A 'terrorist' group attacked the rebel-held town of Halfaya in central Syria killing women and children, news agency SANA said on Monday, rebuffing claims the deaths were a result of a regime air strike. The opposition Syrian National Coalition meanwhile blamed the ‘criminal regime’ of President Bashar al-Assad for committing what it described as a ‘crime against humanity’ in the town. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 60 people were killed and at least 50 wounded in the town on Sunday, accusing aerial forces of bombing a local bakery. SANA, the official news agency, however gave a vastly different account, citing residents of the town located in the central province of Hama.
‘An armed terrorist group attacked the town of Halfaya committing crimes against the population, killing many women and children,’ it said. The report added that the Syrian army intervened during the assault and ‘killed and wounded many terrorists’, a term officials and state media use to refer to rebels fighting to oust the Damascus regime. ‘Terrorists then shot video images to accuse the Syrian army,’ the agency said.
ENVOY BRAHIMI WORRIED AFTER TALKS WITH BASHAR ASSAD
The International envoy to Syria on Monday said after talks with President Bashar Assad that the situation in the country was still ‘worrying’ and gave no indication of progress toward a negotiated solution for the civil war. Lakhdar Brahimi said he and Assad exchanged views on the crisis and discussed possible steps forward, which he did not disclose. He spoke briefly to reporters after meeting the Syrian leader at the presidential palace in Damascus.
‘The situation in Syria is still worrying and we hope that all the parties will go toward the solution that the Syrian people are hoping for and look forward to,’ Brahimi said. Syria’s state news agency quoted Assad as saying his government supports ‘any effort in the interest of the Syrian people which preserves the homeland’s sovereignty and independence.’ Brahimi has apparently made little progress toward brokering an end to the conflict since starting his job in September, primarily because both sides adamantly refuse to talk to each other. The government describes the rebels as foreign-backed terrorists. The opposition says that forces under Assad’s command have killed too many people for him to be part of any solution.
‘An armed terrorist group attacked the town of Halfaya committing crimes against the population, killing many women and children,’ it said. The report added that the Syrian army intervened during the assault and ‘killed and wounded many terrorists’, a term officials and state media use to refer to rebels fighting to oust the Damascus regime. ‘Terrorists then shot video images to accuse the Syrian army,’ the agency said.
ENVOY BRAHIMI WORRIED AFTER TALKS WITH BASHAR ASSAD
The International envoy to Syria on Monday said after talks with President Bashar Assad that the situation in the country was still ‘worrying’ and gave no indication of progress toward a negotiated solution for the civil war. Lakhdar Brahimi said he and Assad exchanged views on the crisis and discussed possible steps forward, which he did not disclose. He spoke briefly to reporters after meeting the Syrian leader at the presidential palace in Damascus.
‘The situation in Syria is still worrying and we hope that all the parties will go toward the solution that the Syrian people are hoping for and look forward to,’ Brahimi said. Syria’s state news agency quoted Assad as saying his government supports ‘any effort in the interest of the Syrian people which preserves the homeland’s sovereignty and independence.’ Brahimi has apparently made little progress toward brokering an end to the conflict since starting his job in September, primarily because both sides adamantly refuse to talk to each other. The government describes the rebels as foreign-backed terrorists. The opposition says that forces under Assad’s command have killed too many people for him to be part of any solution.