|
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com Syrian army 'moves on Jisr al-Shughour' The Syrian army has begun operations to "restore security" in the town of Jisr al-Shughour and the surrounding area, Syrian state TV said. Earlier in the week, the Syrian government said 120 security personnel were killed in the northwestern town. The announcement, and the positioning of troops in the area, has prompted a flow of refugees to neighboring Turkey. The government has blamed the deaths on armed groups, but there are reports of a mutiny among security forces. A Syrian security officer who fled with the civilian refugees told the Hürriyet Daily News, “It was not the protesters who killed the soldiers; it was the commanders who killed them. Then most of the soldiers ran away with the protesters then.” Armed men were in control of the town and had prepared defenses, Syrian state TV said. The Turkish government said more than 2,000 Syrians have crossed the border seeking refuge from the anticipated crackdown in Jisr al-Shughour. Uprisings against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad began in mid-March and have swept across much of the country since then. Syria has prevented foreign journalists, including those from the BBC, from entering the country, making it difficult to verify reports from the country. The Hürriyet Daily News’ İpek Yezdani, in Hatay, Turkey, says the events in Jisr al-Shughour present a massive challenge to President Assad. The unrest in Syria has prompted a split within the United Nations Security Council, where France and Britain have proposed a resolution to condemn the government's actions. But other nations on the council, including Brazil, China and Russia, say such a resolution, which does not propose concrete action, could further inflame tensions in an already volatile region.
|
_0509_-_Assalto_copti.jpg){kind=link}