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UN Humanitarian Chief Tours Homs

As Syrian regime tries to scrub shattered city

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 7, 2012 9:40 AM CST

(Newser) – UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos arrived in Damascus to begin her tour of Syria today, and is now touring the flashpoints of Homs and Baba Amr, the BBC reports. The Assad regime was moving desperately to clean up evidence of the recent shelling assault on the city ahead of her arrival; state-run TV showed bulldozers and soldiers cleaning the streets of Baba Amr, but the New York Times describes a more "violent mopping-up operation" as well, with mass arrests and occasional executions.

Amos says her goal is to "urge all sides to allow unhindered access for humanitarian relief workers." The regime has barred the International Committee of the Red Cross from entering Baba Amr, citing security concerns, but Amos is being accompanied by the Red Crescent. Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports have Syrian tanks moving on to Idlib, which some fear could be the next Homs. China has also announced that it is pulling its workers out of Syria for their own safety.

A view of a deserted street strewn with debris in the restive city of Homs, February 25, 2012.
A view of a deserted street strewn with debris in the restive city of Homs, February 25, 2012.   (Getty Images)
Valerie Amos, undersecretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations, is seen in this file photo.
Valerie Amos, undersecretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations, is seen in this file photo.   (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
Even-Steven
Mar 7, 2012 5:05 PM CST
Not trying to be negative here but Im of the belief that these "officials" from the UN will be about as effective as I've been. They never do a hill of crap but talk a good game to their chummy UN friends in a lousy english like accent. Worthless piles of shit in my book as first experienced in Iraq, Darfur et. al. This is a tragedy and nothing will be done about it. 
meanbill
Mar 7, 2012 10:16 AM CST
Seeeee, no evidence of any alleged atrocities, just evidence of thugs, or the CIA, and Al-Qaeda violence, against innocents. --WHAT? -- Al-Qaeda, even Obama can't believe that, can he? -- Didn't Obama say the Al-Qaeda leadership was almost all killed, and Al-Qaeda as a force was no longer the threat they once were, because of his Drone attacks. -- WHAT? -- The CIA blames Assad, and Assad blames Al-Qaeda, and Al-Qaeda blames thugs, what? --  The Red Cross? -- Blame the Red Cross? -- Everybody knows they are controlled by the CIA. -- WHAT? -- Assad is a slut, Ho, bitch, whore, hooker, and a prostitute? -- Didn't Obama say, "Lets tone down the rhetoric," didn't he? --------- REALLY?

 
United Nations • Syria • International Committee of the Red Cross • humanitarian aid • Bashar al-Assad • Homs • Arab Spring • Syrian uprising • Baba Amr • Valerie Amos • Red Crescent • Idlib

 
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