Human rights activists say Syrian security forces have beaten a prominent anti-regime cartoonist leaving him severely injured. The activists say passers-by found Ali Ferzat Thursday on a street in Damascus, after he had been kidnapped and severely beaten, then dumped on the side of a road. A U.S. television network, CBS, quotes Ferzat’s son as […]
Syrian Activists: Anti-Regime Cartoonist Attacked, Beaten
Posted August 25th, 2011 at 9:35 am (UTC-5)
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EU Broadens Syria Sanctions to Target Iranians
Posted August 25th, 2011 at 6:15 am (UTC-5)
The European Union on Wednesday expanded Syria sanctions to target the elite unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard for its role in helping Syrian security forces crush the five-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. An EU statement said Iran’s elite Quds Force has provided “technical assistance, equipment and other support to the Syrian security forces to […]
EU Broadens Syria Sanctions to Target Iranians
Posted August 24th, 2011 at 6:40 pm (UTC-5)
The European Union on Wednesday expanded Syria sanctions to target the elite unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard for its role in helping Syrian security forces crush the five-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. An EU statement said Iran’s elite Quds Force has provided “technical assistance, equipment and other support to the Syrian security forces to […]
Syrian Forces Launch Raids, Make Arrests
Posted August 24th, 2011 at 10:00 am (UTC-5)
Syrian security forces are again raiding towns and villages throughout the country and arresting suspected government opponents as part of President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on political dissent. Human rights groups said Wednesday that tanks were used in some of the raids, which began late Tuesday and continued into Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Reuters news agency quoted […]
UN Syria Sanctions Draft Targets Assad, Family
Posted August 23rd, 2011 at 8:40 pm (UTC-5)
Western nations circulated a draft U.N. Security Council resolution Tuesday calling for sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, influential family members and key associates aimed at stopping the government’s continued crackdown on dissent. U.S. and European delegations at the council hope to put the draft resolution to a vote as soon as possible. But Russia, […]
Syrian Activists Form Opposition Coalition
Posted August 23rd, 2011 at 10:50 am (UTC-5)
Opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have formed a “national council” that they say will coordinate efforts to oust the embattled leader. Activists meeting in Turkey announced the group’s formation on Tuesday, but they provided few details on the group’s make-up. Meanwhile, U.S. ambassador Robert Ford has made a surprise visit to the Syrian town […]
US Ambassador Makes Surprise Visit to Southern Syria
Posted August 23rd, 2011 at 9:55 am (UTC-5)
The U.S. ambassador to Syria has made a surprise visit to the southern Dara’a region that has been an epicenter of protests against President Bashar al-Assad. U.S. embassy officials say Ambassador Robert Ford traveled to the town of Jassem on Tuesday. The visit comes a month after Ford and French ambassador Eric Chevallier angered Syrian […]
UN Rights Council Orders Probe of Syrian Violence
Posted August 23rd, 2011 at 5:55 am (UTC-5)
The U.N. Human Rights Council has ordered an investigation into possible rights violations committed by Syrian security forces during a deadly crackdown against dissent. The 47-member council voted Tuesday to approve a resolution by a 33-to-4 margin, with the rest of the members abstaining. China and Russia were among those that opposed the measure, saying […]
Syrian Forces Kill Eight Despite Calls to End Crackdown
Posted August 22nd, 2011 at 9:20 pm (UTC-5)
Syrian security forces have killed eight people as thousands of anti-government protesters taunted President Bashar al-Assad. Witnesses and rights groups say several hundred people converged on the main square in the central city of Homs Monday after a U.N. humanitarian team visited the town. Pro-government troops fired on the protesters, many of whom had shouted […]
UN Human Rights Council To Pressure Syria to End Crackdown
Posted August 22nd, 2011 at 1:30 pm (UTC-5)
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says it is “troubling” that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has not kept his word about ending the brutal military crackdown in his country. Mr. Ban told reporters in New York Monday that the Syrian president assured him in a recent phone conversation that military operations had stopped. His remarks came as […]
