The Syrian army launched raids on restive areas on Tuesday, defying growing international reproach over the regime’s deadly crackdown on a 5—month—old uprising as Turkey’s foreign minister met with President Bashar Assad to express his concern.
Envoys from India, Brazil and South Africa also headed to Damascus to press for an end to the bloodshed, which activists say has killed about 1,700 people since March.
Activists said tanks stormed villages outside the besieged city of Hama and two towns in Idlib province, which borders Turkey. There was heavy machine—gun fire in the eastern city of Deir el—Zour, which also has been a flashpoint in recent days.
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The reports were confirmed by the Local Coordination Committees, which help organize and document the protests, and the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Right. Both groups said at least two people were killed.
Syria has blocked nearly all outside witnesses to the carnage by banning foreign media and restricting local coverage that strays from the party line that the regime is fighting thugs and religious extremists who are acting out a foreign conspiracy.
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The Syrian regime faced a chorus of global reproach on Tuesday as envoys from Turkey, India, Brazil and South Africa headed to Damascus to press President Bashar Assad to end his violent crackdown on a five-month-old uprising.
The visit by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was significant because Turkey until recently had close ties to Damascus. But Ankara has become increasingly critical of its neighbour over the bloodshed.
Mr. Davutoglu will deliver a strong message to Damascus, Turkey’s Prime Minister has said.
In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner lauded the visit and said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had spoken to Mr. Davutoglu.
“They did talk about the situation in Syria, you know, and we believe it’s another opportunity to send yet another strong message to Assad that this crackdown on peaceful protesters cannot stand,” Mr. Toner said Monday.
Indian representative to visit Damascus
India’s envoy to the U.N. Hardeep Singh Puri said his country’s representative is scheduled to arrive in Damascus on Tuesday and will join representatives from Brazil and South Africa for a meeting with Syria’s Foreign Minister to appeal for an end to the crackdown and to promote democratic reforms.
The Syrian regime has shown no signs of scaling back its crackdown despite Damascus’ increasing diplomatic isolation. Even Saudi Arabia this week called for an end to the bloodshed in Syria, the first of several Arab nations to join the growing chorus against Mr. Assad.
The latest wave of bloodshed started a week ago, on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, when tanks and snipers laid siege to Hama, a city in central Syria that had largely freed itself from government control earlier this year.