UN call for Syrian ceasefire ignored as 10 civilians killed

More than a dozen people died in clashes across Syria yesterday, opposition activists said, as a UN Security Council call for an immediate end to the fighting fell on deaf ears.

In the worst incident, 10 civilians, including three children and two women, died when their small bus was shot in the northern town of Sermeen as they tried to flee to Turkey, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said.

The SOHR, which depends on a network of local contacts for its information, said it was not clear who was behind the killings. Other activists blamed the Syrian army, which has been trying to stamp out insurgents in the area.

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon said that Wednesday’s unanimous council statement had sent a clear message to Syria to end all violence, but Damascus appeared to dismiss the document, which is not legally binding.

At least 8,000 people have died in the year-long revolt against President Bashar al-Assad, according to UN figures issued a week ago.

Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdesi said this week that 3,000 members of the security forces had died in the uprising, which Damascus blames on terrorist gangs.

Heavily armed government forces have made advances in recent weeks but they appear to be struggling to consolidate their gains.

Opposition sources said tanks had once again shelled a neighbourhood in the northeastern city of Hama, which has been a centre of revolt. Opposition sources said at least 20 people had died in army attacks there in the last 48 hours.

It is impossible to verify reports from Syria because authorities have denied access to independent journalists.

Syrian troops also turned heavy guns on Sermeen.

“Syrian forces are still not able to get inside the town because of fighting, but they are shelling Sermeen and using heavy machineguns,” said SOHR head Rami Abdelrahman.

— Reuters