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Syria: Bashar al-Assad 'grants general amnesty' Syria: Bashar al-Assad 'grants general amnesty'
(about 3 hours later)
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree granting a general amnesty, state media say.Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree granting a general amnesty, state media say.
The amnesty would cover political opposition movements, including the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, the reports said. It said the amnesty would cover all political movements, including the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
President Assad has faced months of protests against his rule. Opposition figures were quick to dismiss the move.
Authorities have cracked down on demonstrators, killing more than 1,000 people and arresting at least 10,000 more, according to human rights groups. The move comes after months of protests against President Assad's rule, leading to a crackdown in which activists say more than 1,000 people have been killed and 10,000 arrested.
The government has also offered some political concessions, but protesters have dismissed these as largely cosmetic.The government has also offered some political concessions, but protesters have dismissed these as largely cosmetic.
Late on Tuesday, state TV repeatedly flashed an "urgent" caption announcing the amnesty. The announcement of the amnesty came as at least three people were reported to have been killed in continuing clashes between security forces and protesters.
"President Assad grants a general pardon for the crimes committed before 31 May," it said.
"The pardon includes all those who belong to political movements, including the Muslim Brotherhood."
'Too little, too late''Too little, too late'
The announcement came as army forces using tanks were reported to be attacking two towns in central Syria, Talbisa and Rastan, where protests have continued. "President Assad grants a general pardon for the crimes committed before 31 May," said a bulletin carried by state media. "The pardon includes all those who belong to political movements, including the Muslim Brotherhood."
Foreign journalists have been prevented from entering Syria, and reports of violence are hard to verify. Syrian activists gathered for a conference in Turkey dismissed the amnesty offer, with one describing it as "too little, too late".
The BBC's Jim Muir reports from neighbouring Lebanon that the amnesty had been anticipated. "This measure is insufficient," said Abdel Razak Eid, an activist from the "Damascus Declaration" group.
He says it is also expected that Syrian authorities will launch an attempt at national dialogue in the next few days, though it is not clear who they intend to talk to. The announcement of a general amnesty was flashed repeatedly as an urgent item on Syrian state TV. It said President Assad had ordered forgiveness for all crimes committed before the 31 May by people belonging to any political movement, including the Muslim Brotherhood.
The success of any dialogue in defusing the crisis will depend on how credible the amnesty turns out to be, and is unlikely to get far if heavy-handed repression continues on the ground, our correspondent adds. The amnesty had been anticipated, and it is also expected that the authorities will launch an attempt at national dialogue in the next few days - though it is still not clear who the regime intends to talk to.
In an initial reaction, Syrian activists in Turkey described the amnesty as "too little too late". The success of any dialogue in defusing the crisis will also clearly depend on how credible the amnesty turns out to be, and whether the many thousands of people detained in the past two months, as well as other political prisoners, really are freed.
"This measure is insufficient," Abdel Razak Eid, an activist from the "Damascus Declaration" movement told AFP news agency. It is also unlikely to get far if heavy handed repression continues on the ground.
"We are united under the slogan: the people want the fall of the regime and all those who have committed crimes brought to account.""We are united under the slogan: the people want the fall of the regime and all those who have committed crimes brought to account."
Another activist, Mohammad Abdullah, said the amnesty offer showed "weakness on the part of the regime."
In Washington, state department spokesman Mark Toner said President Assad needed to take "concrete steps".
"He's said a lot of things in recent weeks and months, but we've seen very little concrete action," Mr Toner said.
News of the amnesty came as army forces using tanks were reported to be attacking two towns in central Syria, Talbisa and Rastan, where protests have continued.
At least one civilian was killed in Rastan and two more in the southern province of Deraa, an epicentre for recent protests, activists said.
The official news agency, Sana, said two soldiers had been killed in Rastan, and that troops had seized arms.
Foreign journalists have been prevented from entering Syria, and reports of violence are hard to verify.
Hama uprisingHama uprising
The Muslim Brotherhood has supported but not initiated the current uprising. The Muslim Brotherhood has supported but did not initiate the current uprising.
The banned political movement was behind a 1982 uprising in the city of Hama that was ruthlessly repressed, with at least 10,000 killed.The banned political movement was behind a 1982 uprising in the city of Hama that was ruthlessly repressed, with at least 10,000 killed.
Membership of the group is punishable by death, though this has not been enforced.Membership of the group is punishable by death, though this has not been enforced.
In March this year, shortly before protests escalated, President Assad issued an amnesty for those convicted of minor crimes and prisoners over the age of 70.In March this year, shortly before protests escalated, President Assad issued an amnesty for those convicted of minor crimes and prisoners over the age of 70.
In April, the president lifted decades-old emergency laws, but violence by the security forces was widely seen to have got worse following the announcement.In April, the president lifted decades-old emergency laws, but violence by the security forces was widely seen to have got worse following the announcement.
The government has blamed the unrest on armed groups, Islamists and foreign agitators.The government has blamed the unrest on armed groups, Islamists and foreign agitators.