Jordan warns Syria crisis could spread

Calls for peace talks to prevent regional conflict

MORE than 100 000 people have been killed in Syria since the beginning of the country’s uprising in March 2011, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights watchdog said in a new toll yesterday.

The Observatory said the toll was now 100 191 people, with at least 36 661 civilians killed, along with 25 000 regime troops and 18 072 rebel fighters. The remainder comprise pro-regime militiamen, unidentified victims and Hezbollah fighters.

Jordan’s King Abdullah said Syria’s war could ignite a regional sectarian conflict unless global powers helped to convene peace talks soon.

King Abdullah also said Palestinians could launch an Arab Spring-style revolt if they felt prospects for a peaceful settlement of their conflict with Israel had reached a dead end.

Situated near Syria and next door to Israel and the occupied West Bank, US-allied Jordan is affected by instability in the region.

Jordan has taken in more than 500 000 Syrians out of a total 1.5 million who have fled the war, UN officials say.

“It has become clear to all that the Syrian crisis may extend from being a civil war to a regional and sectarian conflict ... the extent of which is unknown,” King Abdullah said.

He said it was time for a more serious Arab and international coordination with regard to the Syrian crisis, adding “the situation cannot wait any longer”.

The Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah announced last month it had joined fighting against Saudibacked, Sunni-led rebels trying to oust President Bashar al-Assad.

US President Barack Obama last week said that Washington, keeping a wary eye on the war, had left about 700 combat-equipped troops in Jordan after a training exercise.

The US had previously decided to leave Patriot missiles and warplanes there.

King Abdullah said that efforts to convene a peace conference bringing together the Syrian government and the opposition remained the logical and ideal way to find a solution to the crisis.

Talks between the US and Russia in Geneva on Tuesday to set up such a conference were fruitless, with the powers on either side of the conflict failing to agree when it should be held or who would be invited.

King Abdullah welcomed efforts by US secretary of state John Kerry to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, but warned of a narrowing window for peace due to Israeli settlement building.

“Fading prospects of peace will explode relations between Palestinians and Israelis in a manner emulating the Arab Spring protests, either through a new intifada [uprising] or a new cycle of violence and counter violence,” he said. — Sapa-AFP-Reuters