Spate of violence in Syria

More than 30 people including rebels and soldiers were killed in recent spate of violence in Syria. According to the opposition activists, at least 30 Syrian soldiers, rebels and civilians were killed in recent spate of violence following the Syrian government s claim of pulling back troops from some areas of the country in wake of the peace deal. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) said it had met a delegation from peace envoy Kofi Annan this week and confirmed its fighters would stop shooting if Assad withdraws his tanks and troops to barracks before a ceasefire deadline next Thursday. "Talks were held and the FSA said if the regime commits to the plan and withdraws from the cities and returns to its original barracks then we are committed to the plan," Colonel Riad al-Asaad told news agency.  The plan calls for a troop withdrawal by April 10 and a ceasefire by April 12. Assad told Annan two weeks ago he had accepted the terms. The Annan plan does not stipulate a withdrawal to barracks. It says the army must "begin pullback of military concentrations in and around population centres". But on Friday at the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sharply criticized the Syrian government for the persistent attacks on civilians and demanded it keep its pledge to halt all military operations. He suggested the latest killings were tantamount to a violation of U.N. Security Council demands that Damascus move toward a ceasefire.