Turkey: Syria ‘pointing guns at own people’

SYRIAN tanks and troops swept into two north-western towns near the Turkish border, killing one person and wounding 13 according to activists, as Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Syria of aiming guns at its own people.

In the eastern city of Deir al-Zor, residents reported heavy gunfire as troops deployed across the provincial capital, making arrests and spraying pro-Assad slogans on buildings.

Erdogan, a former close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said his foreign minister had emphasised when he visited Damascus that the violence must cease.

“In Syria, the state is pointing guns at its own people,” he declared. “Turkey’s message to Assad is very clear: stop all kinds of violence and bloodshed.”

The Turkish leader said he hoped that Assad, confronting nearly five months of pro-democracy demonstrations, would soon take steps towards promised political reforms.

He said the Turkish ambassador had visited Hama in central Syria and reported that tanks were leaving the Sunni Muslim city, scene of a fierce military crackdown in which rights groups said up to 300 people had been killed.

Rights groups say 1,600 civilians have been killed since the uprising against Assad’s 11-year-rule erupted in March, making it one of the bloodiest upheavals in the Arab world this year. Authorities say 500 soldiers and police have died.

Syria has barred most independent media since the unrest began, making it hard to verify conflicting reports.

Already under Western sanctions, Assad faces growing international pressure to curb the bloodshed after three regional powers publicly called for change this week, leaving Iran as Syria’s only staunch remaining ally.

On Tuesday Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu held more than three hours of talks with Assad.

Davutoglu called for “an end to bloodshed, withdrawal of the soldiers, the importance of having elections as soon as possible” and dialogue with the opposition.

Assad said Syria “will not relent in pursuing the terrorist groups in order to protect the stability of the country and the security of the citizens ... but is also determined to continue reforms.”

Washington expressed disappointment at Assad’s comments and said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expected to talk to Davutoglu after his meetings in Syria.