Observer quits Syria mission in frustration

Dubai: An Arab League observer has left Syria, saying he had witnessed "scenes of horror" that he was powerless to prevent and that the Arab monitoring team sent to the country was not acting independently.

Asked why he had quit, Anwar Malek told Al Jazeera television: "I withdrew because I found myself serving the [Syrian] regime.

"The most important thing is to have human feelings of humanity ... I spent more than 15 days in Homs ... I saw scenes of horror, burnt bodies ... I cannot leave behind my humanity in this sort of situation."

Malek criticised the leader of the Arab League mission, Sudanese General Mohammad Al Dabi. "The head of the mission wanted to steer a middle course in order not to anger the [Syrian] authorities or any other side," said Malek, who had already drawn attention for critical comments he posted on Facebook.

Meanwhile, President Bashar Al Assad made a rare public appearance yesterday, vowing to defeat a "conspiracy" against Syria a day after he blamed foreign interests for stoking deadly violence.

A group of Syrian expatriates calling themselves Freedom Convoy plan to cross into Syria today to deliver humanitarian aid.

Journalist killed

A correspondent for French television station France 2 was killed in Syria yesterday, the network said in a statement.

"France 2 television has just learnt with a great deal of sorrow the death of reporter Gilles Jacquier in Homs," it said, adding it did not have details.

Jacquier, who had previously reported from Iraq and Afghanistan, had been invited to Syria by the government.