Syria regime ‘at risk of collapse’

SYRIAN opposition figures warned embattled President Bashar al-Assad his regime will collapse if he fails to usher in democracy, as troops kept their grip on the flashpoint town of Daraa.

Five EU countries are summoning Syria’s ambassadors over the violent crackdown on protesters, France said, saying it was joined in the move by Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain. According to rights activists, the military assault on Daraa, 100km south of Damascus, has killed more than 30 people since Monday.

As the military assault on the agricultural town near the Jordanian border entered its third day, the newly- formed National Initiative for Change (NIC) said a democratic transition will “safeguard the nation from falling into a period of violence, chaos and civil war”.