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Ribal Al-Assad expresses deep concern at Syrian massacre claims

Saturday, 4 May 2013

BBC News

MAY 4, 2013

It's hard to know whether these atrocities are part of a plan of some sort, or simply part of the ebb and flow of action and reaction as the struggle for control of Syria intensifies.

What activists omit to say is that there was fighting in the area before the village of al-Bayda was overrun by government forces and militia on Thursday.

Some activist footage posted on the internet shows men in military fatigues with walkie-talkies (presumably rebel fighters) milling round in streets strewn with the bodies of young men who look as though they are the victims of summary executions.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says there were clashes there and soldiers were killed before army and militia forces finally stormed in. That in no way justifies the apparent massacre of women and children. But there is a distinction between brutal reaction, and spontaneous execution of a cold-blooded plan to displace the Sunni population.

The accusation levelled by opposition leaders, reportedly including the chief of staff of the Free Syrian Army, General Selim Idris, is that this was part of a campaign of sectarian cleansing ordered from the top, in preparation for the establishment of some kind of Alawite entity.

It's impossible to know whether there is such a plan. But on the ground, events seem to be bringing about an unscrambling of populations, as happened during the years of civil war in neighbouring Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Israel has said its warplanes carried out an air strike on Syria targeting weapons heading to Lebanon's Hezbollah.

It is the second time this year that the Israelis have carried out such strikes.

There was no official comment from Israel on the strikes, but it has repeatedly said it would act if it felt Syrian weapons were being transferred to militant groups in the region, including Hezbollah.

Activists have reported two massacres in two days in the coastal area of central Syria.

The first was at the Sunni village of al-Bayda, which was overrun by government forces on Thursday.

Activists groups have named 72 people they say were massacred in al-Bayda, some of them women and children.

On Saturday, reports emerged of similar scenes at the Ras al-Nabaa quarter of the nearby coastal town of Baniyas, where at least 77 people were reported to have died.

Activists have posted gruesome video clips online to back up their claims.

The BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Lebanon says the clips show the bloodied and tangled bodies of women and children, some of them mutilated or partly incinerated.

Foreign news organisations are severely restricted in Syria, so accounts and videos from activists are difficult to verify.

Hundreds of families are reported to have fled Baniyas southwards towards the city of Tartus, but activists say they have been blocked from taking shelter there.

Syrian TV reports on army operations along the coast, but claims they were to "drive back terrorists"

The pro-government militia known as the shabbiha are widely reported to be involved in the operation.

Our correspondent says there is clearly a strong sectarian dimension to the reported actions.

Local activist and opposition groups have accused the government of launching a campaign of sectarian cleansing, he adds.

The operation is also being seen as a sign of President Bashar al-Assad's determination to fight on and consolidate his government's position.

On Saturday, Mr Assad made a rare public appearance on Saturday at Damascus University

It broadcast footage of him unveiling a statue honouring "martyred students", surrounded by bodyguards and crowds of people.

He said terrorism was "the weapon of the cowardly" and called on Syrians to "have as much of a normal life in the country" to defeat it.

More than 70,000 people have been killed since fighting between forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebels erupted in March 2011.

International efforts to tackle the violence have recently focused on the alleged use of chemical weapons by the regime.

US President Barack Obama has described such actions as a "red line", but he said on Friday that he did not envisage a situation where US troops would be sent to Syria.

The US has floated the idea in recent weeks of arming the rebel forces.

In a statement, the US state department said it was "appalled" by the latest reported incidents.

"We strongly condemn atrocities against the civilian population and reinforce our solidarity with the Syrian people," it added.

"As the Assad regime's violence against innocent civilians escalates, we will not lose sight of the men, women, and children whose lives are being so brutally cut short.

"Those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of human rights law must be held accountable."

Commenting on the situation Ribal Al-Assad, Director of ODFS said:

"The situation is now paramount, reports of massacres are deeply concerning and we need to get to the bottom of exactly what is going on here. This wanton violence has to be controlled, the perpetrators of these heinous acts must realise that they will be accountable for their actions - summary executions of civilians are completely and resolutely unacceptable."

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