U.S. urges UNSC to react against Syria

The U.S. said Tuesday that the UN Security Council must respond urgently if Syria fails to keep its pledge to halt offensive military operations by April 10. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said that Syrian forces had been continuing offensive operations, and the U.S. "is concerned and quite skeptical that the government of Syria will suddenly adhere to its commitments." U.S. urges UNSC to react against Syria A Syrian government official said Tuesday that troops began pulling out from some calm cities and heading back to their bases, a week before UN Envoy Kofi Annan’s April 10 deadline to halt the violence and pull troops and heavy weapons out of towns and cities. "What we have seen since April 1 is not encouraging," Rice said. If the Syrian government uses the window before April 10 to intensify the violence rather than de-escalate attacks, "it would be most unfortunate, and it would be certainly our view that the Security Council will need to respond to that failure in a very urgent and serious way." Annan told the council that if Syria meets the deadline, and this can be verified, then the opposition would have 48 hours to wind down its military activities, his Spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said Tuesday. The U.S. and France circulated a draft presidential statement to the Security Council on Tuesday supporting Annan, the joint UN-Arab League envoy. France's UN Ambassador Gerard Araud said it could be approved today or Thursday. Syrian govt. claims troop pullout A Syrian government official said Tuesday evening that troops had started pulling out from some calm cities and heading back to their bases, a week ahead of a deadline to implement UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's truce plan. “Forces began withdrawing to outside calm cities and are returning to their bases, while in tense areas, they are pulling out to the outskirts," a Syrian government official, who wished to stay anonymous told the AP in Damascus. President Bashar Assad agreed just days ago to an April 10 deadline to implement Annan's plan. It requires regime forces to withdraw from towns and cities and observe a cease-fire. Rebel fighters are to immediately follow by ceasing violence. The UN says more than 9,000 people have been killed in Syria since March 2011. Beta Tanjug

U.S. urges UNSC to react against Syria

A Syrian government official said Tuesday that troops began pulling out from some calm cities and heading back to their bases, a week before UN Envoy Kofi Annan’s April 10 deadline to halt the violence and pull troops and heavy weapons out of towns and cities.

"What we have seen since April 1 is not encouraging," Rice said.

If the Syrian government uses the window before April 10 to intensify the violence rather than de-escalate attacks, "it would be most unfortunate, and it would be certainly our view that the Security Council will need to respond to that failure in a very urgent and serious way."

Annan told the council that if Syria meets the deadline, and this can be verified, then the opposition would have 48 hours to wind down its military activities, his Spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said Tuesday.

The U.S. and France circulated a draft presidential statement to the Security Council on Tuesday supporting Annan, the joint UN-Arab League envoy. France's UN Ambassador Gerard Araud said it could be approved today or Thursday.

Syrian govt. claims troop pullout

A Syrian government official said Tuesday evening that troops had started pulling out from some calm cities and heading back to their bases, a week ahead of a deadline to implement UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's truce plan.

“Forces began withdrawing to outside calm cities and are returning to their bases, while in tense areas, they are pulling out to the outskirts," a Syrian government official, who wished to stay anonymous told the AP in Damascus.

President Bashar Assad agreed just days ago to an April 10 deadline to implement Annan's plan. It requires regime forces to withdraw from towns and cities and observe a cease-fire. Rebel fighters are to immediately follow by ceasing violence.

The UN says more than 9,000 people have been killed in Syria since March 2011.