15 shot dead across Syria, including 10 in Baba Amr

Fifteen Syrians were killed on Friday, including 10 shot dead in Baba Amr after regime forces overran the rebel district of the central city of Homs, a watchdog said. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP that 10 Syrians were “shot dead” in Baba Amr, but added: “The circumstances of their deaths are not clear.” The Britain-based watchdog said that regime forces had turned a Baba Amr shopping centre into a detention area and called on the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has a relief convoy poised to enter the neighbourhood, to inspect it. The Observatory warned of summary executions in Baba Amr after took control of it on Thursday following the withdrawal of rebel fighters. In Idlib province in the northwest, security forces shot dead a young man at a checkpoint near Maaret al-Numan, the Observatory said. A couple and their driver were also killed whern regime forces opened fire on their car at a bridge in the Idlib town of Saraqeb, it added. Another civilian was shot dead by security forces in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor, the watchdog added. The Observatory said 21 people were killed in Homs on Thursday, including 17 civilians caught up in the battle for Baba Amr
ICRC convoy prepares to enter Baba Amr in Syria’s Homs: Meanwhile, a convoy of seven trucks from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent is preparing to enter the Baba Amr neighbourhood of Homs, an ICRC spokesman said. “We are preparing to enter the district of Baba Amr,” deputy ICRC spokesman Sebastien Carliez said. “The convoy arrived in Homs a few minutes ago.”The trucks are carrying food, medicines, blankets, baby milk and other equipment to the area, which was overrun by regime forces after a nearly four-week pounding. The ICRC said Thursday it had received “positive signals” from the Syrian authorities over its request for a daily two-hour humanitarian truce. The UN Security Council also on Thursday asked the Syrian authorities “to allow free access, full and immediate humanitarian personnel to all people who need help”.