The Arab League joined on Sunday a growing list of nations who have condemned Syria for its murderous crackdown on anti-regime protesters.
The League stopped short of condemning the Syrian government, but according to a report in Qatar’s state news agency, QNA, it expressed “growing concern” about Syria and called on the authorities to stop acts of violence against protesters immediately.
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby’s statement said he was concerned “over the deteriorating security conditions in Syria due to escalating violence and military operations in Hama and Deir al-Zor and other areas of Syria.”
The statement, one of the strongest made by an Arab leader since the start of the Syrian uprising, added, “There is still a chance for the reforms that were announced by President Bashar al-Assad to be accomplished.”
Elaraby also called on the political powers in Syria to engage in “serious talks,” and added that the Arab League was ready to help get Syria out of its crisis.
The Arab League’s statement comes after new reports from Syria said that Assad’s forces have staged an assault on Deir al-Zor, capital of an oil-producing province.
Reuters cited activists who reported heavy loss of life among Syrian civilians as a result of the assault, which began one week after a similar brutal crackdown on the city of Hama.
Over the weekend, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned Assad to prepare for “a sad fate” if he fails to enact reforms in his country.
In his toughest comments on Syria to date, Medvedev said time was running out for Assad to halt a crackdown against his people. He hinted that the Kremlin, a traditional ally of Syria, may support tough action against Damascus in the United Nations if the bloodshed continues.
On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Syrian troops have killed more than 2,000 people of all ages during the brutal crackdown, and called for a “louder, more effective” international response to violence in Syria.
The comments followed a condemnation on Wednesday by the UN Security Council, which said it “condemns the widespread violations of human rights and the use of force against civilians by the Syrian authorities.”