UN observers start talks in bid to save Syria ceasefire

UN observers met Syrian officials today to thrash out rules for monitoring the country’s five-day-old ceasefire, which appeared to be unravelling as regime forces pounded the opposition stronghold of Homs with shells.

The overall level of violence across Syria has fallen significantly, but government attacks at the weekend raised doubts about President Bashar al-Assad’s commitment to special envoy Kofi Annan’s plan to end 13 months of violence and launch talks on the country’s political future.

An advance team of six UN monitors arrived in Damascus last night. Led by Moroccan colonel Ahmed Himmiche, they met foreign ministry officials today to discuss ground rules, including freedom of movement. The remaining 25 observers were expected to arrive shortly.

Meanwhile Palestinian group Hamas said one of their senior members, Mustafa Lidawi, was abducted near Damascus. Hamas leaders have been based in Syria but relations with the regime have soured after Hamas criticised its suppression of the uprising.