Syrian activists: at least 12 killed in regime shelling

PanARMENIAN.Net - Syrian government troops shelled suburbs of the capital Damascus, killing at least 12 people in a stepped-up regime offensive on rebel areas around the country, activists said Saturday, June 16.

According to the Associated Press, most of the deaths occurred overnight in the restive suburb of Douma.

Activist Mohammed Saeed and the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists on the ground, said that four people were killed in the shelling of Arbeen and Tall suburbs.

There are nearly 300 monitors currently in Syria to follow up on a peace plan brokered by special international envoy Kofi Annan, which now seems to be disintegrating. The regime and the opposition have ignored the cease-fire, which was supposed to go into effect April 12, and the recent escalation is raising questions about how effective the unarmed monitors can be in a conflict that every day looks more like a civil war.

The head of the UN observers, Maj. Gen. Robert Mood, said Friday that a spike in bloodshed is derailing the mission.

"Violence over the past 10 days has been intensifying willingly by the both parties, with losses on both sides and significant risks to our observers," he told reporters in Damascus.