Syrians ignore UN pleas for end to fighting

At least 40 die in clashes, including women, children trying to get to Turkey

BEIRUT – More than 40 people died in clashes across Syria on Thursday, opposition activists said, as a UN Security Council call for an immediate end to the fighting fell on deaf ears.

In the worst incident 10 civilians, including three children and two women, died when their small bus was shot up in the northern town of Sermeen as they tried to flee to Turkey, the Britishbased Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said.

Dozens of civilians were killed in other parts of the northern province of Idlib, in Homs, Hama and Deraa in the south of the country, it said. Five rebel gunmen and seven soldiers were killed in clashes in Homs province, it added.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday’s unanimous council statement had sent a clear message to Syria to end all violence, but Damascus appeared to dismiss the document, which is not legally binding.

Heavily armed government forces have made advances in recent weeks, sweeping armed opponents from strongholds around Syria, but they appear to be struggling to consolidate their gains.

Opposition sources said tanks had once again shelled a neighbourhood in the northeastern city of Hama, which has been a centre of revolt. Opposition sources said at least 20 people had died in army attacks there in the last 48 hours.

Syrian troops also turned heavy guns on Sermeen.

“Syrian forces are still not able to get inside the town because of fighting, but they are shelling Sermeen and using heavy machine guns,” said SOHR head Rami Abdelrahman.

In addition, the SOHR reported heavy fighting in alQusair, a town close to the Lebanese border. Three residents died in the fighting and four soldiers were killed in an ambush.

Fighting also erupted in southern Deraa, he said, and President Bashar Assad’s forces conducted raids in the eastern province of Deir alZor and coastal Latakia province.

The Security Council’s statement was supported by Russia and China, which had both vetoed previous Council resolutions, marking a rare moment of global unity over the crisis.

It backed a peace drive by Un-arab League envoy Kofi Annan.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said world powers needed to work together much harder to end the bloodshed, saying the Council statement was just “a common message.”

The UN statement talks of the need for political transition in Syria but does not demand that Assad step down – something both the rebels and the Arab League have called for.

Syria’s official news agency appeared to shrug off the document, saying it contained “no warnings or signals.”

Underlining the dangers, several stray Syrian shells fell in the Lebanese border village of al-qaa and nearby fields late on Wednesday, wounding one person, residents said. Gunfire could be heard in the border area again on Thursday.

The European Union is set to impose further sanctions on Assad’s inner circle on Friday, including his wife Asma.

“Tomorrow we will decide on new sanctions, not only against the Assad regime but also against the people around him,” German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said.

Although Russia has stuck to its demand that Assad must not be deposed by foreign powers, it has taken a sterner line this week, accusing the Syrian leadership of mishandling the crisis.

Analysts say this shows Russia is hedging its bets about Assad’s fate and is positioning itself for his possible fall.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said international pressure on Syria would rise until there was a ceasefire.