Arabs suspend observer mission, Syria deaths spike

DAMASCUS: The Arab League suspended its controversial observer mission in Syria on Saturday as the bloodshed in a crackdown on anti-regime protests spiked with the death toll nearing 200 in four days.The announcement came as umbrella opposition group the Syrian National Council said its leader would travel to New York to press the UN Security Council for protection from President Bashar al-Assad s regime.SNC chief Burhan Ghaliun s trip comes amid a new bid by Arab and European states for UN action over the more than 10-month-old deadly crackdown on dissent that has hit immediate opposition from staunch Syria ally Russia.It also comes as Gulf states and Turkey called in Istanbul for global efforts to focus on bringing the bloodshed to an 'immediate end' and paving the way for the initiation of a political transition.Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi said 'the decision to suspend the observer mission was taken after a series of consultations with Arab foreign ministers because of the upsurge of violence whose victims are innocent civilians.'He said it also came 'after the Syrian government chose the option of escalation, which increased the number of victims.'The 165 League observers were deployed on December 26 after Syria agreed to a League plan foreseeing a halt to the violence, prisoners freed, tanks withdrawn from built-up areas and free movement of observers and foreign media.The head of the monitoring mission, General Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, said unrest has soared 'in a significant way,' especially in the flashpoint central cities of Homs and Hama and in the northern Idlib region.According to a tally by AFP taken from reports by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and official Syrian media, 193 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since Tuesday.That compares with the figure of more than 5,400 given by the United Nations last month since anti-regime protests erupted in mid-March.The SNC, meanwhile, has 'decided to head to the Security Council tomorrow, led by Burhan Ghaliun, to present the Syrian case... and demand protection,' executive committee member Samir Neshar told an Istanbul news conference.He spoke after Gulf states and Turkey, which have led regional condemnation of Damascus, called on Assad to accept an Arab League proposal for him to step down and turn over power to his deputy before formation of a unity government.Syria has categorically rejected the proposal.'We hope Syria seriously evaluates the decisions of the Arab League, puts an end to repression against its people and start a reform process in line with the demands of the people,' Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.On Saturday, deadly clashes and an ambush on a bus transporting soldiers claimed at least 15 lives, according to activists and state media.In the restive central town of Rastan in Homs province, 'a large number of soldiers in the countless checkpoints inside the city deserted and turned their arms on the regime s soldiers,' according to a local activist.Damascus does not recognise the scale of the protest movement, insisting instead that it is fighting 'terrorist groups' seeking to sow chaos as part of a foreign-hatched conspiracy.As the violence rages, wrangling continues over the wording of a draft Security Council resolution its supporters want put to the vote in the next week.Russia made clear that the Arab and European draft formally submitted by Morocco on Friday crossed 'our red lines.'A previous European draft that would have threatened 'targeted measures' against Assad s regime was vetoed by Beijing and Moscow in October.Backers of the new resolution hope that critics -- who also include India and South Africa -- will be swayed by the tough new stance of the Arab League.The new text 'fully supports' the Arab League plan and 'encourages' all states to follow sanctions adopted by the pan-Arab bloc last November, but contains no mandatory action.Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said the wording crossed 'our red lines, where we cannot go.'He said Moscow opposed any hint of sanctions, arms embargo or 'regime change' and accused the Arab League of seeking to 'impose' a solution. (AFP)