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| Syrians fleeing Homs accuse troops of atrocities | Syrians fleeing Homs accuse troops of atrocities |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| People fleeing the central Syrian city of Homs have told the BBC that security forces are committing atrocities there. | People fleeing the central Syrian city of Homs have told the BBC that security forces are committing atrocities there. |
| One woman told the BBC's Paul Wood on the outskirts of Homs that soldiers had slit the throat of her 12-year-old son on Friday - a day after rebel fighters withdrew from the Baba Amr district. | One woman told the BBC's Paul Wood on the outskirts of Homs that soldiers had slit the throat of her 12-year-old son on Friday - a day after rebel fighters withdrew from the Baba Amr district. |
| She said 35 other men and boys from her area had also been detained and killed. | She said 35 other men and boys from her area had also been detained and killed. |
| The government has denied the Red Cross access to Baba Amr for four consecutive days, citing security concerns. | The government has denied the Red Cross access to Baba Amr for four consecutive days, citing security concerns. |
| Activists have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe. | Activists have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe. |
| Electricity, water and communications have been cut off, and in recent days temperatures have plummeted and snow has fallen. Food supplies are said to be dangerously low, and many people are too scared to leave. | Electricity, water and communications have been cut off, and in recent days temperatures have plummeted and snow has fallen. Food supplies are said to be dangerously low, and many people are too scared to leave. |
| 'Screams' | 'Screams' |
| On Thursday, government troops backed by tanks entered Baba Amr after the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) announced a "tactical withdrawal". | On Thursday, government troops backed by tanks entered Baba Amr after the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) announced a "tactical withdrawal". |
| A terrible fear has seized people here about what the government forces are doing now that they are back in control. | |
| In a house we sat with six women and their 17 children. They had arrived that day. There were no men. | |
| "We were walking out altogether until we reached the checkpoint," said one of the women, Um Abdo. | |
| "Then they separated us from the men. They put hoods on their heads and took them away." | |
| Where do you think they are now, I asked? The women replied all at once: "They will be slaughtered." | |
| Although the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and its Syrian Red Crescent partners have since been told they cannot enter the district because of the risk of booby-traps and mines, state TV reported it had been "sanitised" of "armed terrorist groups". | Although the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and its Syrian Red Crescent partners have since been told they cannot enter the district because of the risk of booby-traps and mines, state TV reported it had been "sanitised" of "armed terrorist groups". |
| Opposition and human rights activists have said security forces and pro-government militia have been rounding up men and boys over the age of 14 who are still in Baba Amr, and then torturing and killing them. | Opposition and human rights activists have said security forces and pro-government militia have been rounding up men and boys over the age of 14 who are still in Baba Amr, and then torturing and killing them. |
| The claims could not be substantiated, but people fleeing Homs also told our correspondent that security forces had been committing atrocities, including summary executions and cutting the throats of prisoners. | The claims could not be substantiated, but people fleeing Homs also told our correspondent that security forces had been committing atrocities, including summary executions and cutting the throats of prisoners. |
| One woman, who had walked for three days to escape, said that on Friday troops had taken 36 men and boys from one area and killed them. | One woman, who had walked for three days to escape, said that on Friday troops had taken 36 men and boys from one area and killed them. |
| "My son's throat was cut," she said. "He was 12." | "My son's throat was cut," she said. "He was 12." |
| Her husband said he was hiding about 50m away and saw one soldier hold down their son's head with his boot while another killed him. | Her husband said he was hiding about 50m away and saw one soldier hold down their son's head with his boot while another killed him. |
| "I could hear their screams," he added. | "I could hear their screams," he added. |
| Another woman said: "They took our husbands. They took them at a checkpoint. They will slaughter them like sheep." | Another woman said: "They took our husbands. They took them at a checkpoint. They will slaughter them like sheep." |
| Several men who said they had defected from an elite army unit last week told our correspondent that civilians were being targeted by security forces and prisoners were being killed. | Several men who said they had defected from an elite army unit last week told our correspondent that civilians were being targeted by security forces and prisoners were being killed. |
| "A lieutenant gave us the order," he said. "We were told in this operation: 'You shoot anything that moves. Civilian or military - you shoot at it.' | |
| Our correspondent says the people of Baba Amr defied the government and now they are scattered, their uprising crushed. | Our correspondent says the people of Baba Amr defied the government and now they are scattered, their uprising crushed. |
