Syrian Opposition Claims Dozens Killed in Hama Massacre - East Idaho News
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Syrian Opposition Claims Dozens Killed in Hama Massacre

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GETTY W 053112 SyriaTank?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1339071792849JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images(DAMASCUS, Syria) — Opposition activists in Syria claim that the military has carried out yet another massacre, this time leaving at least 78 people dead.

The opposition says the slayings took place Wednesday in Mazraat al-Qubair, near the central city of Hama.  They say the small village was stormed by pro-government militia armed with guns and knives following a shelling by regime forces.

The Syrian government has denied the account.  Unverified video shows a row of bodies, some charred, but there is no video evidence of the scores that opposition groups say were killed.  

A United Nations spokeswoman tells ABC News the monitors in Syria have not been able to access the site.

Wednesday’s massacre comes after more than 100 civilians were killed late last month in the city of Houla.  Since Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government began its crackdown on dissidents 15 months ago, its estimated that 13,000 people have died.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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