Death toll tops 400 as rebels clash with Syrian government forces
At least 446 people, including 44 civilians, have been killed since Syrian rebels launched their shock offensive last week, according to The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based monitoring group.
The Observatory which relies on a network of on-the-ground information sources, said five children and three women were among the civilians killed by bombardment and airstrikes.
U.S. and others urge de-escalation ‘by all parties’ in Syria
The U.S. and other Western governments said yesterday that they were “closely monitoring developments in Syria and urge de-escalation by all parties and the protection of civilians and infrastructure to prevent further displacement and disruption of humanitarian access.”
“The current escalation only underscores the urgent need for a Syrian-led political solution to the conflict,” the U.S., French, German and British governments said in a statement.