Arab league demands a halt to violence by Syrian government

THE Arab League last night demanded that the Syrian government immediately stop all violence and allow more monitors in, as activists reported at least 10 more civilians, including two teenagers, were killed by regime forces.

Fierce clashes in the south between government troops and military defectors left 11 soldiers dead, activists said. The Arab League also called on other armed parties to halt all bloodshed, an apparent reference to the defectors.

Qatari foreign minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani said the ministers did not agree to call for UN experts to join the observers’ mission in Syria, but said UN experts will train the monitors in Cairo before they leave. Even had they called for the UN experts to go in, Syria’s regime may well have blocked them.