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Lebanon's Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour expressed similar sentiments. According to Lebanon's Daily Star , government security forces strengthened their border presence. In addition, dozens of arrests foiled attempts to smuggle weapons to Syrian insurgents.
He and Lavrov also urged greater political and diplomatic pressure on Washington to stop supporting terrorist gangs committing sabotage, murder and other forms of violence.
The more Assad responds, the more he's blamed for doing his job. However, popular support backs him, and no wonder. Threatened by ongoing violence, including in Syria's largest cities, residents depend on government help for protection. It's true wherever insurgencies erupt.
Instead of alienating growing numbers, Western-backed terrorism's uniting them against foreign elements they oppose.
Despite its strong anti-Assad sentiment, Human Rights Watch issued a March 19 open letter. It condemned opposition terrorism. It noted targeted killings, summary executions, kidnappings for ransom, torture, hostage taking, and other violent crimes.
A UN-mandated Commission of Inquiry February 2012 report also said opposition forces committed gross human rights abuses, including murder, disappearances, and forced displacement of thousands of Syrian residents from areas they held.
It also accused state security forces of greater violations instead of explaining Assad's responsibility to confront foreign-generated terrorism forcibly. It's his job to protect Syrians from violent killer gangs. Other leaders would do the same thing.
On March 20, a five-member UN team launched a monitoring operation. It's part of an effort to establish a ceasefire and halt violence on both sides. In a letter to UN envoy Kofi Annan, Assad expressed eagerness to halt fighting, but insisted foreign fighters must disarm and supplying them with weapons and munitions must stop.
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