Syrian forces killed seven people Saturday, activists said, as they tried to crush anti-regime dissent as Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi met President Bashar al-Assad to broker an end to the bloodshed. Arabi carried a 13-point document outlining Arab proposals to halt the deadly crackdown, hold elections and push for reforms in the League member state.
The attempt by the 22-member pan-Arab body to resolve the festering Syria crisis takes place with the US set to ramp up work on a UN Security Council resolution targeting Syria. “We’re looking at accelerating that work next week,” US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in reference to a draft resolution likely to include sanctions.
Arabi’s mission came three days later than originally planned, as activists reported seven new deaths a day after five other Syrians were killed when security forces dispersed protests after weekly Friday prayers.
