Syrian forces expand offensive to crush protests near Turkey border

Syrian tanks stormed two northwestern towns near the border with Turkey on Wednesday, expanding a military offensive to crush protests, local residents said a day after Ankara pressed Syrian President Bashar Al Assad to end killings of civilians.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least one woman was killed and 13 people injured when 12 tanks and armored vehicles, along with 10 large buses full of troops, entered the towns of Taftanaz and Sermin, around 30 km (19 miles) from the border with Turkey.

On Tuesday, Syrian forces killed four villagers in the nearby town of Binnish, rights campaigners said.

“The three towns are near Idlib (the provincial capital) and are close to each other geographically and in family ties. Daily protests in the region have been unabated since the start of Ramadan,” a local resident, who gave his name as Ali, told Reuters by phone, referring to the annual Muslim fasting month that began last week.

Turkey, whose southern province of Iskenderun borders Idlib, demanded on Tuesday that Damascus stop the killing of civilians and said it would watch events in Syria in the coming days.

The message from Turkey, long one of Syria’s most valued allies, raised pressure on Assad, who said his forces would continue to pursue “terrorist groups.”

The protests against Assad, whose ruling group are members of the minority Alawite sect, were inspired by Arab revolts which overthrew leaders in Egypt and Tunisia earlier this year.

Last week Assad sent troops and tanks to quell the mostly Sunni Muslim city of Hama in central Syria and the army launched a similar assault on Sunday against Deir Al Zor.

Increasing the pressure on President Assad, Sunni Muslim power Saudi Arabia issued a blunt warning that he risked turmoil unless he stopped the bloodshed and adopted reforms. Kuwait and Bahrain followed the kingdom in recalling their ambassadors.

The withdrawal of envoys left President Assad with few diplomatic friends bar Iran. Western states have imposed sanctions on his top officials, while states with close ties to Damascus such as Russia and Turkey have warned Mr. Assad he is running out of time.

But no country has proposed military action such as that launched against Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi.

Syrian authorities have denied that any Deir Al Zor assault took place. They say they have faced attacks since the protests erupted in March, blaming armed saboteurs for civilian deaths and accusing them of killing 500 security personnel.

State television broadcast footage on Sunday of mutilated bodies floating in the Orontes river in Hama, saying 17 police had been killed in the central Syrian city.

SANA news agency said on Monday the military was starting to pull out of Hama after helping to restore order. Residents said there were still tanks in parts of the city and security forces were arresting hundreds of people.

Activists say at least 130 people were killed in Hama, where Mr. Assad’s father crushed an armed Islamist uprising in 1982, and one group has put the death toll at over 300.

Like most of Syria, Hama and Deir Al Zor are mainly Sunni cities, and the crackdowns there resonate with Sunnis who form the majority in the region and govern most Arab countries.