The
Syrian army regained control over most of Damascus neighborhoods after the week-long
clashes that took place between regime troops and opposition fighters, AFP quoted
opposition Syrian activists and a source close to the Syrian authorities as
saying.
Meanwhile,
the regime troops launched arrest campaigns on Monday in some of Damascus
neighborhoods while fierce clashes in Aleppo continued between regime troops
and opposition fighters, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
and activists.
The
Observatory reported that the regime troops carried out “field executions”
against 23 people in the Damascus neighborhoods of al-Mezzeh and Barzeh. The
regime troops entered these two neighborhoods on Sunday after three days of brutal
fights.
International positions
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday he was concerned about the risk of Syria using chemical weapons after Damascus warned it could deploy its arsenal of them if it felt threatened by foreign intervention.
Syria acknowledged for the first time on Monday that it had chemical and biological weapons, saying they would not be used against rebels but could be used against forces from outside the country.
"It would be reprehensible if anyone in Syria would use weapons of mass destruction," Ban told reporters during a visit to Serbia.
Russian President
Vladimir Putin earlier said that Syria's crisis must be resolved
through negotiations, not force of arms, and warned that if President
Bashar al-Assad's government is toppled a civil war could continue with
roles reversed.
After talks with Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, Putin said last
week's vote to extend an observer mission showed that compromise can be
found at the United Nations but gave no sign Russia will drop its
opposition to sanctions or intervention.
In turn, Monti said on Monday that he encouraged Russia to work with the
West to end the violence in Syria and seek new ways to resolve the
crisis.
Monti said Italy understands Russia's concern over any U.N. Security
Council resolution that could allow for military intervention but that
the situation could get out of control if no resolution is adopted.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has told Iraq's border
officials to allow Syrian refugees into the county, a senior border
commander said
"The order came 30 minutes ago," General Issam Yassim told Reuters at
Iraq's southern Al-Waleed border crossing with Syria, 560 km west of
Baghdad.
He said it applied to all Iraqi border crossings with Syria.
Iraq earlier rejected Arab League calls for Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad to step down, saying it was for the Syrian people alone to
decide his fate, a government spokesman said.
"The Iraqi delegation put forward their reservation. It is not usual for
the ministerial council to ask someone to leave. This is the sole
responsibility of the Syrian people and others should not interfere,"
government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said.
He was referring to a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Doha
which early on Monday offered Assad a "safe exit" if he stepped down
swiftly.
Earlier
today, the Arab League's secretary
general has offered Syrian President Bashar Assad a "safe exit" for
him and his family if he steps down.
Nabil Elaraby gave no further
details on his proposal at an Arab League foreign ministers' meeting in
Doha,
Qatar, early Monday morning.
The League also promised $100
million for Syrian refugees in neighboring countries.
Also
on Monday, the European Union foreign chief
said the escalating bloodshed in Syria was sparking concerns that the
conflict
may spill over into neighboring countries.
EU foreign ministers are
scheduled to endorse a plan Monday that would enforce the existing arms
embargo
by asking the member nations to board ships and aircraft carrying
suspicious
cargo to the war-torn nation.
The inspections will only take
place on the territory or in the territorial waters of EU states.
Separately, Britain's Foreign Minister William Hague
said
"it is unacceptable for Syria to announce
that it is using chemical weapons under any circumstance".
REUTERS/AP