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May 9, 2011

Syria President Deploys Tanks in Third Largest City amid Sweeping Dissident Arrests 
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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has sent tanks deep into Syria's third
largest city of Homs, escalating a military campaign to crush a
seven-week-old uprising. Syrian security forces are also continuing to
conduct house-to-house raids across the country, detaining hundreds of
people. Meanwhile, the Red Cross and the Red Crescent have also begun
delivering aid to the Syrian city of Daraa after the army lifted its
siege of the southern city.

Patrick Youssef, ICRC Deputy Head of Near and Middle East Region: "What
they found is that they lack some baby milk and some medicine for
chronic illnesses. And this was the basic thing that they saw, and
they're trying, as well, to respond as much as—I mean, as fast as
possible, probably within the next days, where they will, as well, carry
out another mission to Daraa."



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