DUBAI – Syrian forces killed as many as 120 people, including dozens of defecting soldiers, as the government agreed to allow Arab League monitors in to verify compliance with measures to halt the violence.
The deaths were among the highest in a single day since the start of an uprising nine months ago against the rule of president Bashar al-Assad. Yesterday’s signing of the Arab League accord in Cairo came as the bloc moved closer to asking the UN Security Council to address the Syrian crisis. The league postponed a meeting of foreign ministers who were scheduled to gather in Cairo tomorrow to discuss a proposal on Syria to the Security Council. The Arab League imposed sanctions on Syria in November, increasing pressure on Assad to end the suppression of protests. The UN estimates more than 5,000 people have been killed in the uprising.