In the city of Homs on Tuesday, Syrian government forces renewed their brutal attack on the rebellious city in what activist groups, such as the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, report as the heaviest shelling in days. Homs has been under fire for more than a week by troops and forces that remain loyal to President Bashar al-Assad as the United Nations chief fears civil war.
The United Nations Human Rights Chief, Navi Pillay, warned the Security Council on Monday that their failure to take action has bolstered the Syrian forces to launch a full assault. More than 5,400 people were killed in 2011 and the number of the dead and injured continues to rise daily, Pillay reported to the General Assembly. Pillay reported thousands of people, including children, have been arrested, 18,000 may be arbitrarily detained, and thousands are missing. Also, 70,000 people have been internally displaced and 25,000 have sought refuge in the surrounding countries. Pillay said, “The breadth and patterns of attacks by military and security forces on civilians, and the widespread destruction of homes, hospitals, schools and other civilian infrastructure indicate approval or complicity by authorities at the highest level.” President Barack Obama’s administration and the Arab League are searching for a peacekeeping deal.
