Syria rebels retreat from besieged district
Source: Agencies |
March 2, 2012, Friday
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SYRIAN rebels said they were making a "tactical retreat" yesterday from a besieged district in opposition stronghold of Homs, following a punishing monthlong military assault.
They said they were running out of weapons and humanitarian conditions were catastrophic.
As the offensive on the central city of Homs intensified, Syria's main opposition group formed a military council to organize the armed resistance and funnel weapons to rebels, a sign of how deeply militarized the conflict has become over the past year as Syria veers closer to a civil war.
A Syrian official said on Wednesday that the government was planning a major offensive to "cleanse" the rebel-held Baba Amr district of Homs once and for all, as activists reported troops massing outside the neighborhood.
The Baba Amr rebels brigade said they were pulling out to spare some 4,000 civilians who insisted on staying in their homes. They said the decision was based on "worsening humanitarian conditions, lack of food and medicine and water, electricity and communication cuts as well as shortages in weapons."
Homs is Syria's third-largest city with 1 million people. Before the revolt, activists estimated 100,000 people lived in Baba Amr. But many have fled in the past year and the population is believed to be much reduced.
Burhan Ghalioun, head of the opposition Syrian National Council, told a news conference in Paris that rebels have relocated from some areas but said the resistance in Baba Amr "is still strong." It was not immediately clear what escape route the rebels used.
Meanwhile, international pressure on the regime has been growing more intense. The UN's top human rights body voted to condemn Syria for "widespread and systematic violations" against civilians, and the UK and Switzerland closed their embassies in Damascus over worsening security. The US closed its embassy in February.
Members of the UN Human Rights Council yesterday voted 37 in favor and three against a resolution proposed by Turkey calling on Syria to stop attacks on civilians and grant unhindered access to aid groups.
Three members of the 47-nation body abstained and four didn't vote.
Russia, China and Cuba objected to the resolution.
The Geneva-based council's vote carries no legal weight but diplomats consider it a strong moral signal that may encourage a similar resolution in the powerful UN Security Council.
They said they were running out of weapons and humanitarian conditions were catastrophic.
As the offensive on the central city of Homs intensified, Syria's main opposition group formed a military council to organize the armed resistance and funnel weapons to rebels, a sign of how deeply militarized the conflict has become over the past year as Syria veers closer to a civil war.
A Syrian official said on Wednesday that the government was planning a major offensive to "cleanse" the rebel-held Baba Amr district of Homs once and for all, as activists reported troops massing outside the neighborhood.
The Baba Amr rebels brigade said they were pulling out to spare some 4,000 civilians who insisted on staying in their homes. They said the decision was based on "worsening humanitarian conditions, lack of food and medicine and water, electricity and communication cuts as well as shortages in weapons."
Homs is Syria's third-largest city with 1 million people. Before the revolt, activists estimated 100,000 people lived in Baba Amr. But many have fled in the past year and the population is believed to be much reduced.
Burhan Ghalioun, head of the opposition Syrian National Council, told a news conference in Paris that rebels have relocated from some areas but said the resistance in Baba Amr "is still strong." It was not immediately clear what escape route the rebels used.
Meanwhile, international pressure on the regime has been growing more intense. The UN's top human rights body voted to condemn Syria for "widespread and systematic violations" against civilians, and the UK and Switzerland closed their embassies in Damascus over worsening security. The US closed its embassy in February.
Members of the UN Human Rights Council yesterday voted 37 in favor and three against a resolution proposed by Turkey calling on Syria to stop attacks on civilians and grant unhindered access to aid groups.
Three members of the 47-nation body abstained and four didn't vote.
Russia, China and Cuba objected to the resolution.
The Geneva-based council's vote carries no legal weight but diplomats consider it a strong moral signal that may encourage a similar resolution in the powerful UN Security Council.
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