Hama under the hammer as Bashar al-Assad defies call to end Syrian siege

SYRIAN troops tightened their siege on the city of Hama yesterday, sending residents fleeing for their lives and drawing a fresh wave of international condemnation against a regime defying calls to end its crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Italy recalled its ambassador to Syria "in the face of the horrible repression against the civil population" by the government, which launched a new push against protesters as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began on Monday. It was the first European Union country to pull its ambassador, and the move came a day after the EU tightened sanctions on Syria.

The international outcry has had no apparent effect so far in Syria, an autocracy led by Bashar al-Assad, who relies on Iran as a regional ally.

There has been an intensified campaign against the unrest since Sunday, apparently aimed at preventing protests from swelling during Ramadan, when Muslims crowd mosques for special nightly prayers after breaking their daily, dawn-to-dusk fast. The gatherings could turn into large protests.

As expected, protests erupted on Monday evening, with hundreds turning out in Homs, Latakia, the Damascus suburbs and the eastern city of Deir el-Zour.

There were scattered protests in Hama, an opposition stronghold, but heavy shelling kept most people off the streets.

The city has a history of defiance to the Assad family's 40-year rule in Syria. In 1982, Mr Assad's father, Hafez, ordered the military to put down a rebellion by Syrian members of the conservative Muslim Brotherhood movement. The city was sealed and aerial bombing killed between 10,000 and 25,000, rights groups have said.

Hama-based activist Omar Hamawi said by telephone that troops advanced about 700 metres from the western entrance of the city overnight, taking up positions near homes and buildings in Kazo Square. He said the force consisted of eight tanks and several armoured carriers.

Mr Hamawi said troops were also reinforced on the eastern side of the city around the overcrowded Hama Central Prison.

He said residents saw smoke billowing from the jail overnight and heard sporadic gunfire from inside, leading some to believe the inmates were rioting. He added that it was impossible to know what was exactly going on due to the security clampdown.

The activist also said parts of Hama were hit early Tuesday with heavy machine-gun fire after sporadic shelling overnight. He said a shell hit a compound known as the Palace of Justice in the city centre, causing a huge fire that burned much of the building, which housed several courts.

Activists said around 24 people were killed on Monday and 74 on Sunday, most in Hama. About 1,700 civilians have been killed since largely peaceful protests against Mr Assad's regime began, according to activists.

The regime disputes the toll and blames a foreign conspiracy saying gangs and extremists - not true reform-seekers - are behind the unrest. State-run TV aired video footage yesterday supposedly filmed in Hama showing men with rifles in the streets - a bid to bolster claims thugs are causing the violence.