The situation in Syria is starting to look a lot like an all-out civil war, as government forces stepped up their bombardment of the rebel stronghold of Homs, and neighboring countries took the first steps toward arming the rebels.
The Arab League's observer mission in Syria is deteriorating pretty quickly, as the six member states that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council withdrew their people as the Syrian foreign minister pledged to continue the state's crackdown on anti-government protesters.
Syrian state television announced Thursday that the government had released 500 prisoners as part of the Arab League's plan to end the crisis, but activists there say it's covering up ongoing human rights violations, including torture chambers.
Syria's military has complied with some parts of an Arab League plan to stop a government crackdown on protesters, having withdrawn its heavy weapons from cities and freed prisoners, but it's still shooting people, Arab League officials said.
After days of protests and continuing violence, an Arab League advisory board issued a statement Sunday morning calling for the monitoring group to withdraw from Syria.
Reports are filtering out of Syria this morning that security forces opened fire on protesters several blocks away from a government building Arab League fact-finders were visiting.
The visit by 60 Arab League monitors to the Syrian city of Homs actually seems to be doing its job in subduing violence as the government started withdrawing its tanks after they bombarded the city in response to persistent anti-government protests.
The Arab League has approved a long list of unprecedented economic sanctions on Syria designed to force the government to curb violence against antigovernment protestors.
Country's refusal to allow observers in likely to result in serious sanctions.
The Arab League is trying to be delicate, intervening to stop killing of anti-government protesters in Syria, without raising the specter of another European or American intervention.
The Arab League will announce tomorrow a deal it forged with the Syrian government to stop the government's brutal crackdown on unrest, Syria's state media reported today.
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have recalled their ambassadors to Syria
A quick rundown of the official positions as airstrikes are being prepared
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