Monitors withdrawn from Syria, Arab League calls U.N. for help

The observers sent to Syria to monitor the implementation of a plan to end bloodshed were withdrawn yesterday by the Gulf Arab states.

An Arab League plan for al-Assad to surrender power was rejected which resulted in a call for U.N. help made by the group’s chief to end the conflict in Syria.

While 110 members of the team remain in Syrian to continue the mission, Arab League officials said 55 Gulf Arab observers were being withdrawn.

The monitors were withdrawn because there had been no positive response from the Syrian government but Saudi ambassador to Britain, Prince Mohammad Bin Nawaf said he hoped military intervention would not be necessary.

The League was accused of planning foreign intervention by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem but he still agreed to extend the Arab League mission of observers by a month but rejected the more recent proposal.

During the 10-month-old uprising, thousands of civilians and security force members have been killed and was inspired by others which ousted three Arab leaders.

Yesterday alone, 26 people were killed according to numbers released by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and 15 were killed in clashes between security forces and rebels.