Violence Continues as UN Warns of ‘Grisly Reports’ From Syria

Syria Envoy Insists Claims 'Slander'

Violence continued today in Syria, with claims of as many as 38 killed, including 10 in the Homs neighborhood of Baba Amro, recently retaken by Syrian regime forces after being long controlled by the rebels.

The violence came with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressing serious concerns about “grisly reports” coming out of Syria, including claims of executions and torture by regime forces. Syria’s UN Ambassador Bashar Jaafari insisted the claims were “slander” against the Assad regime.

Rebels from Homs claimed mass executions were ongoing in Baba Amro, and claimed that the regime was keeping the Red Cross out of the area to give them time to “clean up.” There was no solid evidence to back up these allegations, however.

The claims of massive violence have led to calls for international intervention, including arming the rebels. Turkey’s Ambassador to the US, however, insisted that the process of arming the rebels was “easier said than done.”

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.