Dozens feared dead in Syria as shaky truce crumbles

In one of the deadliest outbreaks of violence to take place in recent days, Syrian opposition activists reported that several houses in the Masha al-Tayyar district in southern Hama were destroyed by a massive explosion believed to have been caused by government shelling or a Scud missile attack.

The city is hosting two UN observers who are preparing for a wider UN mission to monitor the ceasefire.

The fresh reports of shelling prompted the Arab League to hastily convene an emergency meeting in Cairo amid fears that the fragile ceasefire brokered two weeks ago has unravelled. The opposition Syrian National Council called for the UN’s security council to hold an urgent meeting in response to the bloodshed.

There are also concerns that there have been surges in violence, led by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, in Syrian cities after visits by UN monitors sent into the country to observe as part of the ceasefire agreement. UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, who brokered the ceasefire, is reported to have told a closed door meeting that he is “particularly alarmed” by reports of government forces firing on protesters in the city on Monday after observers left.

Syrian government officials blamed “armed terrorists” for the latest attack, saying that the blast was accidentally set off by foreign-backed militants preparing explosives in a building they had used to make bombs. They claimed that opposition activists are deliberately attempting to sabotage the truce which was supposed to have begun on April 14.

State news agency, SANA, reported: “An improvised explosive blew up last evening while it was being prepared, as part of a systematic escalation supported by regional and international powers using the tool of armed terrorist groups aimed at sabotaging international envoy Kofi Annan’s mission.”

Flashpoint

However activists reported that security forces had fired a rocket at the building, with one report suggesting that 13 children and 15 women were among the dead.

The building collapsed and residents had to dig several victims out from beneath the rubble. State television showed pictures of injured children in hospital.

Hama has regularly been a flashpoint for rebels during the year-long uprising to oust President Assad in which the death toll is nearing 10,000. The city has historical ties to rebellions against the government. 30 years ago President al-Assad’s father, Hafez al-Assad, killed many thousands of people and flattened parts of Hama’s old city in the wake of an Islamist uprising in the city.

“An improvised explosive blew up last evening while it was being prepared, as part of a systematic escalation supported by regional and international powers using the tool of armed terrorist groups aimed at sabotaging international envoy Kofi Annan’s mission.” Syrian government statement

A UN resolution agreed 10 days ago gave the green light for a “rapid response team” of 30 observers to be dispatched by Monday, ahead of plans to deploy 100 of a 300-strong mission by the end of the month.

But several countries have complained that the delegation is moving too slowly, as there are only 15 observers stationed in the country this week.

Chapter 7

On Wednesday, Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, suggested France may put forward a proposal for military action before the UN Security Council.

He said he would lobby for a Chapter 7 resolution allowing for military action if Damascus does not comply with the ceasefire by May. On 5 May, UN-Arab League envoy, Mr Annan, is due to present a report on Syria’s compliance with the ceasefire before the Security Council.

On Tuesday, 21 people were killed by security forces, according to opposition sources, while the government blamed a car bombing in central Damascus which killed a Syrian intelligence officer and his brother on “terrorists”.

A volunteer for the International Committee of the Red Cross was also killed after an ambulance bearing the symbol of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent was shot at in the city of Douma, 13km north west of the capital, Damascus.

Another Red Crescent ambulance was also shot at while heading to the city’s local branch office, wounding three others.

Although the organisation said that it was unable to confirm whether the vehicles were deliberately targeted, the ICRC contacted Syria’s ministry of foreign affairs to request a temporary truce to allow them to evacuate wounded people, including the volunteers.

The minsitry responded to the request, the ICRC said, and volunteers left Douma to seek safety in Damascus.