Syrian crisis on Hague’s agenda in Cairo, clashes and shelling continue in Syria

Clashes erupted Tuesday morning between the Syrian Army and the Opposition militants in Barza neighborhood – Damascus and Artouz town in Reef Damascus.       

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights sources reported that Aleppo neighborhoods got shelled by the Syrian Regime forces.      

The sources also said that 1 little girl in Reef Damascus and one other citizen in Douma were killed in mysterious circumstances.         

International Positions:     

British Foreign Secretary William Hague will be meeting Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Tuesday in Cairo to discuss the Syrian crisis.        

When he arrived to Egypt, Hague announced that “he will be discussing important foreign policy affairs, in particular how the international community can work together to stop the bloodshed in Syria.”        

Hague added that he will also be discussing how the UK can support the political and economic transition in Egypt, as well as expanding the trade relations between the two countries.

This as, the U.N. refugee agency reported on Tuesday that the number of Syrian refugees seeking its help now tops a quarter-million.               

Agency spokesman Adrian Edwards says 253,106 people have registered or are awaiting registration as Syrian refugees.           

Officials acknowledge, however, the real number of Syrian refugees is likely far higher since tens of thousands are believed to have not yet registered with authorities.

Later in the day, it was announced that the International mediator Lakhdar Brahimi is due to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during his upcoming visit to Syria, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday.         

The U.N. chief reiterated his call for the Security Council to take action on Syria and for world powers to use their influence over the two warring sides to halt the 17 months of violence in which more than 20,000 have been killed.           

"Joint Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi is going soon to have meetings with Syrian authorities, including President Assad," Ban told a news conference in the Swiss capital Berne.

Brahimi said on Monday he would make his first visit to Damascus since taking the post in a few days.

LBCI/AP/REUTERS