Assad says troops 'preserving Syria'

DAMASCUS, Syria - President Bashar al-Assad praised troops for "foiling the enemies" of Syria, state news agency SANA said on Monday, a day after security forces reportedly killed nearly 80 people in a crackdown on protests.

A total of 79 Syrians were said to have been killed in several cities in clashes with security forces on Sunday, while the Cabinet ratified a draft law to give a greater say in various fields to local governments and the public.

Abdul-Karim al-Rihawi, head of the Syrian League for Human Rights, said 62 civilians were killed by security forces in Hama, which was raided by the army on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera TV, citing witnesses and activists, said the Syrian army backed by tanks stormed Hama from four sides with heavy gunfire after a nearly one-month-long siege. Al-Rihawi also said 12 people were killed in the northeastern province of Deir al-Zour, and another civilian in al-Bukamal city, which is close to Deir al-Zour.

Another four civilians were killed in the southern province of Daraa, the epicenter of anti-government protests, according to Al-Rihawi.

"The Syrian government seems to resort to an armed handling of the crisis instead of a political one," said al-Rihawi.

The report, however, could not be independently verified as there was no official information on civilian casualties.

Assad said he was ultimately confident that Syria would undermine "this new chapter of conspiracy", which he said aimed at "dividing the country as a prelude for dividing the entire region to conflicting states".

In a speech marking the 66th anniversary of the Syrian army's formation, SANA cited the embattled leader as saying that the military "proved its loyalty to its people, country and creed.

"Its efforts and sacrifices will be admired ... these sacrifices succeeded in foiling the enemies of the country and ending sedition, preserving Syria."

The comments of Assad came as Germany and Italy called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council following the reports from human rights activists.

Britain wants stronger international pressure on Syria, including from Arab nations, over its crackdown on protesters, but has ruled out military intervention, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Monday.

"We do want to see additional sanctions ... we want to see stronger international pressure all round. Of course, to be effective, that can't just be pressure from Western nations, that includes from Arab nations, it includes from Turkey," Hague told the BBC in an interview.

The pre-Ramadan crackdown, which one activist called "one of the deadliest days" since Syrian protests erupted in mid-March, was condemned by US President Barack Obama and European leaders.

In the speech, which SANA republished in English from the People's Army magazine, Assad saluted the armed forces, calling them a "model of commitment to the nation's causes and a defender of its rights".

"Syria is used to creating victories and defeating the enemies ... it knows how to do it to add new victories and leave warmongers and blood merchants to taste the bitterness of defeat and disappointment," he was quoted as saying.

AFP-Xinhua-Reuters

(China Daily 08/02/2011 page12)