Syrian activists: 200 dead in government assault
By ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY | Associated Press – 23 mins ago
In this citizen journalism image provided by the Local Coordination Committees in Syria and released Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, an anti-Syrian regime protester, holds a poster in Arabic that reads, "to the Syrian freedom soldiers, our hearts are bases for you," as he walks during a demonstration in Idlib Province, north Syria. Russia's deputy defense minister says Moscow will not stop arms sales to Syria. Russian state news agencies quoted Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov on Thursday as saying Russia is not violating any international obligations. (AP Photo/Local Coordination Committees in Syria) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTOEnlarge Photo
BEIRUT (AP) — In a barrage of shelling, Syrian forces killed 200 people and wounded hundreds early Saturday in Homs in an offensive that appears to be the bloodiest episode in the nearly 11-month-old uprising, activists said. The offensive was reported in Homs, which has been one of the main flashpoints of opposition to the regime during the uprising against President Bashar Assad. Two main opposition groups, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordination Committees, said the death toll was more than 200 people. More than half of the killings — about 140 — were reported in the Khaldiyeh neighborhood.
"This is the worst attack of the uprising, since the uprising began in March until now," said Rami Abdul-Rahman, the head of the Observatory, which tracks violence through contacts on the ground. The reports could not be independently confirmed. It was not immediately clear what precipitated the attack, but there have been reports that army defectors set up checkpoints in the area and were trying to consolidate control.
more...................Syrian activists: 200 dead in government assault - Yahoo! News



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