Syrian general defects to Turkey, Al-Qaeda members crossing into Syria

Western and Arab states who want Assad to step down to help end the crisis meet in Paris on Friday as the "Friends of Syria", a group that excludes Assad's main backer, Russia, and fellow U.N. Security Council veto-holder China.
   
Diplomatic efforts by a divided international community have so far been ineffective in stopping the violence.
   
Residents said mortar bombs were exploding in central districts of Homs, Syria's third largest city, where whole neighborhoods have been destroyed. Despite repeated assaults by Assad's forces, rebels have still managed to keep a foothold.

For his part and through an interview with a Turkish Daily, Syrian President Bachar Assad expressed grief for the violence applied by his troops on the onset of upraises in Syria. “We are only human and are bound to make mistakes, those protesters were funded by foreign countries to create chaos in Syria” he said.

Assad added that he still holds his position through the support of his people.

REUTERS/LBCI