The Syrian regime has intensified its military operations yesterday against rebellious cities despite its promise to accept the UN peace plan.
Clashes yesterday between government troops and opposition dissidents reported in cities across the country including in Jobar, a neighborhood east of Damascus, after police tried to disperse a rare demonstration.
Repression and attacks on rebel cities showed no sign of relaxation, with at least 45 new deaths yesterday, mostly civilians. The army shelled several districts of Homs, where it tries to crush pockets of resistance.
Six soldiers and five civilians were seriously injured in a bomb explosion in Aleppo (north), the country's second largest city.
President Bashar al-Assad has made a condition for the success of the UN plan calling for a cessation of violence by "terrorists", backed by countries in the region, referring to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are accused by Damascus of financing and arming the opposition.
Assad must implement the plan "now," stressed Friday the spokesman of Kofi Annan, the joint UN and the Arab League envoy.
In Washington, officials did not hide their doubts about the regime's intentions. "We have not seen anything on the ground proving that (Syria) responds to calls to stop the use of artillery and heavy weapons and allow humanitarian aid to be channeled," said the State Department.
