This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-middle-east-16959446
The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Syria crisis: Deadly shelling resumes in Homs | Syria crisis: Deadly shelling resumes in Homs |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Syrian army has resumed shelling in Homs killing at least 23 people so far on Thursday, activists say. | The Syrian army has resumed shelling in Homs killing at least 23 people so far on Thursday, activists say. |
| With several districts controlled by rebel forces, Syria's third-largest city is a major focus of unrest against President Bashar al-Assad's rule. | With several districts controlled by rebel forces, Syria's third-largest city is a major focus of unrest against President Bashar al-Assad's rule. |
| Scores have been killed since the army started an assault there last week. | Scores have been killed since the army started an assault there last week. |
| UN chief Ban Ki-moon says said the failure to agree a UN resolution on Syria had encouraged Damascus "to step up its war on its own people". | UN chief Ban Ki-moon says said the failure to agree a UN resolution on Syria had encouraged Damascus "to step up its war on its own people". |
| The international community is struggling to find a way to resolve the crisis after Russia and China blocked a text drafted by Arab and European countries last week. | The international community is struggling to find a way to resolve the crisis after Russia and China blocked a text drafted by Arab and European countries last week. |
| When I was in Homs - until Wednesday - there was constant shell fire. We counted hundreds of hits every day. And people got a bit hysterical under that kind of pressure. | When I was in Homs - until Wednesday - there was constant shell fire. We counted hundreds of hits every day. And people got a bit hysterical under that kind of pressure. |
| Sometimes they would shout: "The army is about to come in; the army is going to use chemical weapons." None of this happened, but this is what they thought. | Sometimes they would shout: "The army is about to come in; the army is going to use chemical weapons." None of this happened, but this is what they thought. |
| A lot of people were personally touched by tragedy. I remember interviewing the man who wraps people for burial, and asking if he had to do this for members of his own family. He listed his own son, his brother in law, his cousin, and his uncle. | A lot of people were personally touched by tragedy. I remember interviewing the man who wraps people for burial, and asking if he had to do this for members of his own family. He listed his own son, his brother in law, his cousin, and his uncle. |
| You met over and over again people with similar stories. | You met over and over again people with similar stories. |
| In the areas of Homs that support the uprising, buildings are close together. There's no real shelter. The place is being pounded, the casualties are very high, and that has affected in a personal way every single person living there. | In the areas of Homs that support the uprising, buildings are close together. There's no real shelter. The place is being pounded, the casualties are very high, and that has affected in a personal way every single person living there. |
| The worst shelling in Homs has been concentrated on the Baba Amr district, where activists people say 50 people were killed on Wednesday alone. | The worst shelling in Homs has been concentrated on the Baba Amr district, where activists people say 50 people were killed on Wednesday alone. |
| The BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Lebanon says there are armed rebels in the area, but also many civilians. | The BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Lebanon says there are armed rebels in the area, but also many civilians. |
| Ali Hazuri, a doctor in Baba Amr, told AFP news agency that the intense bombardment had resumed early on Thursday after an overnight lull. | Ali Hazuri, a doctor in Baba Amr, told AFP news agency that the intense bombardment had resumed early on Thursday after an overnight lull. |
| "The shells are raining down on us and regime forces are using heavy artillery," he said. | "The shells are raining down on us and regime forces are using heavy artillery," he said. |
| Homs resident Omar Shaker said: "The situation is dire. We are short of food, water and medical aid. Doctors have collapsed after treating the wounded without rest for five days." | Homs resident Omar Shaker said: "The situation is dire. We are short of food, water and medical aid. Doctors have collapsed after treating the wounded without rest for five days." |
| Syria restricts access to foreign media and casualty figures cannot be independently verified. | Syria restricts access to foreign media and casualty figures cannot be independently verified. |
| The army says it is fighting foreign-backed armed groups. Army defectors have joined rebel forces in Homs and other parts of Syria in recent months. | The army says it is fighting foreign-backed armed groups. Army defectors have joined rebel forces in Homs and other parts of Syria in recent months. |
