Assad’s Forces Raid on Village Leaves Dozens Dead

Syrian opposition reported that Assad’s security forces and loyal militia groups have laid waste to the coastal village of al-Baida on Thursday, leaving about 50 to 100 people dead, including women and child.

While there are conflicting reports about the incident, there were indications that the raid was a response to an attack on a busload of ‘Shabiha’, pro-Assad fighters, by rebels a few hour earlier, which led to the death of at least six people and dozens injured.

According to government-run SANA news agency, Assad’s forces killed “terrorists” (a term his regime used to describe the rebels) and seized arms.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the death toll would likely increase beyond 100, as most of the victims appeared have been “summarily executed” by either shots or stabbings.

Earlier in the day at a news conference, US defence secretary, Chuck Hagel and his British counterpart, Philip Hammond, were responding to reporters’ questions about the possibility of the US government arming the rebels.

Hagel replied in the affirmative, but added that he is in favour of exploring options and seeing what is the best option in coordination with his government’s international partners.

This incident comes at a time when Syrian mediator, Lakhdar Brahimi, has considered resigning from the U.N.-Arab League role over his frustration of being in a situation in which no further progress has been reached to end Syria’s two-year civil war that has caused the deaths of thousands.

According to diplomats speaking on the condition of anonymity, Brahimi felt that the decision to recognize Syria’s opposition by the Arab league is one-sided and can belittle his neutrality.

At the moment, UN chief Ban Ki-Moon and ambassadors from the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France held a meeting on Thursday to deal with the Syrian situation in light of a possible resignation from Brahimi.