EGYPT: Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby says Syria's military has withdrawn from residential areas and is on the outskirts of the country's cities

Record ID: 280123

  • Title: EGYPT: Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby says Syria's military has withdrawn from residential areas and is on the outskirts of the country's cities
  • Date: 3rd January 2012
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (JANUARY 2, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF ARAB LEAGUE HEADQUARTERS ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL NABIL ELARABY TAKING SEAT FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL NABIL ELARABY, SAYING: "So far, the Arab League has more than 70 observers and we will increase that number by 30 more within days. So there will then be mor
  • Embargoed: 18th January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt, Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3ZF11HCXNBN59SGN99RHO16Y4
  • Story Text: Syria's military has withdrawn from residential areas and is on the outskirts of the country's cities, but gunfire continues and snipers are still a threat, Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby said on Monday (January 2).
    "All signs of armed forces have been withdrawn from the cities. All signs of armed forces have been withdrawn from the cities. Tanks, artillery, anything that was present have been withdrawn and is now outside of the cities and the residential neighbourhoods, especially in Homs."
    Elaraby was speaking in Cairo a week after Arab League monitors arrived in Syria to check compliance with a peace plan which calls for Assad to withdraw troops and tanks from the streets, release detainees and talk to his opponents. Many Syrian opposition activists are sceptical that the mission can put real pressure on Assad to halt the violence.
    Elaraby said the League would report on the monitors' first week of work and decide if more were needed. He said 70 monitors were currently working in six cities, and 30 others would arrive soon.
    The United Nations says more than 5,000 people have been killed in a crackdown on protests which broke out against President Bashar al-Assad in March. Syrian authorities say armed groups have killed 2,000 security forces personnel.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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