The situation in Syria continues to worsen. While accurate information is difficult to acquire, all indications are that the country hovers on the brink of a civil war. The most recent atrocity is a massacre in the town of Houla that left at least 108 people dead. On Saturday, 89 deaths were reported in various parts of Syria. The bloodshed must stop.
The battle for Syria has raged for over a year. If rebels took hope from the tidal wave of change that swept Northern Africa and the Middle East during the Arab Spring, the government of President Bashar Assad was equally determined to spare no effort to crush the rebellion against its rule. The result has been a bloody battle with one outrage and atrocity piled atop another. It is estimated that at least 9,000 civilians have been killed, while the government claims that thousands of its soldiers have lost their lives as well.
The most recent savagery was an attack on the town of Houla, which left at least 108 people dead, including 49 children and 34 women. The Damascus government's tight control over the media has made reporting difficult; information is sporadic and often unverifiable. United Nations observes have confirmed the body count; examination of the bodies shows that some were killed by shell fire, while the majority were either shot or stabbed at close range.