| An independent commission of inquiry set up by the UN Human Rights Council said in February that Syrian security forces had "committed widespread, systematic and gross human rights violations, amounting to crimes against humanity, with the apparent knowledge and consent of the highest levels of the state". | An independent commission of inquiry set up by the UN Human Rights Council said in February that Syrian security forces had "committed widespread, systematic and gross human rights violations, amounting to crimes against humanity, with the apparent knowledge and consent of the highest levels of the state". |
| It also found anti-government groups had committed abuses, but not "comparable in scale and organisation to those carried out by the state". | It also found anti-government groups had committed abuses, but not "comparable in scale and organisation to those carried out by the state". |
| The EU has said it will document alleged war crimes to set the stage for a "day of reckoning" for Syria's leaders. But Russia and China have vetoed two UN Security Council resolutions critical of the government. | The EU has said it will document alleged war crimes to set the stage for a "day of reckoning" for Syria's leaders. But Russia and China have vetoed two UN Security Council resolutions critical of the government. |
| UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said on Monday that Syria had approved her visit to the country and she planned to travel there on Wednesday. | UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said on Monday that Syria had approved her visit to the country and she planned to travel there on Wednesday. |
| She said her aim was to urge all parties to allow unhindered access for humanitarian aid. | She said her aim was to urge all parties to allow unhindered access for humanitarian aid. |
| Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is also due to visit Syria at the weekend as joint special envoy for the UN and the Arab League. | Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is also due to visit Syria at the weekend as joint special envoy for the UN and the Arab League. |
| 'Extremely difficult' | 'Extremely difficult' |
| The director-general of the ICRC, Yves Daccord, earlier spoke of his concern about the humanitarian situation in Baba Amr. | The director-general of the ICRC, Yves Daccord, earlier spoke of his concern about the humanitarian situation in Baba Amr. |
| "The situation is extremely difficult, the weather conditions are tragic," he told Swiss Radio and Television (RTS). | "The situation is extremely difficult, the weather conditions are tragic," he told Swiss Radio and Television (RTS). |
| "It is very cold, there is fighting and people don't have access to food or water, and above all there is a big problem of evacuating the wounded." | "It is very cold, there is fighting and people don't have access to food or water, and above all there is a big problem of evacuating the wounded." |
| Mr Daccord added: "We hope to get in to Baba Amr today. We have to be firm and not give up. The negotiations are being led on site in Homs with military commanders and also in Damascus." | Mr Daccord added: "We hope to get in to Baba Amr today. We have to be firm and not give up. The negotiations are being led on site in Homs with military commanders and also in Damascus." |
| A second ICRC convoy carrying food for "several thousand people" and other relief supplies also arrived in Homs from Damascus on Monday. | A second ICRC convoy carrying food for "several thousand people" and other relief supplies also arrived in Homs from Damascus on Monday. |
| On Sunday, the ICRC and Red Crescent distributed food, baby milk, blankets and hygiene products in neighbouring districts and villages where people have sought refuge, including Inshaat, Tawzi and Abil. | On Sunday, the ICRC and Red Crescent distributed food, baby milk, blankets and hygiene products in neighbouring districts and villages where people have sought refuge, including Inshaat, Tawzi and Abil. |
| The ICRC said the needs in the three areas were "considerable". | The ICRC said the needs in the three areas were "considerable". |
| The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) meanwhile said between 1,000 and 2,000 Syrians from Homs were trying to reach the border with Lebanon. | The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) meanwhile said between 1,000 and 2,000 Syrians from Homs were trying to reach the border with Lebanon. |
| Diplomatic pressure appeared to be growing on Russia on Monday to drop its support for President Bashar al-Assad. | Diplomatic pressure appeared to be growing on Russia on Monday to drop its support for President Bashar al-Assad. |
| German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said he hoped Moscow would "see that it stands on the wrong side of history" in regard to Syria. | German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said he hoped Moscow would "see that it stands on the wrong side of history" in regard to Syria. |
| Meanwhile, the body of US journalist Marie Colvin is due to be flown back to New York on Tuesday morning. | Meanwhile, the body of US journalist Marie Colvin is due to be flown back to New York on Tuesday morning. |
| Colvin, who worked for the Sunday Times, died in a rocket attack in Baba Amr on 22 February. | Colvin, who worked for the Sunday Times, died in a rocket attack in Baba Amr on 22 February. |
| Her remains, and those of French photographer Remi Ochlik who died in the same attack, arrived in Paris on Sunday after being flown from Damascus. | Her remains, and those of French photographer Remi Ochlik who died in the same attack, arrived in Paris on Sunday after being flown from Damascus. |