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| Syrian government forces shell rebel positions around Damascus | Syrian government forces shell rebel positions around Damascus |
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| Syrian warplanes bombed rebel-controlled suburbs east of Damascus on Saturday as the Syrian army fired rockets and shells at towns around the capital. | Syrian warplanes bombed rebel-controlled suburbs east of Damascus on Saturday as the Syrian army fired rockets and shells at towns around the capital. |
| The government continued to try to dislodge rebels around Damascus who have increased their presence in the city in recent months, according to Reuters. | The government continued to try to dislodge rebels around Damascus who have increased their presence in the city in recent months, according to Reuters. |
| Jets bombarded the Beit Sahm district near the international airport and the army fired rockets at several rebel strongholds around Damascus as Nato began sending 1,200 troops to Turkey to staff and protect anti-missile batteries. | Jets bombarded the Beit Sahm district near the international airport and the army fired rockets at several rebel strongholds around Damascus as Nato began sending 1,200 troops to Turkey to staff and protect anti-missile batteries. |
| US Admiral James Stavridis, Nato's European commander, justified the dispatch of Patriot missile batteries to Turkey by saying that the Syrian government had fired Scud missiles at rebels which had landed close to the Turkish border. | US Admiral James Stavridis, Nato's European commander, justified the dispatch of Patriot missile batteries to Turkey by saying that the Syrian government had fired Scud missiles at rebels which had landed close to the Turkish border. |
| "Syria is clearly a chaotic and dangerous situation, but we have an absolute obligation to defend the borders of the alliance from any threat emanating from that troubled state," he wrote on a US military blog. | "Syria is clearly a chaotic and dangerous situation, but we have an absolute obligation to defend the borders of the alliance from any threat emanating from that troubled state," he wrote on a US military blog. |
| Almost two years of fighting have caused food shortages throughout Syria with reports of long queues for bread in cities such as Aleppo and Damascus. | Almost two years of fighting have caused food shortages throughout Syria with reports of long queues for bread in cities such as Aleppo and Damascus. |
| Walid al-Moallem, the Syrian foreign minister, blamed the suffering of his country's people on US and European sanctions as he met the head of the United Nations humanitarian organisation, Valerie Amos, in Damascus on Saturday to discuss the needs of Syrians after 21 months of conflict. | Walid al-Moallem, the Syrian foreign minister, blamed the suffering of his country's people on US and European sanctions as he met the head of the United Nations humanitarian organisation, Valerie Amos, in Damascus on Saturday to discuss the needs of Syrians after 21 months of conflict. |
| "The sanctions imposed by the United States and countries of the European Union on Syria are responsible for the suffering of the Syrian people," Moallem said. | "The sanctions imposed by the United States and countries of the European Union on Syria are responsible for the suffering of the Syrian people," Moallem said. |
| Stavridis accused government forces on Friday of firing the Scud missiles. The Syrian government denies firing the long-range, Soviet-built rockets. However, Stavridis wrote that a handful of Scud missiles were launched inside Syria in recent days towards opposition targets and "several landed fairly close to the Turkish border, which is very worrisome". | Stavridis accused government forces on Friday of firing the Scud missiles. The Syrian government denies firing the long-range, Soviet-built rockets. However, Stavridis wrote that a handful of Scud missiles were launched inside Syria in recent days towards opposition targets and "several landed fairly close to the Turkish border, which is very worrisome". |
| Turkey, a Nato member once friendly toward the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, but now among the main allies of the rebels, has complained for months of occasional artillery and gunfire across the border, some of which has caused deaths. It sought the installation of missile defences along its frontier some weeks ago. | Turkey, a Nato member once friendly toward the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, but now among the main allies of the rebels, has complained for months of occasional artillery and gunfire across the border, some of which has caused deaths. It sought the installation of missile defences along its frontier some weeks ago. |
| Batteries of US-made Patriot missiles, designed to shoot down the likes of the Scuds used in the 1991 Gulf war against Saddam Hussein's Iraq, are about to be deployed by the US, German and Dutch armies, each of which is sending up to 400 troops to operate and protect the rocket systems. | Batteries of US-made Patriot missiles, designed to shoot down the likes of the Scuds used in the 1991 Gulf war against Saddam Hussein's Iraq, are about to be deployed by the US, German and Dutch armies, each of which is sending up to 400 troops to operate and protect the rocket systems. |
| Damascus has accused western powers of backing what it portrays as a Sunni Islamist "terrorist" campaign against it and says Washington and Europe have aired concerns that Assad's forces might resort to chemical weapons solely as a pretext for preparing a possible military intervention. | Damascus has accused western powers of backing what it portrays as a Sunni Islamist "terrorist" campaign against it and says Washington and Europe have aired concerns that Assad's forces might resort to chemical weapons solely as a pretext for preparing a possible military intervention. |
| In contrast to Nato's air campaign in support of Libya's successful revolt last year against Muammar Gaddafi, western powers have held back from intervention in Syria. | In contrast to Nato's air campaign in support of Libya's successful revolt last year against Muammar Gaddafi, western powers have held back from intervention in Syria. |
| They have cited the greater size and ethnic and religious complexity of a major Arab state at the heart of the Middle East – but have also lacked UN approval due to Russia's support for Assad. | They have cited the greater size and ethnic and religious complexity of a major Arab state at the heart of the Middle East – but have also lacked UN approval due to Russia's support for Assad. |
| As well as the growing rebel challenge, Syria faces an alliance of Arab and western powers who stepped up diplomatic support for the rebels at a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday and warned Assad he could not win Syria's civil war. | As well as the growing rebel challenge, Syria faces an alliance of Arab and western powers who stepped up diplomatic support for the rebels at a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday and warned Assad he could not win Syria's civil war. |
