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Fresh Shelling in Syria Ahead of UN Visit

April 04, 2012

VOA News

Syrian forces launched fresh military operations Wednesday in several regions, less than a day before an advance U.N. team is expected to arrive on a peace mission.

Activists say heavy shelling has rocked the central city of Homs, the site of massive opposition protests.

Rights groups and activists say at least 13 people were killed across Syria on Wednesday as a result of shelling and clashes between pro and anti-government forces.

The assaults are taking place despite Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's agreement to an April 10 deadline to implement a peace plan brokered by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.

The plan requires government forces to withdraw from towns and cities and observe a cease-fire. Rebel fighters are to immediately follow by ceasing all violence.

Middle East analyst Christopher Phillips says the government crackdown likely will continue until April 10.
Reported deaths in violence across Syria

"Given the regime has taken a largely militaristic approach to this uprising, you suspect their intention is to continue to oppress and be relatively violent right up to the 10th deadline as a means to crush the opposition as best it can before that deadline comes about," he said.

Phillips, an international relations lecturer at the University of London, said its doubtful that Syria will uphold the provisions of Annan's peace plan.

"It's highly unlikely that he [Assad] will abide by the terms entirely. I think this regime has decided a long time ago that its best route for survival is the military option. It's acceptance of this plan appears to be a play for time as they have done in the past with other plans such as the Arab League plan," said Phillips.

Also Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Western and Arab nations against arming Syrian rebels, saying it would only escalate hostilities. Speaking on a trip to Azerbaijan, Lavrov said "even if the opposition is armed to the teeth, it wouldn't be able to defeat government forces."

He warned that a foreign military intervention would lead to even more disastrous consequences for Syria, which has seen a year-long uprising against Assad that has killed more than 9,000 people.

In another development, U.N. diplomats circulated a revised presidential statement on Wednesday that calls for a government pull-back.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.