SYRIA: 20 killed in restive city of Homs; Arab League observers to arrive.
As many as 20 people were killed in heavy shelling and gunfire in the Syrian city of Homs on Monday, opposition activists said, even as the first group of about 50 Arab League observers was expected to arrive in the country to monitor compliance with a regional peace initiative.
League officials said some of the observers would head to Homs today.
Most of the deaths Monday were reported in the city’s Bab Amro district, which activists say has endured days of heavy shelling, machine-gun fire and raids. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 14 people died there and six were killed in other districts.
The Local Coordination Committees, another opposition group, said security forces were targeting “homes and anyone who moves in the neighborhood” with mortar, artillery and other heavy weapons fire.
Violence has escalated in Syria as the government sends tanks and troops to subdue restive neighborhoods and a growing number of military defectors join the ranks of the opposition. Some civilians have also taken up arms to defend their communities.
Syrian officials have said they expect the Arab League observers to confirm their contention that Syria is facing an armed insurgency by foreign- backed terrorists, not a peaceful popular uprising.
EGYPT: Three foreigners charged with weapons-smuggling.
Egypt’s state prosecutor on Monday charged two Israelis and a Ukrainian with smuggling weapons and trying to implicate Egyptian security, the first case of its kind against foreigners since longtime President Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February.
A statement from the prosecutor’s office said the three would be tried in an emergency state security court, usually reserved for terrorism cases. No date for the trial has been set.
The charges are the first case of bringing foreigners to trial in connection with the turmoil in Egypt since the ousting of Mubarak. Although not directly holding the suspects responsible for any of the violence, the statement said the smuggled weapons were to be used in “illegal” operations aimed to implicate Egyptian security. No further details were given in the statement.
More than 100 people have been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces since Mubarak was ousted. The country’s rulers have often blamed “hidden hands” and foreign funding in the violence.
Denver Post wire services
