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    February 16, 2012

Syrian Military Crackdown Widens

   Edward Yeranian | Cairo

   Syrian government troops widened their offensive against opposition
   strongholds throughout the country Thursday with heavy weaponry.

   Witnesses say Syrian government forces attacked parts of the southern
   flashpoint city of Daraa Thursday, in a fresh bid to subdue the
   opposition movement. That attack was coupled with a widespread
   offensive in other areas of the country, including Homs, Hama, Idlib,
   and the outskirts of Damascus.
   Witnesses and opposition websites report that Syrian government tanks
   stormed a number of smaller towns. Pro-government militiamen also
   reportedly arrested hundreds of suspected opposition activists.

   The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told VOA at least 24 people
   were killed across the country Thursday, including four people in
   clashes in Daraa and 14 people in a government assault on an area near
   Hama.

   Map of Daraa in Syria

   State-run Syrian television says government forces were attacking
   'terrorist hideouts' in Hama, Homs and Daraa.
   Opposition activist Aseel Abdullah told Alhurra TV that the government
   attack on Daraa caused damage to property and a number of casualties.

   A building collapsed in the Baba Amr district of Homs after being
   pummeled by government artillery. The shelling continued in Baba Amr
   for the 12th consecutive day, amid reports of more casualties and
   severe shortages of food and medical supplies.

   Meanwhile, Syrian opposition leaders continued their call for
   humanitarian aid.
   The U.N. General Assembly is due to meet later Thursday to discuss an
   Arab League plan to send a peacekeeping force to Syria.

   Also Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon demanded that Syria
   stop its shelling of civilian areas. "We see neighborhoods shelled
   indiscriminately, hospitals used as torture centers, children as young
   as 10-years-old chained and abused," he told journalists in Vienna. He
   called the actions an 'almost certain crime against humanity.'

   "We see almost certain crimes against humanity," he said "The lack of
   agreement in the Security Council does not give the government license
   to continue this assault on its own people. The longer we debate, the
   more people will die.''

   Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches political science at the University of
   Paris, says that while the Syrian government wants to crush the
   opposition movement, it is proving difficult.

   Syria's allies in Lebanon claim that the government offensive will
   crush the opposition in two weeks, he said, adding that he doubted a
   military solution will resolve the conflict.