05.05.2011                      01.Ijar, 5771                      Rosch Hodesch 2; Tag 16 des Omer

Syrien:

UN chief speaks to Assad, urges end to Syrian violence

Phone call comes as Syrian tanks deploy in town of Rastan; arrests, roadblocks intensify; detained prisoners say they were beaten, starved.

UNITED NATIONS – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke with Syrian President Bashar Assad on Wednesday and urged him to immediately end the violent crackdown against anti-government protesters in Syria.
"The Secretary-General reiterated his calls for an immediate end to violence against and mass arrests of peaceful demonstrators in Syria, and for an independent investigation of all killings that happened during the protests," the statement said….