European powers step up pressure on Syria

European powers step up pressure on Syria

European nations seek UN Security Council resolution condemning crackdown in Syria as Syrians brace for more violence. 

European powers are increasing pressure on the UN Security Council to break its silence on events in Syria following a bloody government crackdown on pro-democracy protests in the country.
Britain, France, Germany and Portugal have circulated a draft resolution that would condemn the crackdown and demand an immediate end to the violence in Syria.
However, the proposal falls short of calling for military action or further UN sanctions against the Syrian government.
"Today in New York, Britain and France will be tabling a resolution at the Security Council condemning the repression and demanding accountability and humanitarian access," David Cameron, the British prime minister, said on Wednesday.
"And if anyone votes against that resolution or tries to veto it, that should be on their conscience," he told parliament members.
A day earlier, Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, condemned what he called "the repression" in Syria, saying it was getting worse.
"The massacres are on the rise. It is inconceivable that the United Nations remains silent on such a matter," Juppe said. "We are working with our UK friends to have as large a majority as possible on the Security Council. I think we have to move to a vote so that everyone can assume their responsibilities."
But Russia, citing NATO's inconclusive bombing of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, said it would veto intervention against Syria in the Security Council.

'Struck by fear'
Meanwhile in Syria, the unrest continued as residents of the northern town of Jisr al-Shughur fled amid fears of a military crackdown, a day after the government vowed retaliation for the alleged killings of 120 security personnel.
Locals said many residents were fleeing the area for the Turkish border about 20km away, ahead of the expected assault.
"People were struck by fear and panic after the government statements last night, it's clear they are preparing for a major massacre,'' a resident told the AP news agency, referring to Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shaar's, the interior minister, warning that "the state will act firmly, with force".
Turkey's state-run Anatolian news agency said on Wednesday that more than 120 Syrians, including women and children, crossed the border into Turkey overnight.
It said they were being housed in tents set up near the border in Turkey's Hatay province.
Security forces have been conducting military operations in Jisr al-Shughur for several days as part of a crackdown on anti-government protests. Activists say 42 people have been killed.
One of the activists said residents had seen troops approaching the town on Tuesday from Aleppo, Syria's second city, and from Latakia on the coast.

State television reported that 120 members of the security forces were killed in an ambush on Monday by "armed gangs" who had "mutilated bodies and thrown others into the Assi river" and burnt public buildings.

'Shot by government troops'
Activists said the security forces were shot by government troops, after they refused to open fire on civilians.
A statement on Facebook - signed "residents of Jisr al-Shughur" - said "the deaths among soldiers and police were the consequence of defections in the army" and denied state media claims of armed gangs in their region.

Ammar Qurabi, head of the Egypt-based National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria, said it was unclear how such a large number of officers were killed.
He said the likely cause was army infighting, but added there may be cases of individual residents rising up against troops to defend themselves.
Turkish authorities said 35 Syrians wounded in the clashes were being treated at Turkish hospitals on Tuesday after crossing the border from Jisr al-Shughur.
The Turkish foreign ministry said 224 Syrians were sheltering at a camp near the border and that authorities were taking measures in case of an influx of refugees.
'Peaceful' revolution
The Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, in a statement issued in London, said that opposition to Bashar al-Assad, the president, was peaceful, and accused authorities of looking for a pretext to justify more repression and killings.
"We assure international, Arab and national opinion that the Syrian revolution is both peaceful and countrywide," Brotherhood spokesman Zuheir Salem said.

"Comments by the interior minister about the presence of armed groups terrorising the population of Jisr al-Shughur are a pretext to justify greater repression and murders of innocent citizens," he said.

Jisr al-Shughur was a stronghold of the banned Muslim Brotherhood in the 1980s.

Seventy people were reported killed in the town in 1980 when it came under government shelling as Hafez al-Assad, the former president, cracked down on the group's armed rebellion.

Foreign journalists are barred from travelling around Syria, making it difficult to report on the unrest and verify government and eyewitness accounts of the violence.

Activists say about 1,100 people have been killed in Syria since anti-government protests began in March.

The authorities' bloody crackdown has sparked worldwide condemnation and sanctions against key regime
figures, including Assad.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies