Deadly Ambush, Protests Challenge Syrian Leaders’ New Power
Regime forces brutally crushed a rally in the ancient city of Mari, killing more than 70 people, despite international condemnation, as the international community struggles to respond to President Bashar al-Assad’s new dominance. The gruesome incident has put the spotlight back on the Middle East, leaving the international community in a tumultuous state over how to take action.
Eyewitnesses of the ambush that took place Sunday in Mari city, which straddles two of Syria’s most rebellious provinces, estimated that more than 70 victims were left by the roadside by the time assistance arrived. Scores more were listed as missing in the chaos which ensued. Despite the brutality that unfolded, thousands of protesters demonstrated in cities along the Turkish frontier, calling upon the international body to intervene forthwith.
Concurrently, regional leaders have vowed to bolster defenses, with United Arab Emirates affirming it could deploy troops amid a heightened unease. Iraq’s Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, revealed that his defense minister would venture to Damascus ‘in the earliest possible time, to engage dialogue with the pertinent authorities.’
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who denounced the Mari massacres as ‘horrifying and unacceptable incidents,’ has cautioned that any efforts to resolve Syria’s conflict demanded ‘imposing a comprehensive UN resolution’ immediately. The head of the Association of Southeastern Asian Nations and the Organization for Islamic Cooperation will also meet ahead of the session to deliberate action.
The escalating violence has now left more Syrians displaced, approximately 4,000 of who are seeking emergency assistance at Syria’s borders to Turkey. There is a serious concern that fresh bloodshed shall further exacerbate the humanitarian toll.