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    October 04, 2011

UN to Vote on Syria Resolution

   VOA News

   Diplomats say the U.N. Security Council may vote Tuesday on a
   European-drafted resolution condemning Syria's brutal crackdown against
   civilians.
   The proposal threatens "targeted measures" against President Bashar
   al-Assad's government if it does not halt its military assault on
   pro-democracy protesters.
   Russia is against imposing sanctions on Syria, and diplomats say it is
   unclear whether Moscow will veto the resolution or abstain from voting.
   In Syria, activists say four people were killed Tuesday in northwestern
   Syria during clashes between government security forces and military
   defectors. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at
   least one those killed was a civilian.
   The clashes follow days of operations in the central town of Rastan,
   during which activists say security forces arrested up to 3,000 people
   in an effort to track down dissident soldiers. Syria's official SANA
   news agency puts the number of arrests "in the dozens."
   The military is reported to have deployed more forces in the town of
   Talbiseh, near Homs - another area that has defied government authority
   for months.
   Syria has been using military force to crush almost seven months of
   largely peaceful opposition protests demanding an end to Assad's
   11-year autocratic rule.
   The United Nations says at least 2,700 people have been killed in the
   crackdown. The Syrian government says the dead include hundreds of
   security personnel killed by what it calls "armed terrorist groups."
   Meanwhile, Amnesty International says embassy officials and others
   working on behalf of the Syrian government have been harassing Syrian
   protesters abroad.
   The group released a report Monday citing the cases of more than 30
   activists in eight countries, including the United States, Britain,
   France and Chile. It says the protesters received phone calls, e-mails
   and Facebook messages warning them to stop, and several reported that
   their families in Syria had been targeted by security forces.
   Amnesty International called on countries to take stronger action
   against embassies accused of carrying out such harassment, and to
   protect the right of free expression.
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References

   1. http://twitter.com/VOAMidEast
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