Sun, June 03, 2012
DAMASCUS, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A Syrian brigadier-general was killed Saturday by the gunfire of armed groups along with his driver in a suburban area near the Syrian capital Damascus, state- run SANA news agency reported.
The officer had been targeted while en route to his work earlier in the day in the eastern Ghouta area near Damascus, said SANA.
The assassination came as part of growing trend of violence targeting army officers and anyone affiliated to the Syrian government.
The Syrian crisis is seemingly careening towards a sectarian rift, as revenge crimes and sectarian conflicts have hit a new high over the past recent months in Syria's 15-months old unrest.
The international community is still ostensibly rallying behind the six-point peace plan negotiated by international envoy Kofi Annan. However, some voices have joined the Qatari and Saudi chorus that calls for arming and financing the rebels, who are showing unwavering desire to drive away the rule of President Bashar al-Assad by force rather than sitting on the dialogue table to solve the protracted crisis.
