Syrian attacks continue despite U.N. condemnation - CNN

Report: Abuses by Syrian oppositionvar cnnWindowParams=window.location.toString().toQueryParams();if(typeof cnnWindowParams.video!="undefined"){if(cnnWindowParams.video){cnnLoadStoryPlayer('world/2012/03/21/pkg-damon-syria-opposition-abuses.cnn','cnnCVP1', '640x384_start_art' ,playerOverRide,T1);}} else {$('cnnCVP2').onclick=function(){if ($$('.box-opened').length){$$('.box-opened').each(function(val){Element.fireEvent(val,'click');});}cnnLoadStoryPlayer('world/2012/03/21/pkg-damon-syria-opposition-abuses.cnn','cnnCVP1','640x384_start_art',playerOverRide,T1);};$('cnnCVP2').onmouseover=function(){$('cnnCVP2').className='cnn_mtt1plybttn cnn_mtt1plybttnon';};$('cnnCVP2').onmouseout=function(){$('cnnCVP2').className='cnn_mtt1plybttn';};}At least 82 people are killed in Syria on Wednesday, activists sayAnnan, a former U.N. secretary-general, seeks to stop the fighting More than 10,000 people have been killed over the past year, an activist group saidAre you there? Send us your images or video. Also, read this report in Arabic.

(CNN) -- Shelling in the besieged Syrian city of Hama continued early Thursday, a day after the U.N. Security Council called for the nation to end the bloodshed.

A number of civilians had been wounded and buildings had collapsed during the attack in Hama by Syrian security forces, according to the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria.

A teenager was killed and more than 30 injured during clashes in Sirmeen city in the northwestern province of Idlib. In Daraa province, a government soldier was killed and four others were wounded during attacks by soldiers who defected.

The bombardment comes after at least 82 people were killed across Syria on Wednesday, including 45 in Homs, according to the opposition group.

Homs has been a hotbed of anti-government sentiment during the yearlong uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's regime. Activists said 39 corpses killed this month were recovered from the city's Refaie district Wednesday.

CNN cannot independently confirm reports of casualties or attacks in Syria because the government has severely restricted the access of international journalists.

var currExpandable="expand17";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/03/19/pkg-damon-syria-children-wounded.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120319092205-pkg-damon-syria-children-wounded-00011628-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand17Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand27";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/03/17/maktabi-damascus-blasts.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120317112955-maktabi-damascus-blasts-00002205-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand27Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand37";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/03/17/bpr-syria-explostion-witness.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120317095527-bpr-syria-explostion-witness-00003111-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand37Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand47";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/03/18/maktabi-syria-humanitarian.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120318113111-maktabi-syria-humanitarian-00013803-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand47Store=mObj;U.N. officials say the yearlong crisis has killed more than 8,000 people, while opposition activists put the toll at more than 10,000.

After months of failed attempts to stop the killings in Syria, the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday issued a presidential statement endorsing the peace mission of diplomat Kofi Annan, the U.N.-Arab League joint special envoy to Syria.

His mission is to stop the violence, gain "timely" humanitarian aid access and foster a Syrian-led political transition.

"The Security Council calls upon the Syrian government and opposition to work in good faith with the envoy toward a peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis," the statement said.

Unlike resolutions, U.N. presidential statements aren't legally binding. But they require unanimous support. This is significant because Russia and China, two permanent council members, have been obstacles to adopting tough resolutions on Syria.

In its statement, the council cited concern at the deteriorating situation in Syria and expressed regret at the death of thousands of people.

"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," the statement said.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke about the Security Council statement and the situation in Syira Thursday.

"All the violence must stop," Ban said. "In clear and unmistakable terms, the Security Council called for an immediate end to all violence and human rights violations. It demanded secure humanitarian access and a comprehensive political dialogue between the government and the whole spectrum of the Syrian opposition."

Annan, a former U.N. secretary-general, would seek to stop the fighting and work to ensure peace is restored, according to the statement.

The council called for a "daily two-hour humanitarian pause" for relief efforts and intensifying "the pace and scale of release of arbitrarily detained persons." It wants freedom of movement for journalists and "a nondiscriminatory visa policy for them."

It also urged respect for "freedom of association and the right to demonstrate peacefully."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the move shows the council is speaking with one voice.

View the original article here