| The president's opponents have consistently underestimated his tenacity throughout the uprising, but their warnings appeared to be echoed by even his staunch ally Moscow when the Kremlin's Middle East envoy Mikhail Bogdanov conceded he might be ousted. | The president's opponents have consistently underestimated his tenacity throughout the uprising, but their warnings appeared to be echoed by even his staunch ally Moscow when the Kremlin's Middle East envoy Mikhail Bogdanov conceded he might be ousted. |
| Russia said on Friday that Bogdanov's comments did not reflect a change in policy. France, one of the first countries to grant formal recognition to Syria's political opposition, said Moscow's continued support for Assad was perplexing. | Russia said on Friday that Bogdanov's comments did not reflect a change in policy. France, one of the first countries to grant formal recognition to Syria's political opposition, said Moscow's continued support for Assad was perplexing. |
| "They risk really being on the wrong side of history. We don't see their objective reasoning that justifies them keeping this position because even the credible arguments they had don't stand up any more," a French diplomatic source said, arguing that by remaining in power Assad was prolonging chaos and fuelling the radicalisation of Sunni Islamist rebels. | "They risk really being on the wrong side of history. We don't see their objective reasoning that justifies them keeping this position because even the credible arguments they had don't stand up any more," a French diplomatic source said, arguing that by remaining in power Assad was prolonging chaos and fuelling the radicalisation of Sunni Islamist rebels. |
| European Union leaders who met in Brussels on Friday said all options were on the table to support the Syrian opposition, raising the possibility that non-lethal military equipment or even arms could eventually be supplied. | European Union leaders who met in Brussels on Friday said all options were on the table to support the Syrian opposition, raising the possibility that non-lethal military equipment or even arms could eventually be supplied. |
| In their strongest statement of support for the Syrian opposition since the uprising began, EU leaders instructed their foreign ministers to assess all possibilities to increase the pressure on Assad. | In their strongest statement of support for the Syrian opposition since the uprising began, EU leaders instructed their foreign ministers to assess all possibilities to increase the pressure on Assad. |
| With rebels edging into the capital, a senior Nato official said Assad was likely to fall and the western military alliance should make plans to protect against the threat of his chemical arsenal falling into the wrong hands. | With rebels edging into the capital, a senior Nato official said Assad was likely to fall and the western military alliance should make plans to protect against the threat of his chemical arsenal falling into the wrong hands. |
| Desperate food shortages are growing in parts of Syria and residents of the northern city of Aleppo say fist fights and dashes across the frontlines have become part of the daily struggle to secure a loaf of bread. | Desperate food shortages are growing in parts of Syria and residents of the northern city of Aleppo say fist fights and dashes across the frontlines have become part of the daily struggle to secure a loaf of bread. |
| Moualem told Amos that sanctions should be lifted. | Moualem told Amos that sanctions should be lifted. |
| The foreign minister also called on the UN to expand its relief efforts in Syria to include reconstruction "of what has been destroyed by the armed terrorist groups", the state news agency SANA said, using a label employed by authorities to describe the rebels. | The foreign minister also called on the UN to expand its relief efforts in Syria to include reconstruction "of what has been destroyed by the armed terrorist groups", the state news agency SANA said, using a label employed by authorities to describe the rebels. |
| Amos said in Rome on Friday that the UN was committed to maintaining aid operations in Syria. | Amos said in Rome on Friday that the UN was committed to maintaining aid operations in Syria. |
| The World Food Programme says as many as a million Syrians may go hungry this winter, as worsening security conditions make it harder to reach conflict zones. | The World Food Programme says as many as a million Syrians may go hungry this winter, as worsening security conditions make it harder to reach conflict zones. |
| At the EU summit, the British prime minister, David Cameron, pushed for an early review of the arms embargo against Syria to possibly open the way to supply equipment to rebels in the coming months. | At the EU summit, the British prime minister, David Cameron, pushed for an early review of the arms embargo against Syria to possibly open the way to supply equipment to rebels in the coming months. |
| Germany and others were more reluctant and blocked any quick move. But there was widespread agreement that whatever action can be taken under current legislation should be pursued, and the arms embargo would still be reviewed at a later stage. | Germany and others were more reluctant and blocked any quick move. But there was widespread agreement that whatever action can be taken under current legislation should be pursued, and the arms embargo would still be reviewed at a later stage. |
| "I want a very clear message to go to President Assad that nothing is off the table," Cameron said. "I want us to work with the opposition … so that we can see the speediest possible transition in Syria. | "I want a very clear message to go to President Assad that nothing is off the table," Cameron said. "I want us to work with the opposition … so that we can see the speediest possible transition in Syria. |
| "There is no single simple answer, but inaction and indifference are not options." | "There is no single simple answer, but inaction and indifference are not options." |
| Forty thousand people have now been killed in the most protracted and destructive of the Arab popular revolts. The Assad government severely limits press and humanitarian access to the country. | Forty thousand people have now been killed in the most protracted and destructive of the Arab popular revolts. The Assad government severely limits press and humanitarian access to the country. |
| Among factors holding western powers back from arming the rebels is the presence in their ranks of anti-western Islamist radicals. After the US decided this week to blacklist one such group, Jabhat al-Nusra, as "terrorist", thousands of Syrians demonstrated on Friday against ostracising it. | Among factors holding western powers back from arming the rebels is the presence in their ranks of anti-western Islamist radicals. After the US decided this week to blacklist one such group, Jabhat al-Nusra, as "terrorist", thousands of Syrians demonstrated on Friday against ostracising it. |
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