Syria truce holds, protests planned
An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube on April 12, 2012 allegedly shows demonstrators in the town of Al-Tah in Idlib province, chanting anti-regime slogans as a UN-Arab League deadline to implement a ceasefire went into effect. Activists said forces loyal to Syrian Preisdent Bashar Al-Assad shot dead a civilian in the central province of Hama, hours after the ceasefire took effect. AFP PHOTO
What you need to know:
- United Nations estimates more than 9,000 people have been killed since March 2011 as Assad’s forces crush the latest in a series of uprisings authoritarian leaders in the Arab world.
DAMASCUS, Thursday
A UN-backed ceasefire to end 13 months of bloodshed in Syria appeared to be holding after coming into force at daybreak today, prompting a call for fresh protests to test Kofi Annan’s peace plan.
China welcomed Syria’s decision to uphold a “comprehensive ceasefire” describing it as a step towards a political solution, as Russia called for more time for the plan to work.
After breaking a commitment to pull back forces from population centres by Tuesday under the agreement brokered by former UN chief Annan, there were still no signs of a withdrawal, monitors said.
“The situation remains calm in all the regions of Syria,” said Rami Abdel Rahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, almost six hours after the ceasefire deadline.
A “few explosions” were heard in the town of Zabadani, just outside the capital, shortly after it came into effect, Abdel Rahman told AFP in Beirut.
“There have not been any serious withdrawals of checkpoint of military reinforcements in Idlib, Hama, Homs, the province of Damascus or the northern Aleppo province,” he said.
Activists in Damascus, Hama, and Daraa also reported that calm has prevailed since the deadline. The reports could not be verified due to the Damascus government’s curbs on media.
“The test will be tomorrow, when demonstrators take to the streets” after the Muslim Friday prayers, a traditional high point for protests, said activist Muaz from Damascus.
Just hours before the deadline expired at 6 am, the military unleashed a lethal offensive against protest centres, killing 25 civilians on Wednesday, including 10 in the rebel stronghold of Rastan. (AFP)
