"Military Operations"

"I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the indiscriminate use of heavy artillery and shelling of populated areas, including by firing from helicopters."  UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Yes, he does, most certainly he does.  Why would he not?  Everyone condemns, in the 'strongest possible terms' yet another massacre.  But the condemnation must be said, must be heard, must be published to ensure that the world is aware of what the United Nations abhors.  The United Nations abhors too Sudan's Darfur massacres.

But both Syria and Sudan are on track to be nominated to and accepted for membership - yet again - on the United Nations Human Rights Council.  Now then, there are many within the international community who condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the indiscriminate flouting of decency and integrity at the United Nations.

"The situation in Hama province continues to be highly volatile and unpredictable", was the laconic and certainly expected analysis in a 'flash report' from the UN observer mission.  "SAAF forces continue to target populated urban areas north of Hama city in a large scale", went the statement, referring to the Syrian Arab Air Force.

"The operation in Tremseh is assessed as an extension of the SAAF operation in Khan Sheikhoun to Souran over the recent number of days", clarified the UN mission in Syria report further.  A patrol of UNSMIS military observers were unable to approach any closer than six kilometres of Tremseh before they were brought to an abrupt halt by SAAF commanders.

Having been informed they could proceed no further because of "military operations", the patrol took watch from locations around Tremseh for an eight-hour period.  During that time the patrol members reported they heard over 100 explosions, sporadic small arms and heavy machine-gun fire and witnessed white and black smoke plumes.

Those observers identified a MI-8 and two Mi-24 helicopters, firing air-to-ground rockets.  "Attempts to contact the local military commander during this period were unsuccessful.  Patrols attempted to access Tremseh via alternate routes without success."  They attempted to evacuate civilians through contact with the Hama Governorate chief of police and the SAAF senior national liaison officer, to no avail.

They observed other occurrences; civilian trucks and cars carrying armed men wearing both military and civilian clothing.  Along with ten ambulances, in one of which was an armed individual.  This would roughly correspond to the arrival on the scene of the Shabiya, the Shi'ite civilian militias that are dispatched to do the mop-up once the military has pounded a protest site. 

And likely when most of the deaths occur, since the military deal death at an impressive distance, while the Shabiya deliver death at close range.  The reports have increased the numbers of dead to 220.  There will perhaps be an increase in that number.  Since the village has a population of roughly 3,000, they have been effectively decimated.

It is a Sunni village.  It is surrounded by three other villages at close range which are Shia villages.  The Sunni are the country's majority population, and it is primarily a Sunni-led insurrection that is attempting to unseat the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.  The minority Shia population of which the Alawite regime is a part, knows very well what is in store for them should the Sunni prevail.

And should the Sunni opposition reach their goal, Syrian Christians and Druze, along with the Shia wonder what their fate will be in their country of origin.  The Middle East is a country fraught with insecurities, tribal antipathies, diverse and changeable loyalties and sectarian violence at the best of times. 

This is not the best of times.