| Meanwhile Germany announced it was expelling four diplomats from the Syrian embassy in Berlin. | Meanwhile Germany announced it was expelling four diplomats from the Syrian embassy in Berlin. |
| Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Thursday that the move followed the recent arrest of two people suspected of spying on Syrian opposition figures in Germany. | Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Thursday that the move followed the recent arrest of two people suspected of spying on Syrian opposition figures in Germany. |
| 'Missed chance' | 'Missed chance' |
| Mr Ban, speaking at the UN in New York on Wednesday, said: "I fear that the appalling brutality we are witnessing in Homs, with heavy weapons firing into civilian neighbourhoods, is a grim harbinger of worse to come." | Mr Ban, speaking at the UN in New York on Wednesday, said: "I fear that the appalling brutality we are witnessing in Homs, with heavy weapons firing into civilian neighbourhoods, is a grim harbinger of worse to come." |
| He also said the Arab League was hoping to revive a monitoring mission in Syria, which collapsed last month amid the escalating violence. | |
| Mr Ban said the league's chief, Nabil el-Arabi, had told him he intended to had asked for UN help with the project and proposed a joint UN-Arab League observer mission, including a joint special envoy. | Mr Ban said the league's chief, Nabil el-Arabi, had told him he intended to had asked for UN help with the project and proposed a joint UN-Arab League observer mission, including a joint special envoy. |
| "We stand ready to assist in any way that will contribute toward improvement on the ground," Mr Ban said. | "We stand ready to assist in any way that will contribute toward improvement on the ground," Mr Ban said. |
| Earlier, the US rejected Russian calls for talks between the Syrian government and the opposition. | Earlier, the US rejected Russian calls for talks between the Syrian government and the opposition. |
| White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Bashar al-Assad had missed the "opportunity" for dialogue. | White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Bashar al-Assad had missed the "opportunity" for dialogue. |
| "From the (earliest) days of this situation in Syria, there was an opportunity for the Assad regime to engage in dialogue with the opposition," White House spokesman Jay Carney said. | "From the (earliest) days of this situation in Syria, there was an opportunity for the Assad regime to engage in dialogue with the opposition," White House spokesman Jay Carney said. |
| "Rather than take that opportunity, Assad brutally cracked down on his own people. We don't think that that opportunity is available any more. | "Rather than take that opportunity, Assad brutally cracked down on his own people. We don't think that that opportunity is available any more. |
| "It is clear that Assad has chosen a path and that choice has resulted in the deaths of many Syrians, including innocent children." | "It is clear that Assad has chosen a path and that choice has resulted in the deaths of many Syrians, including innocent children." |
| Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who visited Damascus on Tuesday, had said that President Assad was ready to talk with "all political forces" to end the violence. | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who visited Damascus on Tuesday, had said that President Assad was ready to talk with "all political forces" to end the violence. |
| But his comments were dismissed by opposition leaders, who want Mr Assad to stand down. | But his comments were dismissed by opposition leaders, who want Mr Assad to stand down. |
| Mr Carney said the US planned to meet soon with its international partners to discuss ways to stop the violence in Syria and provide humanitarian aid. | Mr Carney said the US planned to meet soon with its international partners to discuss ways to stop the violence in Syria and provide humanitarian aid. |
| The UN resolution vetoed by China and Russia on Saturday backed an Arab League peace plan that would have seen President Assad hand power to a deputy to oversee a transition. | The UN resolution vetoed by China and Russia on Saturday backed an Arab League peace plan that would have seen President Assad hand power to a deputy to oversee a transition. |
| Russia said that amounted to regime change. | Russia said that amounted to regime change. |
| Are you in Syria? Do you have friends or family there? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. At no time should you endanger yourself or others or take any unnecessary risks. | Are you in Syria? Do you have friends or family there? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. At no time should you endanger yourself or others or take any unnecessary risks. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
| Read the terms and conditions | Read the terms and conditions |