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SYRIA CRISIS: REFUGEE SURGE TO TURKEY 'AS TROOPS MASS'
ARMENPRESS
JUNE 9, 2011
YEREVAN
Growing numbers of Syrians are escaping over the border into Turkey
ahead of a feared government assault on the northern town of Jisr
al-Shughour.
About 1,000 Syrians crossed the border overnight, a Turkish official
said, bringing the total number of refugees in Turkey to about 1,600.
Pope Benedict XVI and the UN have urged Syria not to attack its
own people.
It comes after the UK and France proposed a UN resolution condemning
Syria's suppression of protests.
The draft stops short of authorising concrete action, but even so it
is not clear when or if it might be put to a vote, correspondents say -
with Russia's attitude still a key uncertainty.
The anticipated crackdown on Jisr al-Shughour is in response to
claims by Damascus that armed gangs killed 120 members of the security
forces there.
It says local residents have requested the army's intervention to
restore peace and quiet.
But dissenting accounts say the violence was sparked by deserting
soldiers, and that loyal troops have massacred peaceful civilians.
Human rights groups say more than 1,000 people have been killed
since protests began in February against the rule of President Bashar
al-Assad, and it now appears several hundred security forces may also
have died.
From: A. Papazian
ARMENPRESS
JUNE 9, 2011
YEREVAN
Growing numbers of Syrians are escaping over the border into Turkey
ahead of a feared government assault on the northern town of Jisr
al-Shughour.
About 1,000 Syrians crossed the border overnight, a Turkish official
said, bringing the total number of refugees in Turkey to about 1,600.
Pope Benedict XVI and the UN have urged Syria not to attack its
own people.
It comes after the UK and France proposed a UN resolution condemning
Syria's suppression of protests.
The draft stops short of authorising concrete action, but even so it
is not clear when or if it might be put to a vote, correspondents say -
with Russia's attitude still a key uncertainty.
The anticipated crackdown on Jisr al-Shughour is in response to
claims by Damascus that armed gangs killed 120 members of the security
forces there.
It says local residents have requested the army's intervention to
restore peace and quiet.
But dissenting accounts say the violence was sparked by deserting
soldiers, and that loyal troops have massacred peaceful civilians.
Human rights groups say more than 1,000 people have been killed
since protests began in February against the rule of President Bashar
al-Assad, and it now appears several hundred security forces may also
have died.
From: A. Papazian