the WMD , And you can ask Mr. Scott Ritter about them . They silenced that gentle man real quik , Because he was telling the Truth . All these reporters I hear from Syria , All what they say a source from the rebels told them , Or Syrian human rights from London told them , WOW How about one sided story will you , And then they will add , And cannot confirm the story , But hell they already out the story as it is the Truth , And always some body start with The ALLH WA AKBAR then the time and the date . Have you seen more disciplined REBELS and precise ??? I have not !!!! the truth buddy , THAT SOMETHING WE ARE NOT GETTING .
Really My Turn ?
So The Syrian and Iranian death squads were just sitting around enjoying a beautiful Syrian night when a bunch of Men, women, and children decided to attack the Iranian death squads and Syrian troops who were only there to insure peace in the lovely city of Mazraat al-Qubeir ?
The satellite photos we were told well before the attack, were of those a-holes surrounding the city for an attack on the city. A couple of days later, The "smell of death" fills the air from the cities citizens rotting corpses, and you have the audacity to say that these Iranian death squads, and Syrian death squads were under attack ?
May your own family see the same fate.
zipperthecat: You are imagining too much and making too many assumptions.
Tell us whether WMDs were there in Iraq?
Why did the NATO forces flee Iraq after losing so many soldiers and sinking huge monies on wars?
Why don't you people count what you people mention in Iraq now?
For finding and eliminating Osama, it took more than 10 years.
Look here: world has changed much. All nations are not Grenada.
Zipperthecat I Do not mind you giving your lying opinion about Iranian death squads ,I guess you getting your news from your Fing Saudis and Qataris masters , Yes i AM A Christian And I saw what you and your thugs to to civilians , But you know what , Its not your fault , Its our Fing Paid off politicians fault , To cover up for you al murderers Bastards . Your sources told you , Wow buddy , Well tell your sources their day is coming , When their lies will show , and they will pay for them . Washington Post , Just reported that the Saudis been Financing Alqaeda and all the Terrorist group in the World , They are responsible for 45% of all the killing in Iraq , And they financing with Qatar all the Alqaeda thugs and all the Muslim brother hood thugs in Syria , So you might hide behind the smoke that Hillary and her cronies giving you , But the Truth will show , And you better keep your Fing Mouth shut when it comes to my Family ,IT SHOWS NOW who KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE , But The people in The US have not Woke up TO you all's Murderers Yet.
@zipperthecat, those photos don't tell the whole story. The army may have been containing the attack, you really never know. I'd guess that we have about 10% of the actual story and that is not enough to justify us being involved.
Jonathan- brings up some good points, and he isn't afraid to look at the big picture, something often lacking.
Catch phrases like "WMD"s and the like are propaganda tools used to create an emotional response and to distract the publics focus on what's really going on. It is true that Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons on his own population, the Iraqi Kurds, and to be more specific he used MUSTARD GAS (a type of WMD which was widely used in WWI, example Adolf Hitler was gassed with Mustard Gas), however the huge stockpile of WMD's that claimed to there was never found, and it became obvious that ulterior motives may have been behind the second US involved war in Iraq.
Powerful people and organizations have been manipulating governments for centuries, why should the Syrian situation be any different ?
no.. the world belongs to the people and not the goverments.. Any legit goverment will always have civilian safety as top priority. No matter what part of the world they are.. if a civilian is being bombed or killed by any means other then accident, the responsibles should go to jail. Syria is a good example of how f. up our values are as humanity. Unacceptable!!
Well put Capoeira.
Are this horror due to Syrian rebels supported by the Saudi Sunni al-Qaida, MB barbarians or Assad's forces?
Sunni Saudis and their militants can invent anything on earth.
I am sorry... but we are not the world police force... and it is not our function as Americans.... The UN needs to make a decision, and totally share in what is decided.
I am a mother, wife, daughter... and an American... We cannot afford to send more of our people into a place that we are going to be hated, to try to solve a civil war.
Whether we like it or not, some of the world does view us as the world police force.
Boots on the ground in Syria? Probably not a good idea. But a quick, in and out assassination of Assad by Navy Seals or another special forces unit - that may at least quell some of the violence, though I doubt his army would stop the massacres even if he was dead.
Usually when there is a massacre, there is a 'smell of death'. Just sayin'.
Send in the drones.
My brother died from alcoholism and his body lay on the floor of his apartment for SIX weeks before someone reported him. Six weeks! Ay yay yai! There was a smell I tell you. And that was in Pennsylvania.
