Activists say more than 100 killed in Syrian town

Syrian troops have killed 111 people in one of the deadliest incidents since the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime began in March, activists said Wednesday.

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The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the killings occurred in the town of Kfar Owaid in the northwestern province of Idlib Tuesday.

"It was an organized massacre. The troops surrounded people, then killed them," said Rami Abdul-Rahman, head of the organization.

In a statement, the organization said government forces surrounded about 150 local residents and shot them with bullets and tank shells for more than five hours.

"Some women tried to break the siege but in vain," it said. "The security forces arrested a number of young people from their homes, shackled them [and] executed them," it added.

It said 111 bodies were counted in the local mosque, of which 56 had been identified by its local activists.

Dr. Mousab Azzawi, a coordinator in London for the organization, told msnbc.com that the total number of victims its local activists had verified since Monday was 228.

"The situation is absolutely getting worse by the day," he said. "This area has been crippled by protest strikes and there is no electrical power, freezing cold weather and very little communication."

The accounts could not be independently confirmed because Syria has banned entry to most foreign journalists and places heavy restrictions on the work of local reporters.

Azzawi claimed Syria's decision on Monday to allow Arab League monitors to enter the country had simply prolonged the bloodshed.

"Every time they talk it means another day without change for the people in Syria," he said.

'Too many broken promises'
Commenting on the agreement to allow monitors, the U.S. said it will judge Syria by its actions.
"We've seen too many broken promises from the Syrian regime. So we're really less interested in a signed piece of paper than we are in actions to implement commitments made," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Monday night.

In an incident in the same province on Monday, 72 troops attempting to desert the Syrian army and flee across the Turkish border were executed, the organization said.

Syrian state TV said the country's air force, air defense units and naval forces conducted military maneuvers with warplanes, helicopters, surface-to-air and ground-to-sea missiles.

The TV station, which did not say when the maneuvers were conducted, showed warplanes and helicopters firing missiles at targets in a desert area. It also showed surface-to-air missiles hitting targets in the air.

"The maneuvers aim to test the capabilities of the air force and air defense to repulse any aggression the enemies of our nation might think about," said the TV which also showed special forces being dropped from helicopters.

The Syrian government claims armed gangs and terrorists are behind the uprising, not protesters seeking more freedoms under one of the most authoritarian regimes in the Middle East.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45748624/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

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