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Eugene

(61,595 posts)
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 09:52 AM Jun 2012

Intense shelling of southern Syrian city kills 17

Source: Associated Press

By BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press – 55 minutes ago

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian troops shelled the southern city of Daraa early on Saturday, killing at least 17 people, activists said. And in Damascus, residents spoke about a night of shooting and explosions in the worst violence Syria's capital has seen since the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime began 15 months ago.

The nearly 12 hours of fighting in Damascus suggested a new boldness among armed rebels, who previously kept a low profile in the capital. It also showed a willingness by the regime to unleash in the capital the sort of elevated force against restive neighborhoods it has used to crush opponents elsewhere.

For the first time in the uprising, witnesses said, regime tanks opened fire in the city's streets, with shells slamming into residential buildings.

The latest escalations in different parts of Syria are another blow to international envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan, which aims to end the country's bloodletting. Annan brokered a cease-fire that went into effect on April 12 but has since been violated nearly every day since and never properly took hold.

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Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g26eIfhlXo_jRWlrz9462Lk_bw_Q?docId=d9017c0ce48a4774be478d044abe3705

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pampango

(24,692 posts)
1. Artillery and tank fire into urban areas has to cause many civilian casualties, unless
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 11:06 AM
Jun 2012

Russia is providing the Syrian government with the latest in "terrorist-seeking" artillery shells.

Shelling of cities is one of the things that the government pledged to stop doing in the ceasefire agreement with Annan, but they have never even slowed down.

MindMover

(5,016 posts)
2. So Assad will destroy his country before he leaves....
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 07:11 PM
Jun 2012

this evil monster goes beyond the pale of petty dictator.....leaving a civil war, and a destroyed country.....

Zorro

(15,691 posts)
6. It's beginning to look like it may be Sunni vs. Shia
Sat Jun 9, 2012, 09:06 PM
Jun 2012

Could be another reason why Iran is providing support to the Assad government.

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