BICOM

President Bashar Assad of Syria rebuffed an appeal from Turkey on Tuesday to end the Syrian crackdown on protests taking place throughout the country. After a six-hour meeting with Turkey’s foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, in Damascus Assad said in a statement that his government would press ahead with its fight against “militant Islamists”, the term the government has often used to describe the instigators of an uprising that began in March. The Turkish foreign minister arrived in Syria on Tuesday to deliver the message that Ankara has “run out of patience”. Yesterday, while the Turkish foreign Minister was in Damascus, Syrian forces continued to operate in towns near the Turkish border, reportedly killing dozens in the city of Deir El Azur. So far, the crackdown has killed, according to some Syrian opposition groups, more than 2,000 people.

Turkey is playing a key role in international efforts to halt the violence in Syria. This week Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries recalled their ambassadors from Damascus. On Tuesday, Egypt added its voice to the condemnations. Its foreign minister, Mohamed Amr, said Syria was heading toward what he described as “the point of no return.” Turkey shares an 850km border with Syria and thousands of Syria refugees fleeing the violence sought refuge in Turkey. Ankara’s policy will be decisive in leading regional opposition to the Assad regime and encouraging harsher international response to the crackdown.