A Syrian peace plan brokered by the Arab League unravelled on Nov 4 as security forces killed 15 people, opening fire on thousands of protesters who denounced President Bashar Assad and said he never intended to hold up his end of the deal to end the violence. The government offered an amnesty to anyone with weapons if they reported to police within a week, “as long as they did not commit any crimes of killing,” state television reported.
The gesture did not appear to be part of the Arab League plan, accepted by Syria on Wednesday, under which the army would leave turbulent cities, political prisoners would walk free and a dialogue with the opposition would begin within two weeks. Violence has, if anything, intensified since the agreement was announced, amid reports of sectarian killings. The bloodshed, only two days after Syria agreed to the deal, suggests Damascus is unwilling – or unable – to put a swift end to a crackdown that already has killed 3,000 people since the uprising began in March.