Syrian troops killed nearly 100 people in 2 days

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

BEIRUT (AP) — After killing nearly 100 people in two days, Syrian

troops tightened their siege on the city of Hama Tuesday by taking

up positions near homes and sending residents fleeing for their

lives.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

The escalated crackdown on anti-government protests has already

brought an international outcry and new European Union sanctions on

members of President Bashar Assad’s regime. On Tuesday, Italy

recalled its ambassador to Damascus, citing “horrible repression”

of citizens.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

President Barack Obama called the latest violence “horrifying” and

the top U.S. military officer said Washington wants to pressure the

Syrian regime. But he added there was no immediate prospect of a

Libya-style military intervention.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

“There’s no indication whatsoever that the Americans, that we would

get involved directly with respect to this,” Joint Chiefs chairman

Adm. Mike Mullen said.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Despite the intensified attacks on dissenters, the uprising that

began in March appears to be only gaining momentum, even during the

Muslim holy month of Ramadan that began Monday with daily

dawn-to-dusk fasts.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

The most recent military operations appear aimed at preventing

protests from swelling during Ramadan, when Muslims throng mosques

for special nightly prayers after breaking their fast. The

gatherings could turn into large protests.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

But the opposition appears unbowed so far. Protests erupted Monday

evening across the country, with hundreds turning out in cities

including Homs, Latakia, the Damascus suburbs and the eastern city

of Deir el-Zour.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

There were scattered protests in Hama, but shelling kept most

people inside. Hama has been the target of the recent operation

because it has emerged as an opposition stronghold.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Activists said around 24 people were killed Monday and 74 on

Sunday, most of them in Hama. There were minor discrepancies in

Monday’s death tolls, ranging from 19 to 25. The differences could

not immediately be reconciled.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Hama-based activist Omar Hamawi told The Associated Press that

troops advanced about 700 yards (meters) from the western entrance

of the city overnight, taking up positions near homes and buildings

in an area known as Kazo Square. He said the force consisted of

eight tanks and several armored personnel carriers.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Hamawi, who spoke to the AP by telephone, said troops were also

reinforced on the eastern side of the city around the Hama Central

Prison, an overcrowded jail.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

He said residents there saw smoke billowing from the prison

overnight and heard sporadic gunfire from inside, leading some to

believe the inmates were rioting. He added that it was impossible

to know what was exactly going on in the prison or whether there

were casualties inside the tightly controlled facility.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

The activist also said that parts of Hama were hit Tuesday morning

with heavy machine gun fire after sporadic shelling overnight. He

said a shell hit a compound known as the Palace of Justice in the

city center, causing a huge fire that burned much of the building,

which is home to several courts.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Hama has a history of defiance to the Assad family 40-year dynasty

in Syria.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

In 1982, Assad’s father, Hafez Assad, ordered the military to quell

a rebellion by Syrian members of the conservative Muslim

Brotherhood movement. The city was sealed off and bombs dropped

from above smashed swaths of the city and killed between 10,000 and

25,000 people, rights groups say.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

About 1,700 civilians have been killed since the largely peaceful

protests against Assad’s regime began, according to tallies by

activists.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

The regime disputes the toll and blames a foreign conspiracy for

the unrest, saying gangs and religious extremists – not true

reform-seekers – are behind it. State-run TV aired video footage

Tuesday purportedly filmed in Hama showing men carrying rifles in

the streets of the city – an attempt to bolster their claims that

thugs are driving the violence.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Syria has banned independent media coverage and has prevented most

foreign journalists from entering the country, making it difficult

to verify events on the ground.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

—

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

AP writer Rebecca Santana in Baghdad contributed to this

report.

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

—-

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;”>

Bassem Mroue can be reached 

“text-decoration: none; color: #000066;” href=

“-blank”>http://twitter.com/bmroue

“font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; line-height: 13px; color: #000000; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial;”>

“text-decoration: none; color: #000066;” rel=”item-license” name=

redistributed. Learn more about our

“text-decoration: none; color: #000066;” href=

Policy and 

href=”http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/terms”>Terms of Use.