The UN Finally Adopts a Syria Resolution

The United Nations General Assembly adopted today a resolution condemning the ongoing massacre of Syrian civilians by the al-Assad regime. The resolution passed by a 137-12 vote with 17 abstentions. It calls for the end of the massacre and all violence, support for the Arab League initiative to allow transition to a more democratic from of government and the appointment of a special UN envoy for Syria.

At the same time, the al-Assad regime security forces raided the offices of activist-journalist Mazen Darwish, the director of the Syrian Center for Media and Free Expression, and arrested him, his wife, U.S.-born blogger Razan Ghazzawi and freelance journalist Hanada Zahlout, blogger Hussein Ghreir and 10 others. 

CNN has reported that the Committee to Protect Journalists voiced alarm at the arrests and said the group has played a "key role in getting out information about daily developments in Syria, as foreign journalists are virtually banned from the country."

"These arrests are a blatant attempt to close off a vital source of information not only for Syrians but for the international media," said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. "Anyone, whether a professional journalist or citizen with a mobile phone, who dares to report on the unrest in Syria is in danger of arrest or physical violence. Damascus should immediately release all those detained and stop its brutal crackdown."

Of course, this will not happen, just as al-Assad and his thugs will ignore the UN resolution. But, at least the world has finally spoken with a firm voice against the slaughter of civilians in Syria and called for a change in its government.

Meanwhile, the killing goes on.

Shelling continues in Homs for the 13^th straight day with dozens of casualties being reported, but it has been reported that the regime seems to be losing its tight control of the northern part of the country because of the massive civilian protests that are stretching the capabilities of the Syrian security forces to respond everywhere.

Idlib province in the northwest appears to be preparing for a military offensive. Much of the region is in open revolt with villages and towns in the north out of government control for months.

At least 70 people died Thursday, according to the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, the opposition activist group, including 38 in Idlib, 12 in Hama, and others in Rif Damashq -- the Damascus suburbs, Homs, Daraa , Deir Ezzor and Raqqah. The LCC said they include 36 unidentified bodies, 13 soldiers, three women and two pre-term infants.

Col. Malek Al Kurdi, deputy head of the Free Syrian Army, reported government force shelling in Hama and Daraa province with civilian and FSA casualties.

Among the dead are 10 military defectors in Hama, activists say.

In Idlib, the bodies of 19 people who tried to escape to Turkey were found. The LCC said they were arrested and executed by security forces.

The LCC also reported that security forces raided homes in the city of Zabadani, outside Damascus, and arrested 250 people. Shops were looted, houses were burned and regime gunfire was heard in the city, in its 20th day without access to medicine, water or electricity.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday that he "is now considering all the necessary options…."

He met Thursday with French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe. Ban said the top priority was to stop the violence and establish humanitarian access. He said all relevant U.N. agencies were coordinating efforts to provide humanitarian help to the people of Syria.

France is going to bring another resolution before the U.N. Security Council. "We are currently renegotiating a resolution at the U.N Security Council to see if we can persuade the Russians," Juppe told radio station France Info Wednesday.

Russia is seen as the key in winning passage of a resolution that could force change in Syria because it could expose the al-Assad regime to U.N. sanctions and the president and his inner circle to possible prosecution by the International Criminal Court.

Syria is not a signatory of the Rome Statute that established the ICC's authority, so the Security Council is on the only world body that can refer Syrian-based crimes against humanity to the international court.

Russia has given mixed messages as to whether it would accept a U.N. arms embargo or economic sanctions, even though it has said it is concerned about the prospect of a Syrian civil war.

China announced Thursday that it was sending an envoy to Syria in an attempt to help defuse the crisis, according to state-run China National Radio (CNR).

Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun is scheduled to travel to Syria beginning Friday for a two-day visit, CNR said. The report did not say who the minister would meet with, saying only "his detailed schedule is still in planning."