Death toll rises to eight in Syria

ANKARA (AA) - April 12, 2012 - The Syrian Revolution General Commission said on Thursday that death toll rose to eight in operations. The committee said that there were still tanks on streets in some cities, and operations continued. Many mortar shells were hurled around Homs castle, and the army had not withdrawn yet, the committee said. The committee said security forces opened fire on people who attended a funeral in Aleppo, and arrested some people. Eight people were killed in fire opened by soldiers in Idlib, Hama, Damascus and Aleppo, and many others were wounded, the committee said. The committee said there were still soldiers in check-points in Darraa, and tanks were hidden in some places. Moreover, Syrian state TV channel said that one officer was killed and 24 people were injured in an attack of armed groups in Aleppo. Earlier reports said three people were killed. United Nations (UN)-Arab League Special Envoy to Syria Kofi Annan visited Syrian camp in Turkey's southern province of Hatay. During the visit, Annan held a press conference in which he gave Syria extra time till 6 a.m. on April 12 in order to abide by his peace plan. The ceasefire is the key part of special envoy Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan, which was presented to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on March 10 and accepted by him on March 27. Here is a text of the proposal which calls on the Syrian authorities to: (1) Commit to work with the Envoy in an inclusive Syrian-led political process to address the legitimate aspirations and concerns of the Syrian people, and, to this end, commit to appoint an empowered interlocutor when invited to do so by the Envoy. (2) Commit to stop the fighting and achieve urgently an effective United Nations-supervised cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties to protect civilians and stabilize the country. To this end, the Syrian government should immediately cease troop movements towards, and end the use of heavy weapons in, population centers, and begin pullback of military concentrations in and around population centers. As these actions are being taken on the ground, the Syrian government should work with the Envoy to bring about a sustained cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties with an effective United Nations supervision mechanism. Similar commitments would be sought by the Envoy from the opposition and all relevant elements to stop the fighting and work with him to bring about a sustained cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties with an effective United Nations supervision mechanism; (3) Ensure timely provision of humanitarian assistance to all areas affected by the fighting, and to this end, as immediate steps, to accept and implement a daily two-hour humanitarian pause and to coordinate exact time and modalities of the daily pause through an efficient mechanism, including at local level; (4) Intensify the pace and scale of release of arbitrarily detained persons, including especially vulnerable categories of persons, and persons involved in peaceful political activities, provide without delay through appropriate channels a list of all places in which such persons are being detained, immediately begin organizing access to such locations and through appropriate channels respond promptly to all written requests for information, access or release regarding such persons; (5) Ensure freedom of movement throughout the country for journalists and a non-discriminatory visa policy for them; (6) Respect freedom of association and the right to demonstrate peacefully as legally guaranteed.