Introduction to the evening news 28-01-2012

The last Arab card was played as the first attempt at internationalization stumbled in the Security Council. Hours after the Western-Arab draft law came face to face with the Russian rejection, the Arab League announced that Syria’s Arab observer mission was frozen due to rising violence in Syria.   

This move, which came following the Saudi and Gulf’s withdrawal of monitors and circulating information on funding suspension, coincided with a Gulf-Turkish meeting in Istanbul today. It also coincided with talks between the Arab League and Russia on the Syrian file as well as talks to be held on Monday between the GCC Secretary General and the NATO Secretary General in Brussels on the eve of the upcoming U.N. Security Council meeting.    
Syria voiced surprise and regret over the Arab decision and considered that the Arab observers’ report was not to certain states’ satisfaction on the grounds that it comprises recognition of the presence of armed groups targeting civilians, military men and institutions.   

All these events occurred amid unprecedented level of violence especially that the pro-regime forces are trying to regain control over three suburbs of the capital. The majority of the suburbs of the capital have fallen in the hands of the rebels. As a manifestation of the Syrian continued crackdown on protesters, Syrian Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim al-Chaar declared that his ministry will carry on the purification of the country from what he described as the filthy outlaws.