Syrian forces renew bombardment in Homs

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian forces fired mortars and rockets Thursday in the rebellious city of Homs, the latest salvo in a weeklong assault that has killed hundreds as President Bashar Assad's regime tries to crush increasingly militarized pockets of dissent.

As the violence grinds on, the international community is searching for new diplomatic approaches to stop the protracted bloodshed in Syria.

A senior Arab League official said Thursday that the Cairo-based organization will discuss at a meeting next week whether to recognize the opposition Syrian National Council as the legitimate representative of Syria and whether to allow it to open offices in Arab capitals.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no decision has been made on the issue. Foreign ministers from the 22-member Arab league are scheduled to meet in Cairo on Sunday.

Homs, Syria's third-largest city, has become the focus of both resistance and reprisal in the 11-month uprising as many areas have fallen under the control of increasingly bold army defectors who want to bring down the regime by force.

In the latest operation, which began Saturday, government forces have unleashed a relentless offensive against Homs, shelling residential areas as they try to root out any resistance and retake control of the city of 1 million people.

Hundreds are believed to have been killed in the heaviest bombardment the city has seen since the country's uprising began in March, activists said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 20 people were killed Thursday, but an exact death toll couldn't be determined because of the chaos in the city.

Also Thursday, Germany expelled four Syrian diplomats following the arrest earlier this week of two men accused of spying on Syrian opposition groups in the country.

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said he ordered the expulsions of the four Syrian Embassy employees and the ambassador had been informed. He did not give details on the diplomats.

German federal prosecutors said Tuesday they had arrested a Syrian and a German-Lebanese dual national on suspicion that they spied on Syrian opposition supporters in Germany over several years.

The uprising began with mostly peaceful protests, but it has transformed into an armed insurgency against Assad in many areas.
Source:Yahoo