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February 9, 2012

Hundreds Killed in Syria as Arab League Monitors Plan Return 
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The regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad continues its assault on
the flashpoint city of Homs for the sixth consecutive day. Residents say
hundreds of people have been killed in a barrage of shellings and rocket
attacks by Syrian forces. At the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban
Ki-Moon condemned the assault on Homs and said the Arab League is
preparing to revive an observer mission to Syria.

Ban Ki-Moon: "Yesterday I spoke with the Arab League Secretary-General
Nabil el-Araby about how to end the killings and begin political
negotiations. He informed me that he intends to send the Arab League
observer mission back to Syria and asked for U.N. help. He further
suggested that we consider a joint observer mission in Syria, including
a joint special envoy. I feel that the appalling brutality that we are
witnessing in Homs with heavy weapons firing into civilian neighborhoods
is a grim harbinger of what's to come. Such violence is unacceptable
before humanity."



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