At Least 40 Killed as Syria Protesters Call for ‘No-Fly Zone’

Warplanes Not Involved in Attacking Protesters in the First Place

Another ugly day of crackdowns was reported in Syria today, as at least 40 civilians were reported killed in attacks by security forces, and protesters in the cities of Homs and Hama called for a ‘no-fly zone’ against the Assad regime.

This is particularly interesting because the Syrian government hasn’t used warplanes in their crackdowns, relying on military ground forces and tanks in particular attacking civilian protesters for most of their death count.

Rather the call seems to be an effort to insinuate international forces into the conflict, at a time when a growing number of defectors from the Syrian military are raising fears of a full-scale Libya-style civil war.

According to one opposition spokesman at least 50 soldiers and a general defected from the military in Homs again today, protesting the violence against civilians. Defectors have launched several attacks against regime security forces over the past few weeks.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.