Deadliest Attack in Syrian Uprising - East Idaho News
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Deadliest Attack in Syrian Uprising

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GETTY W 042911 SyrianFlag?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1338062818818Stockbyte/Thinkstock(HAOULA, Syria) — More than 90 people have been reported dead in what is being called one of the bloodiest events in the Syrian uprising.

The UN chief monitor, Major General Robert Mood, confirmed the reports of a deadly government crackdown in the town of Haoula on Friday afternoon. The assault started after an anti-regime demonstration which began with artillery shelling. Many more were killed after the town was stormed by “shabiha,” who are known as pro-regime thugs. It is unknown how many people were injured in this assault.

The Syrian uprising started in January of 2011, and the protestors want an end to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Since the spring of 2011, the Syrian Army has been used to quell these uprisings.

In a statement published on Saturday, the United Nations Secretary-General and the Joint Special Envoy for Syria condemn the violent crackdown in Syria. “The Secretary-General and the Joint Special Envoy demand that the Government of Syria immediately cease the use of heavy weapons in population centres. They reiterate that all violence in all its forms in Syria must cease.”

In his own statement, William Hague, the Foreign Secretary of Britain said, “There are credible and horrific reports that a large number of civilians have been massacred at the hands of Syrian forces in the town of Houla, including children. Our urgent priority is to establish a full account of this appalling crime and to move swiftly to ensure that those responsible are identified and held to account.”

The BBC reported that at least 30 of those killed in this attack were children under the age of 10.

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