Under-fire Syria feels pressure as former allies attack regime

THE pressure on Syria’s government intensified last night as neighbours and former allies attacked the brutal suppression of anti-government protesters by President Bashar al Assad’s regime, on the day his nation’s suspension from the Arab League came into effect.

Foreign ministers from the 22-member Arab League last night formalised their weekend decision to suspend Syria from the organisation following yet another day of bloodshed in the Middle East nation, with army defectors launching a series of attacks on Assad’s military.

With Syria looking increasingly isolated, France announced last night it was withdrawing its ambassador from the country. The UK said its own representative will remain for the time being.

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Violence has continued despite Syria’s supposed agreement two weeks ago to an Arab-brokered peace deal that called for the regime to halt attacks on protesters, pull armoured vehicles out of cities, release political prisoners and allow journalists and rights groups back into the country.

With no sign of the measures actually being implemented, the foreign minister of Qatar, which has taken the lead in isolating Syria, said pressure must be ramped up.

“We cannot accept people being killed in the way they are now,” Hamad bin Jassim said.

“We are moving to stop the flow of blood. The Syrian government must apply the Arab League plan.” Significantly, neighbouring Turkey – which once had close ties with Syria – also spoke in damning terms against the violence across its border.

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“We denounce the mass murder of the Syrian people,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. “It is all of our responsibility to end the bloodshed in Syria.”

The suspension decision has enraged Syria, which considers itself a bastion of Arab nationalism.

Damascus fears the United States and its allies may now use the rare Arab consensus to press for tougher sanctions at the United Nations.

Russia and China have so far opposed efforts at the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Syria although their position could become more difficult to maintain in the face of the Arab stance.

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The Arab League has rarely taken decisive actions to deal with the crises in the Arab world out of a reluctance to criticise fellow governments. However, several members have described their actions as a way of preventing foreign intervention along the lines of Nato’s involvement in Libya earlier this year.

Though there has been no suggestion of military intervention in Syria, France has said that it is working with the Syrian opposition in an attempt “to develop a political alternative” to Assad’s government.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s decision to order Eric Chevallier home from Damascus has now further increased the pressure.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said last night: “We have not made any decision to recall our ambassador to Syria at present, but the situation is evolving and we will keep this under regular review.We are working closely with international partners to increase the pressure on the Assad regime and are in close contact with the French.

“It’s for them to set out their position on this.”

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Syrian army defectors yesterday launched their first significant attacks on President Assad’s military targets near the capital Damascus.

The deadliest attack was in the central province of Hama.

Rebels there killed at least eight soldiers and security forces during an assault on a checkpoint in Kfar Zeita village, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.