Ceasefire monitors arrive in Syria

An advance team of six unarmed monitors has arrived in the Syrian capital. Two dozen more observers are expected in the coming days.

Their mission is to over see an unconvincing ceasefire which is being threatened daily by reports of violence and shelling.

They are in Damascus as part of the peace plan backed by the UN and the Arab League.

But with opposition activists claiming more deaths from government mortar fire, the UN’s Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned the government that the world is watching.

“The Syrian government has been shelling the city of Homs. And as well, we have seen already some casualties, populations killed. I urge again in the strongest possible terms that this cessation of violence must be kept,” said the UN chief.

Syria blames the violence on what it says are terrorists seeking to topple President Bashar al Assad. It has denied journalists access making it impossible to verify reports.
The latest footage is said to come from Homs where activists say six people died over the weekend.

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