Syrian forces continue to block Red Cross entry

AS SYRIAN forces yesterday shelled the rebel-held towns of Rastan and Qusair, near Homs, aid agencies were still being denied entry to the city’s Bab Amr district, which fell to the army on Thursday.

In principle, the agencies have been given permission to go into Bab Amr, but in practice they cannot because the army has said the district remains dangerous due to mines and booby traps.

Syrian television has broadcast images of an elderly man and several women, said to be survivors of the fighting, clutching parcels of food delivered by the army.

Balked and frustrated over being unable to gain access to the district, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (Sarc), which arrived in Homs on Friday with seven lorry-loads of aid, began distributing food, blankets and hygiene kits to residents of Bab Amr who have taken refuge in Abel village 3km away.

ICRC spokesman Saleh Dabbakeh said the Sarc would provide aid to refugees in Inshaat, next to Bab Amr, and other Homs quarters. ICRC president Jakob Kellenberger castigated the Syrian government over the delay. “It is unacceptable that people who have been in need of emergency assistance for weeks have still not received any help.”

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has demanded immediate and unconditional access to Bab Amr, contending that there were reports of arrests and summary executions there.

In an interview with al-Jazeera, UN high commissioner for human rights Navi Pillay condemned the Syrian authorities and said senior figures should be held accountable for the violent crackdown, perhaps at the international court. However she rejected the arming of rebel fighters, which she said could intensify the 11-month conflict. Opposition spokesmen charge the regime with trying to cover up crimes before granting access to the aid mission.

Human Rights Watch said 700 people died and thousands were wounded in the 26-day siege of Bab Amr. Rebel spokesmen said at least 17 civilians were killed since the army moved into Bab Amr, but this figure cannot verified.

The London-based Observatory for Human Rights said seven civilians were killed in the barrage on positions of army deserters in Rustan, declared a month ago by the rebels to be “liberated” territory. The UN High Commission for Refugees reported 1,000-2,000 refugees from this area have crossed into Lebanon.

Rastan and Qusair are of major strategic importance to Damascus. Rastan lies next to the north-south highway linking the capital with Aleppo and the north, while Qusair is a few kilometres from the Lebanese border. The army is expected to focus on these pockets of resistance in order to re-impose control, cut the rebels’ arms supply lines from Lebanon and interdict the retreat of fighters across the border.

China called on all parties to observe an immediate ceasefire, permit the delivery of humanitarian relief and engage in “inclusive” dialogue. It also reiterated its opposition to external interference, sanctions and regime change.

The bodies of journalists Remi Ochlik and Marie Colvin, who were killed in Bab Amr, have been flown to Paris. Ms Colvin’s remains are to be repatriated to the US. On Saturday, seven people were killed by a suicide bomber in Deraa, the cradle of the uprising. Previous attacks of this kind in Damascus and Aleppo have been blamed on al-Qaeda by Damascus and Washington.