27 Syrians killed in unabated violence

Beijing Bulletin Wednesday 22nd February, 2012

BEIRUT - At least 27 civilians were shot dead by Syrian security forces after a midnight village raid in a northern province, activists said Wednesday.

"Military forces chased civilians in villages, arrested them and killed them without hesitation. They concentrated on male youths and whoever did not manage to escape was to be killed," the Syrian Network for Human Rights said in a statement.

It said the carnage took place in the villages of Idita, Iblin and Balshon in Idlib province near the border with Turkey.

The men were mostly shot in the head or chest on Tuesday in their homes or in streets, the human rights groups said.

YouTube videos, which couldn't be authenticated independently, showed bullet-ridden bodies of young men lying on streets and in Syrian houses. The video are said to have been taken by local activists in Idlib.

"Responsibility for this massacre lies with the general commander of the military and armed forces, Bashar Assad," the human rights statement said.

The upsurge in Syrian violence comes amid indications that the United States was mulling to arm Syria's opposition, saying if a political solution to the crisis was impossible it might have to consider other options.

"We still believe that a political solution is what's needed in Syria. We don't want to take actions that would contribute to the further militarisation of Syria, because that could take the country down a dangerous path. But we don't rule out additional measures," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.