Arab League to Syria: End violence within three days

Dubai: Violence escalated in Syria with more attacks by army defectors and Russia comparing raids by the renegade troops to a civil war.

The Arab League on Wednesday gave Syria three days to end the bloodshed and allow observers in or face economic sanctions.

Following talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who said "this is all looking very much like a civil war," Catherine Ashton, the European Union's foreign affairs chief, said that President Bashar Al Assad should step aside.

"It's time for President Al Assad to stand down," Ashton said.

Al Assad faces severe international isolation stemming from his crackdown on the 8-month uprising.

Lavrov urged Syrian and opposition forces alike to cease violence and negotiate. "Violence is not only coming from the authorities," he said. "More and more weapons are smuggled in from foreign states."

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordination Committees, an activist coalition, said five civilians were killed during raids by security forces in central, eastern and northern Syria, including a 9-year-old girl.

In addition, the LCC said four defected soldiers were killed in Sashl Al Gab in the suburbs of Hama. In a Facebook posting, the Free Syrian Army claimed responsibility for striking at a military checkpoint in the area, saying it killed four members of the security forces and wounded many others. It also said four members of the Free Syrian Army, including a lieutenant colonel, died in the clashes.

World powers criticised

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday criticised the international community for muted criticism of Syria, saying more would have been heard if the country had richer oil resources.

"The world may not be following Syria with sufficient care and sensitivity because it is not a wealthy country in terms of energy resources," Erdogan told an energy forum in Istanbul.

"Syria may not be drawing attention as much as Libya because it does not have sufficient oil resources," he said.

A leader of Syria's outlawed Muslim Brotherhood said Syrians would accept military intervention by Turkey, rather than western countries, to protect them from Al Assad's security forces.

Mohammad Riad Shakfa, who lives in exile in Saudi Arabia, told a news conference in Istanbul the international community should isolate Al Assad's government to encourage people in their struggle.

Piling on the pressure

The EU has invited the Arab League's chief to attend talks to discuss ways to pile pressure on Syria's regime, as the region and the West continue to adopt stern measures as the situation spins out of control. The action so far:

• Arab League: The 22-member body has suspended Syria, but the organisation remains in contact with Damascus.
• Morocco: A day after holding the Arab ministers' meeting, Rabat recalled its envoy following attacks on the embassy in Damascus.
• EU: Britain, France, Germany and several Arab states will call for a UN General Assembly vote soon to condemn Syria.
• Qatar and Saudi Arabia: support the initiative at the UN that circumvents Russian opposition and asks Syria to comply with an Arab League ultimatum to President Bashar Al Assad to end the bloodshed.
• China: China says it was "highly concerned" about the situation in Syria and hoped "all relevant parties will work together to accelerate the implementation of the resolution scheme reached between the Arab League and Syria and seek to resolve the Syrian crisis through political means.
• Turkey: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday criticised the international community for muted criticism of Syria, saying more would be heard if the country had richer oil resources.
• India: Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna strongly asked all the actors in Syria to immediately end violence in the country, and said New Delhi does not believe in "reordering" society from outside.

— With inputs from Agencies