Homs bombarded ahead of UN briefing on Annan peace plan

Syria’s rebellious city of Homs came under fierce bombardment yesterday as the head of the suspended UN observer mission in Syria prepared to brief the Security Council in person over the monitoring mission and international envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan.

Major General Robert Mood and UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous were meeting the 15 council ambassadors behind closed doors to give their assessment of the upsurge in violence by government forces and the opposition in recent days, which led to Gen Mood’s suspension of patrols and all other activities by the 300 unarmed observers on Saturday.

Mr Annan’s six-point plan had called for an immediate cessation of fighting, first by the Syrian government and then the opposition, with the goal of launching a political dialogue.

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But, as if to press home the urgency of the crisis ahead of the talks, fierce shelling was reported on the rebel-held districts of Khaldiyeh and Jouret el-Shayeh and nearby areas.

Troops backed by helicopter gunships were also bombarding the town of Rastan, north of Homs, which is controlled by rebels.

The UN mandate for the observer mission expires on July 20 but British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said he could not rule out that the council might end it before then, blaming the Syrian regime for the mission’s decision to suspend its patrols in light of the violence.

“Their brutality against their own civilian population has led to the sort of spikes in violence that we’ve now seen,” he said.

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Russia and China, who have close ties to Syria, have vetoed two resolutions that mentioned the threat of sanctions against President Bashar Assad’s regime.

But they did vote for the resolution authorising the observer mission and endorsing Mr Annan’s six-point plan.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights yesterday reiterated an urgent appeal for world leaders to intervene to stop the shelling that has trapped more than 1,000 families and “the systematic killings that the Syrian people in Homs are being subjected to”.

The calls came as Syria’s government said it was ready to evacuate Homs without preconditions, answering Maj Gen Mood’s demands on Sunday that warring parties allow the evacuation from combat zones of women, children and sick people.

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Meanwhile, in Britain, the cargo ship Alaed, which is believed to be carrying Russian-made attack helicopters to Syria, was understood to have turned back, having been stopped in its tracks off the coast of the Outer Hebrides when its London insurers withdrew their cover.

Marine insurers the Standard Club told the Daily Telegraph in a statement: “We were made aware of the allegations that the Alaed was carrying munitions destined for Syria.

“We have already informed the ship owner that their insurance cover ceased automatically in view of the nature of the voyage.”

The insurers are also said to have withdrawn cover for several other ships owned by Femco, a Russian shipping company.

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A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We are aware of a ship carrying a consignment of refurbished Russian-made attack helicopters heading to Syria.

“The Foreign Secretary made clear to Russian foreign minister Lavrov when they met on June 14 that all defence shipments to Syria must stop.

“We are working closely with international partners to ensure that we are doing all we can to stop the Syrian regime’s ability to slaughter civilians being reinforced through assistance from other countries.”

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