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Activists: Dozens dead in new Syria massacre
BEIRUT(AP) — Syria on Thursday denied as “absolutely baseless” claims by opposition groups about a new massacre in the central Hama province in which government forces allegedly killed dozens of people, including women and children.
The exact death toll and circumstances of the overnight killings in Mazraat al-Qubair on the outskirts of Hama were impossible to confirm but the violence is bound to reinforce the growing belief that a peace plan brokered by international envoy Kofi Annan is unraveling as the country spirals toward civil war.
The violence comes on the heels of a horrific massacre in late May in Houla, a cluster of villages in the central Homs province, which left over 100 dead including many children and women gunned down in their homes. U.N. investigators blamed pro-government gunmen for at least some of the killings but the Syrian regime denied responsibility and blamed rebels for the deaths. The Houla massacre triggered international outrage and a coordinated expulsion of Syrian diplomats from world capitals.
Syria on Thursday said “an armed terrorist group committed an appalling crime” in Mazraat al-Qubair, killing nine women and children. A government statement published on the state-run news agency SANA said that after the crime, residents there appealed on Syrian authorities in Hama to intervene to protect them, adding that competent authorities headed to the farm and stormed a hideout of the group and clashed with them.
Clashes resulted in the killing of all members of the group. Two security agents were killed and five others wounded, it said.
The statement said the killings were meant to put pressure on the Syrian regime ahead of the U.N. Security Council meeting.
British Prime Minister David Cameron urged concerted action from the international community against Syrian President Bashar Assad‘s regime following the latest reports. He said Thursday that if the reports of the “brutal and sickening attack” are true, it adds further proof that the Assad regime is “completely illegitimate and cannot stand.”
Speaking during a visit to Norway, Cameron insisted more must be done to isolate Assad’s regime and show that “the whole world” wants to see political transition in Syria and condemns “absolutely” the Syrian regime.
The exact circumstances of the violence in Hama were impossible to independently confirm.
Al-Qubair is a small farm in the overwhelmingly Sunni village of Maarzaf around 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of the city of Hama with around 30 homes and around 160 inhabitants. Attempts to reach eyewitnesses and residents of the area were unsuccessful Thursday, making the verification of what went on extremely difficult. The Syrian government keeps tight restrictions on journalists.
Activists said the Sunni village is surrounded by a string of Alawite villages. Alawites are an offshoot of Shiite Islam and Assad is a member of the sect.
The Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday that “dozens” of people were killed overnight in Mazraat al-Qubair but Rami Abdul-Rahman, the director of the group which relies on a network of activists on the ground, said he was still documenting names of the dead. He said the circumstances of the killings were still unclear and called on U.N. observers to visit the area immediately.
The Local Coordination Committees group gave a far higher death toll, saying more than 78 people were killed, including many women and children. It says pro-government militiamen known as shabiha first shelled the farming area and then went in and killed the residents there. It says some of the dead were stabbed to death while other bodies were burned.
Syria’s main opposition group in exile, the Syrian National Council, also said 78 people were killed. It said 35 of them were from the same Al-Yatim family and more than half of them women and children. It said the militiamen converged on Qubair from neighboring pro-regime villages. It said some of the dead were killed execution-style, others were slain with knives.
“Women and children were burned inside their homes in al-Qubair,” said Mousab Alhamadee, an activist based in the central province of Hama.
WITH MANY THANKS TO : By ZEINA KARAM, Associated Press
Related articles
- Syria accused of massacring 100 (guardian.co.uk)
- New ‘massacre’ in central Syria (bbc.co.uk)
- Hama Massacre: Activists Report New Violence In Qubair, Syria, At Least 78 Dead (inquisitr.com)
- Syria accused of massacring 100 – The Guardian (guardian.co.uk)
- Activists say pro-government militia and security forces have killed at least … – The Guardian (guardian.co.uk)
SLAUGHTER IN SYRIA
FRESH scenes of the horrific slaughter of innocent civilians in Syria have emerged as violence in the Middle Eastern country spirals out of control.
The images show tearful children sobbing over the bloodied bodies of relatives killed in another massacre carried out by forces loyal to President Bashar Assad. In the most recent atrocity it was claimed that pro-regime militia killed 12 factory workers on Thursday after forcing them off a bus in the village of Qusair. 
Video footage released by Assad’s opponents showed the disfigured bodies of at least a dozen victims who were shot in the head or stomach at close range. It follows the slaughter of more than 100 civilians, including 49 children, in Houla last week. Syria’s most important ally, Russia, has again refused to support moves that could lead to foreign intervention.
Last Thursday, a Syrian goverernment investigation into the killings blamed armed rebel groups seeking to trigger foreign military interventon. The claim was dismissed by US permanent representative to the UN, Susan Rice, as a ” BLATANT LIE ” !
Related articles
- UN Condemns Syria, but Russia … (foxnews.com)
- I saw massacre of children, says defecting Syrian air force officer (guardian.co.uk)
- UN: Syria may face prosecution over massacre – Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)
- UN Rights Body Discusses Syrian Slaughter – Voice of America (voanews.com)
- More deadly clashes over Syria erupt in Lebanon (cbc.ca)
Suspicious object sparks Newry alert
A suspicious object has been discovered on a road close to Newry.
The object was uncovered close to the A1 on Thursday. (© UTV)
The army bomb squad are examining the object which was found on the A1 close to the Forkhill turn off on Friday.
Police are also at the scene of the security alert.
WITH MANY THANKS TO : UTV News NI.
Related articles
- Bomb squad at Antrim alert (seachranaidhe1.wordpress.com)
- More RUC/PSNI harassment of parents and children in Newry today (seachranaidhe1.wordpress.com)
- British RUC/PSNI Raid Republican homes in Craigavon and Newry, terrorising Children, guns drawn. (seachranaidhe1.wordpress.com)
Bomb squad at Antrim alert
A local resident found a suspicious object which has sparked a security alert in Antrim.
The suspect device was found in Oakdale Manor in the town at around 10.20am on Thursday.
Army bomb experts are at the scene and a police spokesperson said a small number of homes have been evacuated.
WITH MANY THANKS TO : UTV News
Justice for Marian Price ( Please share )
A public meeting on the ongoing incarceration and torture of Marian Price.
This will take place on
Thursday 8th March
… 7.30pm
the Conway Education Centre, Conway Mill 5/7 Conway Street Falls Road Belfst BT13 2DE
A group of women have recently united here in Belfast as have people in other areas to highlight the ongoing incarceration and torture of Marian Price. We are writing to groups of women, politicians, the clergy, human rights groups and the trade union movement requesting they become involved in the campaign. A broad spectrum of people have become involved as they too see the treatment of Marian Price as a violation of human rights and an affront to justice.
This public meeting scheduled for the 8th of March here in Belfast, is also (International Women’s day). The meeting will give the public the opportunity to hear of this disgraceful situation first hand.
POSTED ON BEHALF OF : Eddie Travers
Scotland 32csm – Don’t let Khader Adnan Die Vigil
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Thursday
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19:00 until 20:00
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The Volunteer Charles Carrigan Cumann of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement in Scotland will be holding a vigil at George Square, Glasgow, on Thursday night at 7pm, in support of Palestinian hunger striker Khader Adnan.Khader is now on his 58th day of hunger strike, and he is still being held by the Israeli Government without being charged under the order “administrative detention“, which allows Israelto hold anyone they want for 4 months without charge.Don’t let Khader Die!
