As death toll mounts, time running out for war-torn Syria

Violence in Syria is inching closer to Damascus, with tension rising as army defectors close in on the capital. In the past two weeks, defectors from Syria`s army have become more visible, seizing several suburbs on the eastern edge of Damascus.

They have set up checkpoints where masked men wearing military attire and wielding assault rifles stop motorists and protect anti-regime protests. Bashar al-Assad has blamed "terrorists" for driving the country`s uprising.He says the unrest is driven by armed insurgents and not by protesters seeking democratic change.

The state-run SANA information agency reported on Monday that a large number of terrorists have been detained over the past three days in Douma, Harasta, Saqba, Hammourieh and Kfar Batna, in the Damascus countryside. Syria▓s Interior Ministry reports armed terrorist groups in the area, equipped with US and Israeli-made weapons. The terrorists are committed to the killing and kidnappings of civilians, as well as vandalizing private and public property, reports SANA.

The dust has not yet settled over the suburbs of Damascus, which has seen some of the fiercest fighting since the beginning of the unrest, with regime troops taking the upper hand.

RT`s Sara Firth is one of the few international reporters who has been allowed into the country.However in the last few days the situation has become so unstable that finding people willing to talk has proved difficult.

One resident of Jobour had this to say about the situation in his town.

"There was a funeral for a resident of Jobour who died under fire. During his funeral people and his relatives were voicing anti government regime slogans and called for freedom. Someone was shot dead during the funeral and we had to go and hide from the security forces," he said, covering his face in a bid to conceal his identity.

RT`s crew attempted to travel to the suburbs where some of the clashes broke out to try and get a clearer picture of what has been happening in the last few days.

"We were supposed to be visiting an area called Imueun, but we`ve received a call to tell us that the area isn`t safe and it goes to show you how the situation stands right now, you simply can`t be sure what`s happening in these areas, even the local people here don`t fully understand how things stand right now," says Sara Firth.

The crew made it into one of the suburbs of Jabour using back roads. The opposition, which only last week had control of some of the suburbs, has now gone underground. Sara Firth takes up the story.

"We drive on to meet some of the members of the Free Syrian Army. But before the interview begins, some other members join.As talk turns to people they know who have just been arrested, the mood changes and the atmosphere starts to feel hostile and journalists have to leave. It is not safe anymore."

"It seems armed advocates have convinced the Free Syrian Army that coming closer to the capital will be simpler now - this is harmful to the cause of bringing peace in Syria," Loay Hussein, head of the Building the Syrian State movement told RT.

Everyone, it seems, is waiting for the outcome of the UN briefing by the Arab League today.With dialogue having ground to a halt, Moscow`s offer to hold reconciliation talks will not be easily brushed aside. While the Syrian government has accepted the offer, the invitation got a mixed reaction from the opposition.

"They have geopolitical aims, geopolitical reasons for feeding the conflict in Syria," says political analyst Hisham Ghassib, referring to the US-EU coalition pushing for a halt to Syria▓s crackdown on the 10-month-old uprising."They are not interested in reform, nor they are interested in democracy or freedom," Ghassib insists.

Both the government and the opposition have been vocal in calling for a Syrian solution to a Syrian problem - but have repeatedly failed to communicate. Now opportunities for dialogue are running out fast.

The United Nations estimated several weeks ago that more than 5,400 people had been killed in Syria`s crackdown since the uprising against Assad`s rule began in March. Bloodshed has continued unabated, with more than 190 killed in the past five days alone.And the UN says its estimated death toll has now been drastically superseded.

sections: World News