WASHINGTON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to
Syria, just days after closing the embassy in Damascus, posted
satellite imagery on Facebook to show proof of government
attacks on residential neighborhoods.
The commercial satellite image, titled "Security Operations
Escalate in Homs," is dated Feb. 6 and has labels pointing out
burning buildings, smoke, impact craters, military vehicles and
armored vehicles.
The western Syrian city of Homs, where opposition to
President Bashar al-Assad is strong, has endured a week of
bombardments that have killed dozens of civilians and drawn
condemnation from world leaders.
Syrian state media have portrayed the revolt against Assad
as the work of foreign-backed "terrorists."
It is not easy for an untrained eye to see the details in
the satellite image posted on Thursday night on the Facebook
page http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150600575457649&set=pu.48261722648&type=1&theater
"I hear the devastating stories about newborns in Homs dying
in hospitals where electricity has been cut and when we see
disturbing photos offering proof that the regime is using
mortars and artillery against residential neighborhoods, all of
us become even more concerned about the tragic outcome for
Syrian civilians," Ambassador Robert Ford wrote in a note
accompanying the satellite image on Facebook.
He also appeared to take a veiled dig at Russia, which on
Saturday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria.
Diplomats said one Russian objection was a belief that the
resolution disproportionately blamed Syria's government for the
violence.
"It is odd to me that anyone would try to equate the actions
of the Syrian army and armed opposition groups since the Syrian
government consistently initiates the attacks on civilian areas,
and it is using its heaviest weapons," Ford wrote.
The United States closed its embassy in Damascus on Monday,
the same day the imagery was dated, due to security concerns.
"I can say without exaggeration that February 6 was the most
emotionally taxing day of my career as a Foreign Service
Officer," Ford said in his online note.
"I left Damascus with immense sadness and regret - I wish
our departure had not been necessary, but our Embassy, along
with several other diplomatic missions in the area, was not
sufficiently protected, given the new security concerns in the
capital," he wrote.
Ford said he would continue to work to support a peaceful
transition. "My year in Syria tells me such a transition is
possible, but not when one side constantly initiates attacks
against people taking shelter in their homes."
(Reporting By Tabassum Zakaria; Editing by Peter Cooney)
1 comment