At Least 36 Killed as Syria Clashes Escalate

UN Says Death Toll Now Stands at Over 3,000

UN officials expressed concern that the situation was rapidly devolving into a civil war in Syria today, with violence between Assad regime soldiers and defectors escalating following months of crackdowns on civilian protesters.

Protesters were still among the 36 people slain today, but rights groups also reported at least 25 soldiers were killed in the fighting. The rest of the slain were in the town of Banash, near the border with Turkey.

The United Nations also announced that once again they are raising the number slain since the latest protest movement began, saying they now believe more than 3,000 people have died.

As the violence continues, the international community continues to debate the situation at the UN Security Council, with NATO member nations demanding unspecified “measures” against Syria. Both Russia and China continue to oppose any UN Security Council threats, citing NATO’s use of a similar resolution on Libya as an excuse for a war.

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.