|
Assad
forces renew assault on Homs, stall aid
Sunday March 04, 2012 05:23:55 PM,
Agencies
|
|
|
|
|
Amman/
Beirut: Syrian forces have renewed their
assault on Homs, bombarding more areas of the central city,
activists say, with aid agencies still unable to gain access to
neighbourhoods in desperate need of relief.
Sunday's bombardment of Syria's third-largest city with about one
million people came as China offered a proposal to end the
violence in the country, calling for an immediate ceasefire and
talks by all parties but standing firm against any intervention by
outside forces.
Conditions in the western Homs neighbourhood of Baba Amr have been
described as catastrophic, with reports on Saturday describing
extended power outages, shortages of food and water, and no
medical care for the sick and wounded.
Government forces took control of the opposition stronghold on
Thursday after opposition fighters fled under the same constant
bombardment that activists said killed hundreds of people since
early February.
The Syrian government has said it is fighting "armed gangs" in
Baba Amr and has pledged to "cleanse" the neighbourhood.
Al Jazeera's Sue Turton, reporting from Beirut in neighbouring
Lebanon, said the UN and international rights groups were
investigating the government's crackdown in the area, adding that
many locals were wondering where the next government offensive
will take place.
"Shelling is now going on in a different neighbourhood of Homs,"
she said.
"Many many believe the same 'cleansing' of Baba Amr, as the army
is calling it, is going to be carried out in areas in the south
[of the city], where it is believed many of the Free Syrian Army
has gone."
Meanwhile, in Geneva, the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Saturday
it was still negotiating with Syrian authorities who have denied
its aid convoy access to the shattered Baba Amro district of Homs.
An ICRC convoy of seven trucks carrying food and other life-saving
relief supplies, joined by Red Crescent ambulances to evacuate the
sick and wounded, has been stalled in the city of Homs since
arriving there on Friday.
“The ICRC and Syrian Red Crescent are not yet in Baba Amro today
(Saturday). We are still in negotiations with authorities in order
to enter Baba Amro. It is important that we enter today,” ICRC
spokesman Hicham Hassan told Reuters in Geneva.
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top Stories |
|
 US House resolution asks Gujarat to restore
religious freedom
To mark the 10th anniversary of Gujarat communal
riots, a Democrat lawmaker has introduced a resolution in the
House of Representatives urging the state government to restore
»
Authorities in Gujarat protecting perpetrators of 2002 riots: HRW
Tahirul
Qadri calrifies 'forget Gujarat riots' remarks
|
|
|
|
Most Read |
|
 Probe finds
direct involvement of US troops in Quran burning case
A joint U.S.-Afghan investigation found that five
American soldiers were directly involved in the burning of Muslim
holy books at an American base late last month, CBS News confirms
»
|
|
Amir of Qatar to visit India, with gas sale,
investment on agenda
Qatar's
Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, one of the world's richest
monarchs and whose tiny country of barely two million people has
the world's highest per capita income, is expected to visit India
soon, with export of gas, of which his country is the largest
exporter, and investment high on » |
|
|
|
News Pick |
|
Islam fastest growing religion in America: Study
The
number of American mosques has increased dramatically in the last
decade despite post-9/11 protests aimed at Muslim houses of
worship, according to a report released this week. The new Islamic centers » |
|
A unique
temple - dedicated to India's freedom fighters
Indian Army
chief General V.K. Singh Sunday opened the first Rashtra Mandir,
dedicated to freedom fighters and social workers, at the
Mankameshwar temple complex here.
The Rashtra Mandir is a unique » |
|
Hajj to cost more for Indian Muslims this year
Hajj, one of the five tenets of Islam would cost
500 Saudi Riyal (SR) more this year for those Indian Muslims, who
are going through State Hajj Committees; Courtesy government of
India. The price went up after the » |
|
|
|
Picture of the Day |
|
 |
|
Union
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources Pawan
Kumar Bansal inspecting the damaged gate number 16 at the
Farakka Barrage, Murshidabad district, West Bengal on March
03, 2012. State Minister of Irrigation & Waterways, Micro &
Small Scale Enterprises & Textiles, Government of West Bengal
Dr. Manas Ranjan Bhunia and State Minister of Development &
Planning and Power, Government of West Bengal Manish Gupta are
also seen. |
|
|
|
|
Comments
|
Quick links