Head of monitors in Syria says "all sides were responsive"

The head of the Arab League's monitoring team said the first day  in Syria's flashpoint city of Homs was "very good" and all sides were responsive to the monitors. 

"I am returning to Damascus for meetings and I will return tomorrow to Homs," Sudanese General Mustafa Dabi told Reuters by telephone.   

"The team is staying in Homs. Today was very good and all sides were responsive".   

Syria has been rocked by nine months of unrest as security forces struggle to crush protests seeking the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.   

What began as a peaceful protest movement has become increasingly violent as an armed insurgency has emerged.   

The violence has turned parts of Homs, particularly the Baba Amr area which delegates were visiting, into a war-zone that threatens a slide into civil war.   

Syrian security forces have arrested thousands of people in the crackdown. They have released at least 1,000 but activists say tens of thousands remain in detentions around the country.   

Syria says it is fighting foreign-backed terrorists who have killed more than 2,000 of its security forces.   

Reuters