SYRIA: Military defectors boast of rising tide against Assad.
A group of military defectors known as the Free Syrian Army is emerging as the first armed challenge to President Bashar Assad’s authoritarian regime after seven months of largely nonviolent resistance.
Riad al-Asaad, the group’s leader and an air force colonel who recently fled to Turkey, boasted Wednesday that he now has more than 10,000 members and called on fellow soldiers to join him in overthrowing the “murderous” regime. While analysts said those numbers might be inflated, al-Asaad was confident more soldiers would soon join his ranks. The dissident group is gaining momentum that signals a trend toward militarization of the uprising. That momentum has raised fears that Syria may be sliding toward civil war.
EGYPT: Ruling generals won’t exit until commitments “fulfilled.”
The leader of Egypt’s ruling generals said Wednesday that the army has no interest in staying in power for a long time, but insisted the military council won’t step down until it has “fulfilled its commitments.”
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has come under increasing criticism of its handling of Egypt’s transitional period, accused of moving too slowly in dismantling the former regime and bringing former officials accused of abuses to justice.
In comments broadcast on state television, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi brushed aside the criticism, saying “we will not abandon Egypt before we finish what we pledged to do and committed ourselves to before the people.”
BAHRAIN: Medical workers’ lengthy prison terms tossed.
Bahraini judicial authorities Wednesday nullified the convictions and harsh prison terms given to 20 medical workers last week by a special security court prosecuting cases arising from civil unrest in the country. The medical workers were ordered released from custody, with new trials scheduled in a civilian court.
The decision appeared to be at least a tactical retreat by Bahrain’s Sunni monarchy in the face of strong international protests over the punishments, including criticism from the secretary-general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon. The special court had condemned some doctors and nurses among the defendants to terms as long as 15 years because they had treated demonstrators who were wounded by security forces. Most of the protesters are members of the Shiite majority in the tiny Persian Gulf country.
Denver Post wire services
