U.S. Says No Sign Assad Meeting Peace Deal Commitments
Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad has shown no sign so far that his government is sticking by a peace plan to end the fighting in Syria just hours before a U.N. deadline, the White House said Monday.
"We certainly have seen no sign yet of the Assad regime abiding by its commitments," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters.
Under a peace deal brokered by U.N. and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, Syria's armed forces are supposed to withdraw from protest centers on Tuesday, with a complete end to fighting set for 48 hours later.
But the truce appeared in jeopardy after Damascus said Sunday it would only meet its side of the bargain if rebels first handed over written guarantees to stop fighting, a demand rejected by rebel army chief Colonel Riad al-Asaad.
Fresh clashes raged Monday and a monitoring group said at least 101 Syrians, including 19 members of the security forces loyal to Assad, were killed on the day across Syria.
Tension also escalated with neighboring Turkey after shots across the border wounded two Syrians and a Turkish translator near a refugee camp hosting people who escaped from forces loyal to Assad.
"We condemn all of the attacks that have been launched," Carney said.
Source: Agence France Presse
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