Syria has sent a message to the U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the president of the Security Council telling them that “terrorist acts” are on the rise, the official SANA news agency reported Friday as Syrian forces are laying mines near the border with Turkey to block a flow of refugees and supplies for insurgents.
The U.N. Security Council on Thursday formally approved an Apr. 10 deadline for the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces to cease military operations and for opposition rebels to do the same over the following 48 hours.
And Damascus has demanded a written commitment that the opposition will not seek to exploit the withdrawal to make territorial gains.
The U.N. Security Council on Thursday formally approved an Apr. 10 deadline for the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces to cease military operations and for opposition rebels to do the same over the following 48 hours.
And Damascus has demanded a written commitment that the opposition will not seek to exploit the withdrawal to make territorial gains.
“The terrorist acts committed by the armed terrorist groups in Syria have increased during the last few days, particularly after reaching an understanding on Kofi Annan’s plan,” said the letter, according to AFP.
The U.N. and Arab League envoy has proposed a six-point peace plan for Syria that the Damascus government has agreed to.
Damascus has agreed to withdraw troops and heavy weapons from cities by next Tuesday. Annan said that if this is carried out he would call for a complete halt to hostilities by “0600 hours Damascus time on Thursday April 12.”
Syria’s message accused the country’s opposition “which recently held meetings in Turkey of pursuing its main objective, which is... the spilling of Syrian blood, in announcing the creation of funds to finance and arm (terrorist) groups.”
It also said the number of soldiers and security agents killed since mid-March last year had risen to 2,088, and added that more than 478 police offers had also died.
Damascus attributes the violence that erupted last year to “armed terrorist groups.”
Earlier on Friday, Syria lashed out at the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, accusing her of turning a blind eye to “terrorism” funded from abroad.
Citing a foreign ministry letter to Navi Pillay, SANA said her “bias against Syria has become evident as she turns a blind eye to terrorism targeting the Syrian people at the hands of armed groups with an external funding.”
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that more than 10,100 people -- among them 7,300 civilians -- have been killed in the deadly crackdown on dissent.
The United Nations puts the toll at more than 9,000.
The U.N. and Arab League envoy has proposed a six-point peace plan for Syria that the Damascus government has agreed to.
Damascus has agreed to withdraw troops and heavy weapons from cities by next Tuesday. Annan said that if this is carried out he would call for a complete halt to hostilities by “0600 hours Damascus time on Thursday April 12.”
Syria’s message accused the country’s opposition “which recently held meetings in Turkey of pursuing its main objective, which is... the spilling of Syrian blood, in announcing the creation of funds to finance and arm (terrorist) groups.”
It also said the number of soldiers and security agents killed since mid-March last year had risen to 2,088, and added that more than 478 police offers had also died.
Damascus attributes the violence that erupted last year to “armed terrorist groups.”
Earlier on Friday, Syria lashed out at the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, accusing her of turning a blind eye to “terrorism” funded from abroad.
Citing a foreign ministry letter to Navi Pillay, SANA said her “bias against Syria has become evident as she turns a blind eye to terrorism targeting the Syrian people at the hands of armed groups with an external funding.”
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that more than 10,100 people -- among them 7,300 civilians -- have been killed in the deadly crackdown on dissent.
The United Nations puts the toll at more than 9,000.
Mines and machineguns
Meanwhile, Syrian forces are laying mines near the border with Turkey in an attempt to block a flow of refugees and supplies for insurgents, rebel activists and a Turkish official at the frontier said on Friday.
The flow of refugees to Turkish camps nearby swelled to 2,800 on Thursday as violence in the bordering Idlib province worsened.
It was impossible to verify reports from the many refugees fleeing Syria since foreign correspondents’ access to the country is strictly limited by the Damascus government.
A Syrian helicopter could be seen hovering over mountains on the Syrian side of the border in clear view of refugees at a camp. A Reuters television journalist with experience in the area said it was the first time since the crisis began that he was aware of Syrian aircraft flying close to Turkey.
Villagers reported hearing artillery along the border.
A Turkish foreign ministry official touring the camps in the area said there was new activity close to the border.
“The Syrians have been mining the border, especially the southern Idlib part which has been restricting the flow of refugees,” the official said. He declined to give his name.
Activists said mining was concentrated on southerly parts of Turkey’s border with Syria, from the town of Harem westwards to the coast.
Still, refugees were getting through.
The flow of refugees to Turkish camps nearby swelled to 2,800 on Thursday as violence in the bordering Idlib province worsened.
It was impossible to verify reports from the many refugees fleeing Syria since foreign correspondents’ access to the country is strictly limited by the Damascus government.
A Syrian helicopter could be seen hovering over mountains on the Syrian side of the border in clear view of refugees at a camp. A Reuters television journalist with experience in the area said it was the first time since the crisis began that he was aware of Syrian aircraft flying close to Turkey.
Villagers reported hearing artillery along the border.
A Turkish foreign ministry official touring the camps in the area said there was new activity close to the border.
“The Syrians have been mining the border, especially the southern Idlib part which has been restricting the flow of refugees,” the official said. He declined to give his name.
Activists said mining was concentrated on southerly parts of Turkey’s border with Syria, from the town of Harem westwards to the coast.
Still, refugees were getting through.
Flow of refugees
In Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu demanded Assad keep his promise to cease military operations.
“At the moment the number of refugees to have entered Turkey is 23,835. If more refugees come then the United Nations and international community must take action,” he told reporters.
The flow of refugees has been a big concern for Turkey which long saw Damascus as a regional friend but is now in the forefront of diplomatic opposition to Assad and gives refuge to civilian and military forces ranged against him.
Turkey fears that a complete breakdown in Syria would unleash a flood of refugees reminiscent of the half million who descended on Turkish territory from Iraq during the Gulf War in the early 1990s.
Ankara officials have cited such a development as one of the few that might make it consider establishment of a safe zone on the Syrian side. The presence now of Syrian troops so close to the border would make such a move perilous.
An opposition activist said the refugee flow into Turkey varied greatly from day to day because government troops would find open areas and shut them down. Refugees would then probe for new crossings and then pour across until they were blocked.
One particularly dangerous crossing is the Orontes River, which marks the border and is famous for its strong currents. Syrian army tents could be seen pitched amid lush farmland on the other side.
Syrian opposition activists said four refugees were shot dead trying to cross the river this week and a 16-year-old boy drowned. The activists said the Syrian army fired at and sank barrels used as makeshift boats pulled by ropes.
“At the moment the number of refugees to have entered Turkey is 23,835. If more refugees come then the United Nations and international community must take action,” he told reporters.
The flow of refugees has been a big concern for Turkey which long saw Damascus as a regional friend but is now in the forefront of diplomatic opposition to Assad and gives refuge to civilian and military forces ranged against him.
Turkey fears that a complete breakdown in Syria would unleash a flood of refugees reminiscent of the half million who descended on Turkish territory from Iraq during the Gulf War in the early 1990s.
Ankara officials have cited such a development as one of the few that might make it consider establishment of a safe zone on the Syrian side. The presence now of Syrian troops so close to the border would make such a move perilous.
An opposition activist said the refugee flow into Turkey varied greatly from day to day because government troops would find open areas and shut them down. Refugees would then probe for new crossings and then pour across until they were blocked.
One particularly dangerous crossing is the Orontes River, which marks the border and is famous for its strong currents. Syrian army tents could be seen pitched amid lush farmland on the other side.
Syrian opposition activists said four refugees were shot dead trying to cross the river this week and a 16-year-old boy drowned. The activists said the Syrian army fired at and sank barrels used as makeshift boats pulled by ropes.
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