Annan Demands End To Bloodshed In Syria

Emma Hurd, Middle East correspondent
UN and Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan has described the
escalation in the violence in Syria as "unacceptable" and called for
the government to abide by its promises to halt the violence.
An agreed April 10 deadline for a ceasefire has been thrown into fresh
doubt after the regime demanded "written guarantees" that the rebels
would halt their attacks ahead of any withdrawal of government troops.
The Syrian foreign ministry said Mr Annan had failed to provide
written agreements for the "armed terrorist groups to stop the
violence in all its forms".
The commander of the Free Syrian Army, Colonel Riad al Assad,
responded by saying his group would not provide guarantees in writing
as the group does not recognise the government of President Bashar al
Assad.
Col al Assad said if the regime withdraws its forces his fighters will
comply with the ceasefire.
The Syrian government had agreed to withdraw its forces from populated
areas by Tuesday under a six-point peace plan brokered by Mr Annan.
The rebel fighters were meant to abide by the ceasefire within 48
hours of the withdrawal.
Syria's implementation of the deal had already been in doubt after a
sharp increase in the violence in several towns and cities which has
left more than 100 dead in the past 24 hours.
"I am shocked by the recent reports of a surge in the violence and
atrocities in several towns and villages resulting in an alarming
level of casualties," Mr Annan said in a statement.
Pope Benedict used his Easter Sunday message in Rome to appeal to the
Syrian regime to end the violence.
"May there be an end to bloodshed and an immediate commitment to the
path of respect, dialogue and reconciliation, as called for by the
international community," he said.
Syrian activists say scores of civilians have been killed in assaults
by government forces in Idlib province, close to the border with
Turkey. Shelling has also continued in the cities of Homs and Hama.
Residents in the town of Latamna, in the province of Hama, claimed 40
civilians had died in what they described as a "massacre".
They said government forces had bombarded the town with artillery and gunfire.
Videos posted online showed rows of bodies, shrouded in white cloth,
lined up for burial.
Another video, said to have been filmed in Homs, showed the bloodied
corpses of at least a dozen young men who activists said had been
executed.
Some appeared to have their hands bound.
Syrian activists claim the deal is another ruse by Mr Assad, who has
flouted previous agreements to halt the violence that has claimed at
least 9,000 lives over the past year.
Western nations are also sceptical about the regime's intentions.
The UN Security Council has endorsed a statement that includes the
possibility of "further measures" being considered if the government
does not implement the ceasefire.
But Russia and China have refused to back any punitive action -
including sanctions - against the Syrian regime.
At least 2,800 Syrians have fled across the border into Turkey in the
past few days, swelling the number of refugees living the camps to
24,000.
The UN's refugee agency says it is ready to offer assistance to the
Turkish government to deal with the influx.