Syria: Assad To Allow Aid Into Besieged City - Sky News

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6:30pm UK, Thursday March 01, 2012

The Red Cross has been granted permission to evacuate those in need from the besieged Syrian city of Homs and to take food and medical supplies in.

Sean Maguire, spokesman of the International Committee of the Red Cross told Sky News that aid workers would go into the suburb of Baba Amr, which has suffered a month of bombardment by government forces.

He also said that while there tomorrow, it may be possible to recover the bodies of fallen western journalists Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik.

Speaking after claims that Baba Amr - a rebel stronghold - has been taken by the Assad regime, Mr Maguire said the Red Cross has no idea of how many wounded may be in the area or how many might need to be brought out.

Intense fighting in the region has led to the closure of the UK's embassy in Syria.

Fears among diplomats were heightened after a senior Assad regime official was quoted as saying the Baba Amr area of the city of Homs would be "cleansed".

And after resisting attempts by the Syrian army to flush them out of Baba Amr, rebel fighters now reportedly say they are withdrawing for "tactical reasons" and a lack of arms needed to resist the shelling.

I think the message is clear - that the killing and violence must stop, humanitarian agencies must be given access to do their work.

Kofi Annan, international mediator for Syria

The Syrian army confirmed it had taken control of the area, with a security official telling AFP: "The Syrian army controls all of Baba Amr. The last pockets of resistance have fallen."

Some residents fear a revenge operation is forcing people to flee and one said: "We have fear of a revenge operation being done by Assad forces on civilians that were supporting (the rebel Free Syrian Army) so a lot of residents have tried to flee Baba Amr with FSA."

Britain's diplomatic staff have been withdrawn from Syria and the embassy in Damascus shut on security grounds.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said ambassador Simon Collis and his staff left Syria on Wednesday because the "deterioration in the security situation" had put their safety at risk.

He also urged those fighting for President Bashar al Assad's regime to lay down their arms, adding that the decision to withdraw embassy staff "in no way reduces the UK's commitment to active diplomacy to maintain pressure on the Assad regime to end the violence".

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: "There is a choice for those who have taken up arms against innocent civilians. Give up your weapons and we will support you in building a freer Syria, or face the pressure of international opinion."

She added that Prime Minister David Cameron was due to raise the issue of Syria with EU partners at the European Council summit.

Meanwhile, Kofi Annan, former UN secretary general and new international mediator for Syria, said he hoped to be in Damascus "fairly soon" with a "clear" message that the killing must stop.

Mr Annan made the comments amid reports of a major ground offensive by elite Syrian army troops under way in Homs.

Western broadcasters are restricted in their coverage of the Syrian crisis.

It means reports from inside the country are difficult to verify, but several news agencies say government troops have massed around Homs to wipe out the opposition activists who remain there.

Mr Annan made his first public comments on his bid to halt the bloodshed after talks with current UN chief Ban Ki-moon. He is expected in Cairo this weekend for more talks with Arab League leaders.

Mr Annan demanded the divided international community unite behind his mission, which is co-sponsored by the United Nations and the Arab League.

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"It is a very difficult assignment, it is a tough challenge," said Mr Annan, who was named last week as the UN-Arab League envoy.

"I think the message is clear - that the killing and violence must stop, humanitarian agencies must be given access to do their work," he said.

Mr Annan and Mr Ban spoke a day after the UN said more than 7,500 people have been killed in President Bashar al Assad's 11-month-old crackdown on opposition protests.

"Every move is sensitive and highly political, even the itinerary, but we are working it out and I would expect to go to Syria fairly soon," he said.

The major powers are divided on how to handle the Syria crisis and Mr Annan insisted the international community must unite behind his initiative.

"Let me say one thing, if we are going to succeed it is extremely important that we all accept there should be one process of mediation - the one that the UN and the Arab League have asked me to lead," he said.

Russia and China vetoed two UN Security Council resolutions on Syria and both have sent envoys to Damascus in recent weeks.