Protests continue as Arab League to present new Syria plan

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The Arab League announced that its Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi will urgently travel to Damascus carrying an initiative to resolve the crisis in Syria. The pan-Arab body has not revealed the details of this initiative, which comes after the deaths of more than 2000 people in a wave of unprecedented protests against the Syrian regime, which began in mid-March.

A statement by the League, issued after an emergency meeting of the Council of Arab foreign ministers, said that "the Arab Ministers requested the Secretary-General to undertake an urgent mission to Damascus, and introduce to the Syrian leadership the Arab initiative to resolve the crisis."

The statement did not specify the content of this initiative and did not specify the dates of the visit in Syria, but called to "put an end to the bloodshed before it is too late."

The Arab ministers in their statement expressed "concern and dismay at what the Syrian arena is witnessing which includes serious developments that have led to thousands of victims - dead and wounded - from the sons of the Syrian people."

And at the opening of this ministerial meeting, it was stressed that the use of violence against the Arab uprisings does not work, in a clear reference to the situation in Syria.

On the ground, Syrian activists said that the army surrounded about 5000 demonstrators in Sabka as massive demonstrations were held in the center of Kfar Sousse and Maydan in Damascus area and another in Palmyra. News agencies reported about mass protests after prayers on Saturday night in the neighborhood Alklasah in Aleppo. Syrian forces opened fire on protesters in Harasta Hmouria and Erbeen in Damascus countryside.