US condemns Syria violence as thousands flee

In the first reported use of air power to quell unrest in Syria‘s three-month-old bloody uprising, witnesses have reported the use of gunships to disperse violent demonstrations.

The helicopters opened fire in a northwestern town after security forces on the ground killed five protesters, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Unrest showed no sign of abating despite a harsh crackdown by the state vying to protect embattled President Bashar al-Assad.

“At least five helicopters flew over Maarat al-Numaan and began firing their machineguns to disperse the tens of thousands who marched in the protest,” one witness said by telephone.

“People hid in fields, under bridges and in their houses, but the firing continued on the mostly empty streets for hours,” said the witness, who gave his name as Nawaf.

The Syrian government is leading Syria on a dangerous path. White House

Syria’s state television, in contrast, blamed violence in the area on anti-government groups. It made no mention of attack helicopters but said an ambulance helicopter had come under fire over Maarat from “terrorist armed groups,” injuring crew.

Civilians flee ‘slaughter’

Thousands of civilians have fled from the northwestern border area into Turkey, fearing security forces’ revenge for incidents in which 120 troops were reported killed this week.

Activists said Syrian forces had shot dead at least 33 at rallies across the country after Friday prayers.

Local people said at least 15,000 troops along with some 40 tanks and troop carriers had deployed near Jisr al-Shughour.

“Jisr al-Shughour is practically empty. People were not going to sit and be slaughtered like lambs,” said one refugee who crossed the border into Turkey.

A 40-year-old from Jisr al-Shughour, with a bullet still in his thigh, also described mutiny in Syrian ranks.

“Some of the security forces defected and there were some in the army who refused the orders of their superiors,” he said. “They were firing on each other.”

Human rights activists aired a YouTube video described as from a Lieutenant Colonel Hussein Armoush, saying he had defected with soldiers to “join the ranks of the masses demanding freedom and democracy.”

Rights groups say over 1,100 civilians have been killed since March in the revolt to demand more political freedoms and an end to corruption and poverty.

Call for UN resolution

The US denounced the “appalling violence” and said the Syrian government were leading the country on a “dangerous path”.

The White House backed a European draft resolution at the United Nations which seeks to condemn the president.

Britain, France, Germany and Portugal have asked the UN Security Council to act, though veto-wielding Russia has said it would oppose such a move.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem wrote to the Security Council accusing the opposition of violence and sabotage, Al Arabiya television said. Foreign governments were basing their views on “inaccurate information,” it said.

State television said earlier well-armed “terrorist groups” had burned police buildings and killed members of the security forces in Maarat al-Numaan, which lies 55 km (35 miles) south of Syria’s second city Aleppo on the highway to Damascus.

Syrian authorities have banned most foreign correspondents from the country and have repeatedly tried to portray anti-government protesters as armed and violent.

A UN spokesman said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had been trying to call Assad all week but was told that the president was “not available.”