More Syrian deaths as details emerge of Arab peace bid

Damascus, Sept 7: Syrian forces killed two people as they pressed their crackdown on dissent on Tuesday, on the eve of a visit by the Arab League chief to push for an end to the violence and urge reforms and elections.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a 15-year-old boy and another civilian were killed by gunfire in the flashpoint central province of Homs, where another five bodies were found today.

The latest bloodshed came as the embattled regime of President Bashar al-Assad prepared to host Wednesday Arab League secretary general Nabil al-Arabi who is carrying a 13-point initiative to held end the crisis.

It also comes a day after the International Committee of the Red Cross said Syria had agreed, for the first time since anti-regime protests erupted more than five months ago, to allow its delegates to visit a detention centre.

Meanwhile Norway, which is not a member of the European Union, said today it would adopt the bloc's sanctions imposed on Syria to protest against Damascus's violent repression of demonstrators.

More than 2,200 people have been killed in Syria since the almost daily mass protests began, according to UN figures. Human rights groups say that more than 10,000 are behind bars.

Assad's regime says it is fighting foreign-backed "armed terrorist gangs." The Arab League chief has been commissioned by the 22-member bloc to travel to Damascus with a 13-point document outlining proposals to end the bloodshed and push Syria to launch reforms.

According to a copy of the document seen by AFP, Arabi will propose that Assad hold elections in three years, move towards a pluralistic government and halt immediately the crackdown on anti-regime protesters.

AFP