May 16, 2012
U.N. monitors were attending a funeral in a northern Syria village when it turned into a protest, and then a violent clash. More than 30 people were killed, and the U.N. peace plan suffered another setback.
May 13, 2012
The ongoing violence has dominated the headlines from Syria. But monitoring groups say that nonviolent activists and intellectuals are being arrested in growing numbers. Critics say it's an attempt by the Syrian leadership to undermine any potential political negotiations.
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May 12, 2012
A video posted online in the name of a shadowy militant group late Friday claimed responsibility for twin suicide bombings in the Syrian capital this week that killed 55 people.
Host Scott Simon talks with Kieran Dwyer, chief spokesman for the United Nations Peace-Keeping Department, about the United Nations mission in Syria and continuing violence there.
May 10, 2012
Two deadly explosions on the outskirts of Damascus further undercut a peace plan for Syria. It's clear the current plan isn't working. But there's no consensus on what's the best alternative.
Two strong explosions ripped through the Syrian capital Thursday, killing more than 40 people and leaving scenes of carnage in the streets in an assault against a center of government power, officials said.
A relatively new terrorist group has claimed responsibility for recent attacks in Syria. Jabhat al-Nusra Li-Ahl al-Sham, or the Front to Protect the Syrian People, is an al-Qaida-style terrorist group that has apparently entered the fray of violence.
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May 7, 2012
The voting for Syria's 250 member parliament is unlikely to affect the course of Syria's popular uprising, which began 13 months ago with protests against President Bashar Assad's regime. The regime has violently cracked down on dissent and many in the opposition have armed themselves, pushing the country toward civil war.
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May 4, 2012
Activists said the government is worried about an uprising in Syria's second city, which until now had remained relatively peaceful.
April 27, 2012
Smugglers trying to deliver medicine, communications gear and weapons to the opposition in Syria now are facing stricter scrutiny from Turkish border guards. The activists and smugglers say Turkish guards are confiscating phones and other nonlethal gear that was once permitted to pass freely.
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