Assault to crush the north begins in Syria

Syria launched a long-anticipated assault to crush the opposition in the rebellious north today, bombarding its main city with tank shells from all sides and clashing with rebel fighters struggling to hold back an invasion.

President Bashar Assad rejected any immediate negotiations with the opposition, striking a further blow to already staggering international efforts for talks to end the conflict. Assad told UN envoy Kofi Annan that a political solution is impossible as long as “terrorist groups” threaten the country.