AFP, Beirut, 1 March 2012  – The Syrian opposition urged world powers on Thursday to intervene to stop a ‘potential massacre’ after forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad seized control of Homs’ rebel Baba Amr district.
‘We urge the international community, Muslim and Arab states to intervene immediately to prevent a potential massacre in the coming hours against tens of thousands of children, women and elderly people,’ the Syrian National Council (SNC) said.
The exile alliance of several opposition groups urged the international community ‘to pressure the criminal regime’ to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross ‘to enter and evacuate casualties and provide immediate humanitarian corridors to bring in medical and food supplies.’
The SNC charged the Fourth Armoured Division, led by Assad’s younger brother, Maher, of conducting ‘barbaric operations against civilians,’ after it moved into Baba Amr, forcing rebels to pull out ‘tactically’ on the 27th straight day of bombardment.
The opposition also urged Syrians across the country, ‘mainly Damascus and Aleppo, to use all civil peaceful resistance means to ease pressure on Baba Amr.’
It paid tribute to the fighters of the Free Syrian Army, which is mostly made up of deserters, ‘who put up a heroic resistance against the Assad gangs.’
At least 17 civilians were killed Thursday in the battle for control of Baba Amr, according to monitors and activists.