Wednesday, April 27, 2011

UN Chief Condemns Violence in Syria

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the continuing violence against anti-government protesters in Syria, specifically the use of tanks and live fire that have killed and injured hundreds.

The U.N. chief called for an independent inquiry into the violence. Members of the U.N. Security Council are expected to meet Wednesday to discuss a joint statement condemning the crackdown.

U.S. State Department official Jacob Sullivan has said that, for now, Washington will limit its response to diplomacy and possible sanctions.

Truckloads of troops deployed early Wednesday into a suburb near the capital, Damascus, while soldiers bolstered their positions in the flashpoint town Daraa.

More than 400 people have been killed since pro-democracy protests erupted last month. The Syrian rights organization Sawasiah says at least 500 people have also been arrested.

President Bashar al-Assad last week ended the country's 48-year-old emergency law - a key demand of protesters - and abolished a state security court. But the government then took other steps to crush demonstrations.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.