Syria: Revolt 'over,' but violence continues

Syria says the yearlong revolt to topple President Bashar al-Assad is now over, but it will keep its forces in cities to "maintain security" until it is safe to withdraw in keeping with a UN-backed peace deal.

The agreement proposed by United Nations-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan says the Syrian authorities must be first to withdraw troops and stop violence immediately.

The army kept up an offensive against opposition strongholds on Saturday, pummelling the Khalidiya district of Homs city.

Read more: Ottawa Citizen

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Arab states back Syria peace plan

Arab League leaders have called for the immediate implementation of a joint plan with the UN to end a year of violence in Syria.

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has accepted the plan, state media report, but says "terrorism" must stop as well.

Earlier, Iraq's PM Nouri al-Maliki warned that arming either side in Syria would lead to a "proxy war".

Read more: BBC News

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Syria accepts UN peace plan

Syria has accepted a UN-sponsored peace plan, international envoy Kofi Annan said, even as troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad raided rebel forces who have taken refuge in Lebanon.

Annan represents the UN and the Arab League. His spokesman said Assad had accepted the basic terms of a peace plan, which calls for national dialogue but does not hinge on him leaving office. 

Western and Arab leaders are due to meet in Istanbul on Apr 1 to discuss a political transition, and the Arab League and Turkey were pressing various wings of the Syrian opposition to try to unite. 

Read more: Irish Examiner 

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Assad offers reform timetable, won't quit

[ via news ] 10 Jan

SYRIAN President Bashar al-Assad has firmed up a timetable for promised reform in the face of 10 months of anti-regime protests, but vowed to crush "terrorism" with an iron fist.

Assad's rare public address today, lasting nearly two hours, came as the UN Security Council prepared to discuss the crisis amid opposition criticism of the failure of a hard-won Arab League observer mission to end the bloodshed.

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