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UN Observers Leave Syria

Four-month mission a bust, and violence continues

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 20, 2012 7:52 AM CDT

(Newser) – The UN's Syria observer mission officially ended last night, and monitors were seen leaving today after their four months in the country failed to bring an end to the violence. The last monitors should be out by Friday, leaving just a small liaison office in Damascus, Reuters reports. But Turkey says the UN must create a "safe zone" for refugees inside Syria—almost 70,000 have fled to Turkey, and the country only has room for 100,000, its foreign minister says.

Today is the second day of Eid al-Fitr, a major three-day Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan, but intense fighting in the country continues, the AP adds. Bashar al-Assad was yesterday seen for the first time since last month attending prayers to mark al-Eid's start; today his troops shelled Aleppo, Daraa, and a suburb of Damascus, leaving as many as 30 dead. Meanwhile, Jordan says rockets from Syria fell inside its borders, wounding a young girl yesterday; the government sent a letter of protest in response, AFP reports.

United Nations observers embrace upon arrival in Damascus, Syria from Homs, as they prepare to depart the country, Monday, Aug. 20, 2012.
United Nations observers embrace upon arrival in Damascus, Syria from Homs, as they prepare to depart the country, Monday, Aug. 20, 2012.   (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)
United Nations observers arrive at a hotel in Damascus, Syria from Homs, as they prepare to depart the country, Monday, Aug. 20, 2012.
United Nations observers arrive at a hotel in Damascus, Syria from Homs, as they prepare to depart the country, Monday, Aug. 20, 2012.   (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
HANKHILL
Aug 20, 2012 2:10 PM CDT
DOH!
AlexanderArgentina
Aug 20, 2012 10:46 AM CDT
HOMS (SANA) - Governor Mohammad visited the Military Hospital in the city of Homs along with Secretary of Homs Branch of al-Baath Arab Socialist Party, Subhi Harb, the Commander of the Central Region and a number of the People's Assembly members. The delegation checked on the condition of injured members of the army and law enforcement forces, who were targeted while performing their national duty in confronting the armed terrorist groups, and wished them a speedy recovery. The officials also visited law enforcement and military personnel at al-Mwasalat roundabout and al-Siteen street in the city. Members of the military stressed their high morale and determination to carry on with their national task of eliminating armed terrorist groups in defense of the homeland. The delegation talked with the families of a number of martyrs and offered them gifts and related their condolences. + LEBANON (SANA) - A unit of the armed forces foiled on Saturday several infiltration attempts from Lebanon into Syria by armed terrorist groups through al-Shabronieh, Idlin and Halat in Talkalakh countryside. A SANA correspondent quoted a source in the governorate as saying that the armed forces continue to tightly control the border and the terrorist groups were deterred and fled into the Lebanese territories. The source added that the infiltration attempts coincide with armed attacks on law-enforcement members in Talkalakh and al-Hosn town and a shooting reported from the Lebanese side to border guards on the Syrian side. The source added that Lebanese authorities inflicted heavy losses on the terrorists. ALEPPO (SANA) - The armed forces continue to carry out their duty of protecting the country and citizens and in a number of neighborhoods in Aleppo, a large number of terrorists, some of which have been determined as having Arab foreign nationalities have been extinguished. Field commanders say the armed forces' string of successes are due to the cooperation of Aleppo's citizens and the information they provide on the movements and whereabouts of terrorists. Armed forces relate they have cleared out the Saif Addoula area in Aleppo from terrorists, killing dozens of them and seizing sniper rifles, RPGs and hand grenades. Additionally an armed forces unit raided two terrorist hideouts, one in a building near al-Karama School another in a house near Sukkar Mosque in Bustan al-Qaser neighborhood, subsequently eliminating the terrorists who were thusly positioned inside them. The armed forces encountered an armed terrorist group in the areas of al-Jdeida and Souq al-Souf in Aleppo city and report several of the mercenaries were extinguished. Similarly in Qastal Harami, Qastal Misht, al-Shaboura and al-Tananeer Square in Aleppo the armed forces have stormed several terrorist dens and taken down many of these cowardly mercenary terrorists. In Aleppo's Old City, an armed forces unit flushed out and killed a sniper who had stationed himself in an abandoned building overlooking the road to the prison. + DARAA (SANA) - Authorities say they are pursuing the remnants of armed terrorist groups who were engaged in al-Hrak area in Daraa Countryside during when many were killed and host of others arrested. A source in the province told SANA that listed among the terrorists confirmed dead are Yasser Adnan al-Qattouf, Mohammad Ahmad al-Hariri and Husam Abdul-Latif al-Salamat. Authorities also continued canvassing the areas of al-Laujat, alTaf and Qalat Sahar in Daraa countryside, While in the town of Sheikh Miskin in Daraa countryside, an armed forces unit have broken up a terrorist group and killed many of who were so aligned, including the alleged ringleader identified by town residents as Anas Hamid al-Deri.
jriven00
Aug 20, 2012 9:23 AM CDT
Typical UN action.  Get the U.S. out of the UN and relocate their headquarters to paris
 

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