Troops launch offensive in Syrian capital

SYRIAN GOVERNMENT troops yesterday launched co-ordinated offensives against rebels in Damascus suburbs as Arab League monitors, their mission suspended, remained in their hotels.

Opposition spokesmen claimed that 2,000 regular army troops supported by 50 tanks and armoured vehicles sought to wrest control of the eastern suburbs from army deserters attached to the Free Syrian Army. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights assessed the clashes as the fiercest in the Damascus area since unrest erupted 10 months ago.

At least 19 people, the majority soldiers, were reportedly slain and scores of civilians were fleeing affected suburbs.

The official news agency Sana said a roadside bomb set off by an “armed terrorist group” targeted a bus killing six army personnel, including two officers, in a southwestern Damascus suburb.

The observatory reported another 10 soldiers died in an attack on their convoy in the north.

On Saturday, league secretary Gen Nabil el-Arabi said: “Given the critical deterioration of the situation in Syria, and the continued use of violence, it has been decided to immediately stop the work of the mission to Syria.”

An unnamed Syrian official critical of the league’s decision said it would “put pressure on [UN Security Council] deliberations with the aim of calling for foreign intervention and encouraging armed groups to increase violence”.

The fate of the monitors is to be decided in Cairo by a meeting of Arab ministers on February 5th.

This week the security council is set to discuss a resolution incorporating a league peace plan rejected by the Syrian regime.

The plan calls for talks between the government and opposition, the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad and assumption of executive power by his deputy, the formation of a unity government and parliamentary elections.

Mr El-Arabi said contacts were under way with Russia and China, which are reluctant to approve external intervention in Syria.

“I hope that their stand will be adjusted in line with the final drafting of the proposed resolution,” he said, before leaving for New York along with Qatari prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, head of the League’s six-member committee on Syria.

Qatar has adopted a strong line against the Syrian regime and was the first Arab country to call upon Dr Assad to step down.

A previous resolution advanced by Britain and France last year was rejected by Russia and China, both permanent council members wielding a veto.

Moscow, which has been highly critical of the western approach to the unfolding situation in Syria, is likely to threaten to use its veto to prevent the council from adopting the proposed resolution. Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov castigated western governments as “irresponsible” since the opportunity presented by the league’s monitoring mission was being wasted.

He also criticised the six Gulf Co-operation Council members for withdrawing their 55 monitors from the 165-member mission as soon as the decision had been taken to extend its work for another month.