Violent crackdown continues in Syria

Syrian forces killed at least 15 civilians in the central town of Rastan today, activists said, in the latest military assault to try and quell a revolt against the 11-year rule of President Bashar al-Assad.
Rastan has been a town under siege for the last 4 days now with heavy artillery being used to crush dissent.
60 thousand people live in this area and since Sunday 52 have killed and 200 hundred arrested.

On Thursday alone more than a dozen protesters were killed by gunfire from snipers.

Anne-Marie Slaughter from Princeton University told CNN that the violent crackdown has not deterred the protesters.


As the military assault continues opposition groups have been forced to meet in Turkey.

On Wednesday the Syrian government freed hundreds of political prisoners in an amnesty and the president set up a committee for national dialogue in an effort to end the 10-week uprising.

But despite these moves the violence and attacks continue.

According to human rights groups the death toll from military onslaughts has killed more than 1,100 people. Listen