Syria celebrates Eid al-Adha, government kills 110 people.

Despite assurances from the Syrian government that their bloody crackdowns against dissidents would stop, they haven't. The United Nations human rights office now says that more than 3,500 people have been killed in that government's eight-month crackdown on opposition.

DAMASCUS SYRIA (Catholic Online) - Activists are claiming that the most recent deadly assaults have been taking place in the central city of Homs. They are reporting that at least 19 people were killed on Sunday during the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Activists are also reporting that security forces murdered two people on Tuesday during a protest against President Bashar al-Assad in that same city.

With more than 110 people reported dead in the last week, it is a stark contrast to the peace deal that Syria struck with the Arab League in an effort to halt the violence. The Syrian ambassador to the Arab League told reporters on Monday that his country had taken significant steps towards upholding their end of the bargain which included the release of 500 prisoners in a conditional amnesty.

Assad's government is blaming the current spate of violence on people he calls "terrorists," and he is claiming that hundreds of security personnel have been killed by them.

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nunland reiterated US concerns on Monday saying that the government is trying to deflect attention away from the ongoing violence in that country.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced during a speech on Monday, that Middle East leaders who respond with violence to those who seek change ought to know, "their days are numbered." The warning is ominous particularly given the timing of the NATO drawdown in Libya.

To address the continued problems, the Arab League has scheduled an emergency meeting to take place in Cairo this Saturday. On the agenda is a discussion of "serious failure to implement" their agreement. It is unclear what steps the Arab League will take in the face of Syria's defiance.

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