Fears mounted about the fate of several thousand residents stuck in the Bab Amr district of the Syrian city of Homs on Saturday as Syrian authorities for a second day blocked Red Cross aid meant for civilians stranded for weeks without food and fuel in the former rebel stronghold.
As Syrian forces bombarded parts of the shattered city on Saturday, China urged the Syrian government and rebels trying to oust President Bashar al-Assad to end all acts of violence, especially against civilians.
The European Union said it would begin working with international agencies to document alleged atrocities being committed by the Syrian regime for future war crimes trials, part of a concerted effort to turn up diplomatic pressure on both Damascus as well as Russia and China, which have blocked international efforts at the UN.The fighting in Homs has raised international pressure on Mr Assad more than a year after protests began.
The UN estimates that more than 7,500 people have died in the conflict.
Abu Gafr, the Homs resident, called the regime’s strategy a repeat of the suppression of a revolt in the city of Hama by Mr Assad’s father 30 years ago, when security forces rounded up young men. But many predicted the regime’s strategy would backfire, fuelling support for armed resistance and heightening calls for international intervention.
“I think the people are in shock about what happened in Bab Amr, but I believe the people won’t stop going to the streets,” said Faisal Badr, a Damascus lawyer and opposition activist, reached by telephone. “What has happened is making people more supportive of the Free Army. In Syria, more people are talking about this issue of taking up arms.”
In Geneva, the UN human rights body reminded Mr Assad of his obligations under international law. “We are alarmed at reports starting to come out of the Bab Amr district of Homs after it was taken over by government forces,” it said.
The 27-member European Union said it was appalled by the Syrian response to the uprising and renewed its call for Mr Assad to step down. It also called on Russia and China for support, and senior EU officials said they believed Beijing may be close to breaking with the Kremlin.
“The world must come together to condemn the killing. I say to the Russians and the Chinese: look hard at the suffering of Syria and think again about supporting this criminal regime,” said David Cameron, the British prime minister, calling Mr Assad’s assault on Homs “a scene of medieval barbarity”.