It sounds like you weren't very involved in your brothers life, your attitude seems very candid as well.
What's with the profile image ? Your handle ? Another joker huh ?
What are the Arab Nations doing?
Sunni Saudis have already outsourced the dirty jobs to US and allies through their oil companies, lobbyists and Jewish lobby.
They are busy now planning how to choke Iranian oil and make more profit.
Why do men sit around in their expensive suites talking about what needs to be done when we all know what needs to be done in Syria.
Assad and his wife need discretely dismissed for their actions against the Syrians.
No discussion necessary.
This comes as no surprise to me..Its muslums being muslums...they have been killing each other for years..its third world mentallity..we in the united states dont go around killing a catholic because we are Luthern..Stay outta their affairs..Its just how muslums act.
Remember these are nations that are peaceful and fun loving! (sarcasism) Stay the heck out of it America. As long as they are killing each other they are not flying planes into our buildings and killing our citizens in America.
Tonight, I wonder if Assad had a meal fit for a king, got a BJ from his whore British wife (no offense to Brits), killed and tortured a few of his countries men, women or children, then went to bed.
Can't somebody please just put some ricin in his hummus or something?
Seriously folks, one quick drone strike could end this. No need to put our troops in danger, and the cost.....well, that's fairly minimal considering our defense budget. Consider the human cost of not doing it.
Kill that S.O.B.
This could have been solved long ago. I would hope that our president would take a page out of Bill Clintons playbook on Bosnia/Serbian Genocide. Kofi's plan was doomed to fail, no one wants to get involved financially or politically, so these tyrants will continue to commit to this pillage. Fail!
Izmet- In any case the manipulators behind the scenes will most likely devise profit either way
If this bothers people to have assad in power....take a page outta ronald reagans book..fire a cruise missle into his compound..otherwise..let the muslum carnage continue..killing is what they do best.
Oh well ..... you get that from the mooselums. They are what they are and should not expect anything less from them.
it amuses me that you people are so vexed on this everyday happening.if you could all see that this is not a massacre...only a diversion
An arrest warrant should be issued from The Hague for Assad. He is responsible for these massacres. He keeps lying about it...has he never heard of satellites? We can look down to see what car is parked in the yard...we can certainly see what is happening in Syria. Everyone knows the government troops are doing the killings. What a sad world we live in when all decent people say "not our problem".
Jennifer: Ditto on you comment!
Assad and the regime are ultimately responsible for this mess. Assad and his lackies have been running this country since daddy seized power in 1970 or 71. The regime has oppressed those people for forty years and when the people speak out, they get smacked down - hard! Had the ruled with benevolence and humanity, they would not be where they are today. Case in point: Syria's neighbor, Jordan.
Sorry Jennifer,New York Is that the same Satellites that General . Collin Powell used in the UN to show the Iraqi Chemical Trucks and Biological trucks and the Nukes areas . Who's every body and why are depending you and your Media here CNN and Anderson Cooper on his Friend Zaidon , the rebel from Syria , Ya why aren,t Hillary Clinton And McCain showing all that . They will save you and me lots of troubles . Lady they are just full of lies as you are . How come every time the reporter show a Video you hear these rebels Chanting ALLH WA AKBAR and they rush to tell the date and location . I was in wars , I was so scared I did not know the date and location , I tell why , Because Its all Fabricated with the help of our Media , What happened to media the talks to both sides , Even the guilty one , I have not seen one report from CNN , MSNBC , FOX ( THE FAIR AND BALANCED ) NOT ONE REPORT WHERE THEY TALKING TO ANY SYRIAN OFFICIAL , EVEN THAT LYING REPORTER ON TOP OF THIS REPORT AIEMEN ???? He was in Syria last week , He waited to go Cairo Egypt 1000 mile away then talk to the rebels and their news source in London to ask them what's happening in Syria . Either you all bunch of dumb asssss , Or you just like the brained washed people back in the Iraqi reports about the WMD's . 97% of the American people want to attack Iraq back then . That meant 97% of us believed in that lie . So not much deference , With all my respect to our Intelligence .
Muslims, Christians, Jews, all kill in the name of religion and claim their God is the only God. Bashar Al-Assad kills for his own personal benefit and knows if he loses power he'll be killed like Qadaffi. He's a minority in Syria but I can't figure out how the majority Sunni's have been blocked from overthrowing him for so many years.
Civil wars are always the worst. Either you're with one group or the other. That makes you an enemy of someone.
The never ending push by the media to get the USA involved in another WAR.