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| Syria crisis: Shelling 'kills dozens' in restive Homs | Syria crisis: Shelling 'kills dozens' in restive Homs |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Syrian army has launched fresh mortar and rocket attacks in the city of Homs, as the government continues a push aimed at crushing rebel forces. | The Syrian army has launched fresh mortar and rocket attacks in the city of Homs, as the government continues a push aimed at crushing rebel forces. |
| Activists say 95 people have been killed so far on Thursday. Hundreds have reportedly died since last week. | Activists say 95 people have been killed so far on Thursday. Hundreds have reportedly died since last week. |
| Homs, Syria's third-largest city, has been a leading focus of unrest in the 11-month uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule. | Homs, Syria's third-largest city, has been a leading focus of unrest in the 11-month uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule. |
| UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemned the "appalling brutality" of the onslaught. | UN chief Ban Ki-moon condemned the "appalling brutality" of the onslaught. |
| The international community is struggling to find a way to resolve the crisis after Russia and China blocked a UN resolution drafted by Arab and European countries on Saturday. | The international community is struggling to find a way to resolve the crisis after Russia and China blocked a UN resolution drafted by Arab and European countries on Saturday. |
| 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 assault on Homs, which began late on Friday, is focused on districts that are controlled by rebel forces. | The assault on Homs, which began late on Friday, is focused on districts that are controlled by rebel forces. |
| The worst shelling has been in the Baba Amr district, where activists say 50 people were killed on Wednesday alone. | The worst shelling has been in the Baba Amr district, where activists 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. |
| 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. |
| Government troops have stepped up operations at Syria's borders in an effort to stop arms reaching the rebels, reports say. | Government troops have stepped up operations at Syria's borders in an effort to stop arms reaching the rebels, reports say. |
| Continuing army operations against rebels are also being reported in the northern city of Idlib, the southern province of Deraa, and the town of Zabadani, north of Damascus. | Continuing army operations against rebels are also being reported in the northern city of Idlib, the southern province of Deraa, and the town of Zabadani, north of Damascus. |
| The Local Co-ordination Committees, a network of anti-government activists monitoring the violence, say a total of 105 people have been killed around the country, including 95 in Homs. | The Local Co-ordination Committees, a network of anti-government activists monitoring the violence, say a total of 105 people have been killed around the country, including 95 in Homs. |
| 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' |
| Speaking at the UN in New York on Wednesday, Mr Ban said the failure to agree a UN resolution on Syria had encouraged Damascus "to step up its war on its own people". | Speaking at the UN in New York on Wednesday, Mr Ban said the failure to agree a UN resolution on Syria had encouraged Damascus "to step up its war on its own people". |
| He added: "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 added: "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. | He also said the Arab League was hoping to revive a monitoring mission in Syria, which collapsed last month amid the escalating violence. |
| 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. |
| 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 its international partners to discuss ways to stop the violence and provide humanitarian aid. | Mr Carney said the US planned to meet its international partners to discuss ways to stop the violence and provide humanitarian aid. |
| The UN resolution vetoed by China and Russia 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 backed an Arab League peace plan that would have seen President Assad hand power to a deputy to oversee a transition. |
| Russia said the proposal amounted to regime change. | Russia said the proposal amounted to regime change. |
| Human rights groups and activists say more than 7,000 people have been killed by Syrian security forces since the uprising began last March. | Human rights groups and activists say more than 7,000 people have been killed by Syrian security forces since the uprising began last March. |
| The UN stopped estimating the death toll in Syria after it passed 5,400 in January, saying it was too difficult to confirm. | The UN stopped estimating the death toll in Syria after it passed 5,400 in January, saying it was too difficult to confirm. |
| Mr Assad's government says at least 2,000 members of the security forces have been killed. | Mr Assad's government says at least 2,000 members of the security forces have been killed. |
| 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. |
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