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    December 05, 2011

11 Killed As Syria Claims 'Positive' Response to Observer Demands

   VOA News
   Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby looks and Qatar's Prime
   Minister and Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al-Thani (R)
   attend a meeting of the Committee of Arab Coordination in Doha,
   Photo: Reuters
   Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby looks and Qatar's Prime
   Minister and Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al-Thani (R)
   attend a meeting of the Committee of Arab Coordination in Doha,
   December 3, 2011

   Syrian rights activists said at least 11 people died in Monday's
   violence, while Syria said it responded "positively" to an Arab League
   demand to let observers into the country.
   The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami
   Abdelrahman,said Monday security forces shot dead five civilians in
   Homs. Another person was killed near Daraa, while a man shot by
   security forces days ago died of his wounds Monday in the village of
   Talbisa, near Homs.
   The rights group also said army defectors killed three security force
   members and one police officer in Dael, near the southern flashpoint of
   Daraa.
   The violence comes after at least 35 people were killed Sunday, mostly
   in Homs province, during attacks on residents of protest hubs and in
   fighting with army defectors.
   Meanwhile, Syria said Monday that it responded "positively" to an Arab
   League demand to let observers into the country to verify a pledge by
   President Bashar al-Assad to stop a deadly crackdown on a pro-democracy
   uprising.
   Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi said Monday the
   government made the response in a letter to Arab League chief Nabil
   Elaraby late Sunday.
   The League had demanded that Syria authorize the entry of an observer
   mission from the bloc by Sunday or face new sanctions. There was no
   immediate comment on the Syrian letter from the 22-member regional
   bloc.
   The Arab League suspended Syria's membership and approved a series of
   sanctions last month in response to Syrian defiance of a previous
   ultimatum to accept observers, end the crackdown and start a dialogue
   with the opposition. Syria had complained that a large observer mission
   would undermine its sovereignty.
   The sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes on the Syrian
   leadership.
   The U.N. says unrest-related violence has killed more than 4,000 people
   since the uprising began in March.
   The Observatory also says security forces have arrested several
   students this week, including 10 protesting against the government near
   Damascus and eight in the Mediterranean town of Jabla.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
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