The Syrian Bloodbath Continues

Syrian security forces killed 52 people on Sunday, 42 in the town of Deir Ezzor, 250 miles north of Damascus. Thousands are reported to have fled the town today.

The killings were justified by Bashar al-Assad as needed to eliminate “outlaws.”

The Syrian League for Human Rights reported that 10 marchers were also killed today in the region near Homs, stating that some 250 tanks and armoured troop carriers are involved in the attacks.

The marches are those planned for every day after the Ramadan evening prayers.

Both Pope Benedict XVI and the Arab League have called for the violence to stop. Today’s statement by the League is the first against al-Assad since the attacks against Syrian citizens began in March. The League secretary-general called for all security sweeps against civilians to stop immediately.

UN Secretary-General Ban-ki-Moon phoned al-Assad Saturday to demand that the violence stop now.

Germany, France and America are considering new sanctions against the al-Assad regime and clique.

Turkey, apparently completely exasperated with al-Assad, has decided to send its diplomatic head to Damascus Tuesday to express with force its call for an end to the killings and repression.

It is reported by the Syrian official news agency that when the Lebanese foreign minister spoke with al-Assad this weekend, the Syrian president said that “such attacks are required when there are outlaws blocking roads, closing towns and terrorizing the population.”

Thus far, 2059 deaths have been confirmed by Syrian human rights groups during the security sweeps against the marchers, among which are 391 military and security personnel.

Will it take the deaths of all civilians before al-Assad feels secure? And, more importantly, will the world intervene before the death toll mounts even more? Because it is quite clear that reason is not a language that Bashar al-Assad understands.