Top stories from DAWNS Digest.
Arab League wants Blue Helmets in Syria
I would imagine that the Security Council will respond to this request with a resounding “no,” but it is still significant that the Arab League is now actively calling for foreign military intervention in Syria.“The Arab League asked the United Nations Security Council on Sunday to send a peacekeeping mission to Syria, and called on Arab nations to sever diplomatic relations with the country in an effort to pressure it to end the violence there…At a meeting of the Arab League’s foreign ministers in Cairo, after the League’s own observer mission to Syria failed to end the bloodshed last month, the organization adopted a resolution asking the Security Council to authorize a joint Arab-United Nations force to “supervise the execution of a cease-fire.” The resolution also called on Arab League members to “halt all forms of diplomatic cooperation” with representatives of the Syrian government. As it has before, the League also called for Syrian military forces to withdraw from the cities, and an immediate end to the killing of Syrian civilians.” (NYT http://nyti.ms/Al8zXu)
Syria Update: The Siege of Homs continues for a 10th straight day: “Tank fire hit two neighborhoods at the vanguard of opposition to Mr. Assad, Reuters reported, quoting activists seeking the Syrian leader’s downfall. Opposition campaigners said at least 23 people were killed on Sunday, triggering protests in many parts of Syria as a gesture of support for activists in Homs.” (NYT http://nyti.ms/xhfoY8)