Syria Says 2,000 Security Forces Killed since March
More than 2,000 members of Syria's security forces have been killed in nine months since anti-regime protests broke out, state news agency SANA said on Thursday.
"In response to a fallacious U.N. report on the situation in Syria, we have informed the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that the number of martyrs has surpassed 2,000 members of the security forces and the army," according to a letter SANA says was sent.
The United Nations has said that more than 5,000 people have been killed in the same period.
At the same time, Damascus denounced "politically motivated, false reports of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights and the international commission established by the Human Rights Council," SANA said.
On December 2, the rights council urged tougher international action against Syria, condemning "gross violations" of human rights following evidence security forces killed and tortured dissidents.
Syria insists that there are "hundreds of terrorists who have publically admitted killing protesters, committed robberies and assassinations and disseminated fabricated information in exchange for money provided from neighboring countries."
It accused the commission of being "in step with the plans of certain countries who want to destroy Syria and impose a military intervention ... while serious crimes are committed by terrorist groups."
Source: Naharnet, Associated Press
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